Tumble Dryer Not Turning – Bosch, Siemens, Constructa, ETC.

Tumble Dryer Capacitors

If your Bosch, Siemens, Constructa, Gaggenau, Viking, etctumble dryer is not turning or you can only hear a low humming noise with no drum action then it is probably your capacitor or motor. This video will show you a step by step procedure on how to diagnose the fault and how to replace a motor capacitor.

This video is on Bosch & Siemens models listed below, the serial number and model number can be found inside the door, if you need to obtain parts.

Bosch tumble dryer models:

WTA3000GB/01, WTA3100GB/02, WTA4007GB/01, WTA4007GB/02, WTA4007GB/03, WTA4007GB/04, WTA4100NL/03, WTA4100NL/04, WTA4100NL/05, WTA4107GB(00), WTA4107GB/00, WTA4107GB/01, WTA4108GB/01, WTA4108GB/02, WTA4400NL/03, WTA4400NL/04, WTA4400NL/05, WTA4408GB/01, WTA4409GB/01, WTA4409GB/02, WTA4409GB/03, WTA4409GB/04, WTA4409GB/05.

Siemens tumble dryer models:

WTXL1100GB/01, WTXL1400GB/01, WTXL1400GB/02, WTXL1400GB/03, WTXL1400GB/04, WTXL1400GB/05.

If  you can´t hear the motor turning on your tumble dryer when you turn it on, this is a good indication that you either have a fault with the motor, or with that the capacitor as gone faulty.

To check this, turn the tumble dryer heat system off and press start. You will hear a low humming or buzzing noise with no drum action. The buzzing noise that you hear is the motor trying to start, but as the capacitor is not working it cannot give the motor the initial shunt it needs to start turning.

You can hear better this buzzing noise, once you take the top lid off first, which is held on by two screws on the sides, that can be Phillips or star drive, behind a small plastic cap that you can remove with a flat blade screwdriver. You also need to remove two screws on the back of the machine, which again can be Phillips or star drive (see video for this).

There are normally 4 reasons why a tumble dryer is not turning:

• The most common is the belt;
• The capacitor can fail:
• The motor can fail;
• Or you may have a problem with, either the wiring or a faulty circuit board, or timer on earlier models

Please take note! 

Tumble Dryer capacitors can be dangerous. It can hold an electrical charge indefinitely even when not connected to a power source. Never touch the terminals of a capacitor until you have discharged it. Never assume a capacitor has already been discharged (Even the New Ones!). Because of the capacitors ability to store energy, it is dangerous even when disconnected from a power source. In order to handle it safely, it must first be discharged.