Got called out for my lazy multimeter habit on a dryer call

I was working on a Whirlpool dryer that wouldn't heat, and my old boss was riding with me. I quickly checked for voltage at the outlet, saw 240, and told the customer the heating element was bad. My boss stopped me and said, 'You didn't check the thermal fuse or the cycling thermostat, did you? You're just guessing and wasting parts.' He was right. I swapped the element, and it still didn't work. The real issue was a blown thermal fuse, which a 30 second continuity check would have found. Now I force myself to do a full continuity check on the entire heat circuit every single time, even if I'm 90% sure. It adds maybe two minutes to the job but saves so many callbacks. Anyone else have a simple step they used to skip that now feels essential?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_amy7d agoMost Upvoted

That continuity check is basically free insurance.

amyc227d ago

Totally agree, it's such a simple step that can save you from a huge headache later. I've caught a few bad connections that way before plugging anything in. Feels good to know you're starting off on solid ground.