Sears Dryer Wiring

Brands

• Though Sears sells dryers from a variety of manufacturers – including Samsung, Whirlpool, Maytag, LG and General Electric – the company has its own in-house appliance company, Kenmore. At any given time, Sears offers about 20 different Kenmore dryer models. In 2011, dryers ranged from minielectric space saver models to gas and electric models with a capacity of 7.5 cubic feet. Sears and Kmart stores sell these dryers at brick-and-mortar locations and online.

Purpose

• In Sears-exclusive Kenmore dryers and in other brands, wires serve a variety of purposes. The dryer's main power cord connects the dryer to the electric wall outlet, and smaller wires make inessential dryer features possible, such as the bulb wiring that provides power to the dryer's interior light. Most dryers feature a three-wire or four-wire configuration, the latter of which relies on an insulated neutral wire, two “hot” wires and a separate ground wire for power.

Availability

• Sears offers replacement parts, including wiring, for its Kenmore dryers via an online service called Sears PartsDirect. Wiring-related parts available for purchase include wire harnesses, inline resistor kits, connectors, electronic controls and wire replacement kits. For many of its dryers, Sears also offers wiring diagrams, parts lists, owners manuals and service manuals, which help make the purpose and installation of dryer wiring components more clear.

Considerations

• In most cases, changing the wiring in a dryer requires a professional's touch. Sears' own appliance service branch, the Blue Service Crew, offers repair services for Kenmore, Kenmore Pro and Kenmore Elite dryers. These professionals provide parts and labor, including wires and wiring-related repairs, via in-home service. Though some Kenmore dryers require specific, Kenmore-brand components – such as bulkhead parts and fan wheels – some types of wiring not provided by Sears may work in Sears-brand dryers, especially basic power cable components.