How to Check a 3-Terminal Dryer Door Switch With an Ohm Meter

Clothes dryers work with a kill switch built into the appliance door that shuts off the dryer when the door is opened. This is a safety feature. If the dryer doesn't operate normally when the door is securely closed, a faulty switch may be to blame. A simple diagnostic test with an ohm meter lets you determine in seconds if the switch is defective. A multimeter with an ohms setting can also be used for this test.

Screwdriver
Adhesive tape
Ohm meter

Instructions

- 1
  Unplug the dryer's power cord.
- 2
  Open the dryer door to locate and remove the single screw in the door frame next to the switch, which is a spring-loaded metal lever.
- 3
  Pull the switch gently from the mounting hole in the dryer to prevent the three wires on the back of the switch from popping off and falling back inside the cabinet.
- 4
  Grip the connector on the end of each wire and pull them off the switch terminal.
- 5
  Secure the three wires to the outside of the door frame with a piece of adhesive tape to prevent them from slipping inside the appliance.
- 6
  Touch the tester probes on the ohm meter to the left and center switch terminals. A reading of infinity on the ohm meter indicates normal operation.
- 7
  Press the lever on the front of the switch while the ohm meter is still connected. With normal switch operation, the ohm meter will drop to zero.
- 8
  Attach the ohm meter probes to the center and right terminals to repeat the test for the open side of the circuit. Infinity is the normal reading with the switch in the open position and zero when the lever is pressed to close the switch.

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