Dryer
Electric Dryer Not Heating: Breaker and Half-Power Test
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Question 1 of up to 5
Prefer to read it? Quick checklist
- Is Air Only, Fluff or Cool Down selected?
- Yes: A no-heat or cool-down cycle is selected: The control shows Air Only, Fluff, Cool Down or another unheated segment. (likely)
- No, a heated cycle is selected: Does a voltage or nP code appear?
- Yes: The dryer may not have its required 240-volt supply: A professional has not verified the dedicated supply or an nP/voltage code appears. (possible)
- No: Does the external breaker appear changed or partially tripped?
- One circuit appears tripped: One side of the supply circuit may have tripped: The drum runs without heat and an external breaker or circuit indicator appears changed. (possible)
- Possibly partially tripped: The two-pole breaker may be partially tripped: The dryer runs but does not heat even though the external breaker does not look fully tripped. (possible)
- Looks normal or unsure: Is there a burnt smell or visible cord damage?
- Yes: The cord or terminal block may be burned: A technician finds a burned wire, damaged cord or terminal connection. (possible)
- No: After professional supply verification, which internal fault was confirmed?
- Heating element or thermal part: An internal heating component may have failed: A professional has verified the supply and identified an internal heater or safety-part fault. (possible)
- No internal fault confirmed yet: The dryer may not have its required 240-volt supply: A professional has not verified the dedicated supply or an nP/voltage code appears. (possible)
Last updated
If your electric dryer is not heating, a drum that turns with no warmth can indicate one side of the 240-volt supply is unavailable. Check the selected cycle and display first. Do not measure voltage, inspect the cord or open the terminal block; those checks belong to a licensed electrician or appliance technician.
What “half power” means
An electric dryer uses a two-line supply. Samsung says one circuit can trip while the motor circuit remains available, so the drum turns even though the heating circuit does not. GE says a breaker can be partially tripped without looking fully tripped. This running-drum/no-heat behavior is often called a half-power symptom; it does not identify the exact fault.
Start with the control panel. Confirm the cycle is not Air Only, Fluff or Cool Down, which do not provide heat. Note any code such as Samsung 9C1 or LG nP. A code can direct service toward a supply issue, but it is not permission to test the outlet.
The dryer not-heating hub covers other causes, including cycle and vent restrictions. If the dryer does not start at all, use the dryer won’t-start guide. For accessible vent checks, use the dryer vent-cleaning guide.
Causes, from cycle to licensed service
1. One side of the supply circuit may have tripped
One side of the supply circuit may have tripped
The drum runs without heat and an external breaker or circuit indicator appears changed.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time
- 5 minutes
- Tools
- None listed
Samsung says the motor and heater use separate circuits, so one may trip while the drum continues to turn. A dark or changed external breaker indicator can be a clue, but it does not confirm a failed component.
Do not remove a panel cover or touch the breaker wiring. If the external handle appears tripped, the position is unclear or the circuit trips again, stop and call a licensed electrician. Do not repeatedly reset it.
2. The two-pole breaker may be partially tripped
The two-pole breaker may be partially tripped
The dryer runs but does not heat even though the external breaker does not look fully tripped.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time
- 5 minutes
- Tools
- None listed
GE says a breaker can be partially tripped even when it does not look tripped. That can leave the motor available and the heater without its required supply. The dryer’s behavior is a clue, not proof that the breaker is the only fault.
Do not test or open the breaker panel. Have an electrician verify the circuit if the dryer spins without heat and the external breaker position looks normal.
3. The dryer may not have the required 240-volt supply
The dryer may not have its required 240-volt supply
A professional has not verified the dedicated supply or an nP/voltage code appears.
- Difficulty
- Pro
- Time
- 45 minutes
- Tools
- None listed
Maytag and GE say an electric dryer needs the specified 240-volt supply. GE says some dryers can operate at 120 volts without heating; its separate guidance notes drying can take much longer at that supply.
