Tumble Dryer Drum Earth Strip -- DIY strip OK to use

[John Malam]

The earth strip on our tumble dryer needs replacing as the drum spindle has worn through it. A replacement strip is around £10.

As the strip is a thin piece of copper, about 2in long and 1/4in wide, £10 seems way too much to shell out. I've made one from a copper pipe clip (cost 14p). Would it be safe to use this DIY strip?

Pic shows the £10 replacement strip.

 

[davesparks]

That doesn’t look like copper to me, and I can’t imagine copper would do the job.
That strip will almost certainly be a brass alloy with a high degree of spring to it, copper work hardens far too quickly and will snap off in pretty short order.

 

[John Malam]

davesparks -- yes, the worn out one is very springy and looking at it again it's definitely a brassy colour. I don't want to take any risks, so guess I'll be buying the part I need.

 

[PEG]

What was the bearing like?

 

[westward10]

How did you realise it was worn through.

 

[John Malam]

The bearing is worn -- it's 21 years old. The dryer had started to make a screeching noise, so I'm replacing the drum shaft, and hope that will fix the problem. The tip of the shaft comes into contact with the earth strip, and had worn a perfect hole through it. At first I thought the strip was meant to have a hole, and it's only by checking for spares that I've seen a new part has a depression for the shaft tip to sit in. After 21 years, the shaft has worn its way through the strip.

 

[Rpa07]

£10 divided by 21 years = buy a new one it deserves it for long service.

 

[Strima]

After 21 years I'd say you've had your monies worth out of it.

I'd be looking at buying a new machine.

 

[davesparks]

After 21 years I'd say you've had your monies worth out of it.

I'd be looking at buying a new machine.

If the cost of parts is just £10 then I’d say it’s worth a shot at repairing seeing as it’s being done as a diy repair.

 

[PEG]

...And on a note of -----attention to detail...i replaced the shaft and bearing on my old dryer,changing the bush,for a hi-temp,sealed roller bearing.
I part drilled the end of the shaft,and tapped in a 6mm ball bearing,to run on the strip.
That was six years back

I have some good friends,in the white goods job,and over the years,we have all benefited from the swapping of information. One thing we have deduced,is when it comes to dryers,the longest lasting ones,are always the cheapest,with the expensive models giving the most trouble.

 

[LisiGracie]

My tumble dryer (Creda Reversair 37382) has stopped heating. It runs, but it’s cold. I was going to order a thermostat, but when I took the back off, I noticed the earth strip has worn through. Because of this, is it more likely to be the heating element than the thermostat?

 

[Avo Mk8]

My tumble dryer (Creda Reversair 37382) has stopped heating. It runs, but it’s cold. I was going to order a thermostat, but when I took the back off, I noticed the earth strip has worn through. Because of this, is it more likely to be the heating element than the thermostat?

I don't think you can divine the cause of the lack of heat from the fact the earth strip has worn.
There may be a one-shot over temperature cutout that has tripped, or the heating element may have gone, or it could be the thermostat contacts eroded.

An ohmmeter/ multimeter would be the best way to locate the problem (with the dryer OFF and disconnected)
Otherwise it's doing what my garage seem to do, keep changing bits until you find the one that's failed!