Hotpoint TDC60 Relay Issue

Wanted to share a problem I’ve just had with my Hotpoint TDC60 dryer. I think this is a great site for knowledge and I want to put something back that will hopefully help others.

The dryer would run happily for a while and then just stop. However the dryer light stayed on. The dryer would get very hot as the elements were on but no air was circulating. If the dryer was left for a while it would start-up and work OK until the same thing would happen again.

Closer monitoring of the issue highlighted that the dryer was not reversing. It would hold static for a few minutes and then continue. When the dryer did fail it was always at the point when it should have come out of the reverse cycle.

I guess those of you with experience in such things are now thinking relays and control board.

Interestingly a sharp tap to the side of the dryer where the control board is located and the thing would start up. Also a sharp tap to the side when it was running could make it stop.

Lifted the lid and left the dryer running. A gentle push on the surround of the control board would have the same effect as the sharp tap to the side.

Disconnected the dryer, removed the lid and side, and removed the control board PCB for inspection.

All the relay solder joints were dry. Some had quite a bit of physical moment in them.

Soldered them up again and all has been well since.

If you think you have bad relays please check the solder joints first. It would have been quite easy for me to spend some serious money on a new control board for nothing more than dry joints.

I hope this post comes in helpful to somebody else in the future.