LG says nP means no current to the heater and directs the owner to licensed electrical service if its listed check does not resolve it. Do not measure voltage yourself. A licensed electrician can verify the outlet and circuit; an appliance technician can inspect the dryer.
4. The cord or terminal block may be damaged
The cord or terminal block may be burned
A technician finds a burned wire, damaged cord or terminal connection.
- Difficulty
- Pro
- Time
- 60 minutes
- Tools
- None listed
Maytag and GE say burned or broken wires at the dryer’s terminal block require replacement of the cord and block. A burning smell or visible cord damage is a reason to stop using the appliance.
Do not remove the cover, tighten screws or touch the terminal block. Keep the dryer unplugged only if it is safe to reach the plug without standing in water or touching damaged conductors; otherwise shut it off at the breaker and call service.
5. A no-heat or cool-down cycle is selected
A no-heat or cool-down cycle is selected
The control shows Air Only, Fluff, Cool Down or another unheated segment.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- 3 minutes
- Tools
- None listed
An air-only or cool-down segment is designed not to heat. Check the cycle name and select a heat setting intended for the fabric. Do not run a test cycle if the dryer smells hot or the cord is damaged.
If a proper heated cycle still gives no heat while the drum turns, move to the service checks. A cycle setting cannot explain a repeated voltage code or a breaker that trips.
6. An internal heater or thermal part may have failed
An internal heating component may have failed
A professional has verified the supply and identified an internal heater or safety-part fault.
- Difficulty
- Pro
- Time
- 60 minutes
- Tools
- None listed
- Part cost
- $150–$350Source: Dryer Repair Cost (Fixr) · Checked October 12, 2026
If a licensed professional verifies the supply and the dryer still does not heat, an internal heating element or thermal part may need diagnosis. iFixit lists these among possible electric-dryer causes, but the manufacturer sources do not provide a safe owner test.
$150–$350Source: Dryer Repair Cost (Fixr) · Checked October 12, 2026 is a secondary planning range. Ask the technician which component failed and whether the written quote includes labor and the underlying cause.
- Lint Filter
- Drum
- Belt
- Motor
- Heating Element
- Gas Burner Assembly
- Thermal Fuse
- High Limit Thermostat
- Blower
- Vent Hose
- Wall Vent
- Exhaust Hood
- Door Switch
A five-minute test before you call anyone
Whirlpool’s electric-dryer page gives the cleanest way to confirm that the problem is real, and it needs no tools. Select a heated, timed cycle, run the dryer empty for five minutes, then open the door and feel inside. If the drum is warm, Whirlpool sends you to the drying-performance part of its troubleshooting, which means the dryer does heat and the complaint is about drying time. In that case the dryer not-drying guide and the vent-cleaning guide fit better than anything on this page.
If the drum stays cold after five minutes of a heated cycle, you have a genuine no-heat symptom and the checks below apply. Doing the test empty matters: a wet load can mask a weak heater by absorbing the heat, and a dry empty drum warms quickly enough to be obvious.
The cycle names that never heat
Whirlpool states that Air Only and Air/Fluff Only cycles never add heat. It describes them as suitable for items that shrink easily, drying racks, sweaters and shoes, and says they work better as Timed Dry cycles. Many people press a “Fluff” or “Refresh” button on the last cycle and keep it, so check the panel name rather than the knob position. If you need heat, choose a heated cycle.
Two breakers on one 30-amp circuit
Whirlpool says the dryer uses a separate 30-amp circuit with two breakers: one powers the motor and one powers the heating element. If either is tripped, the dryer may not heat. That is consistent with what the Samsung and GE pages say about a drum that turns without heat. The practical consequence is that “the dryer spins, so it has power” is not evidence of a healthy supply.
This guide does not tell you to open the panel. If your home has the two breakers visible as a single double-width handle, you can look at it from outside the panel door the way you would at any circuit breaker, but the decision to reset it belongs with the person who maintains the panel. A breaker that trips again after a reset points to a fault, not a nuisance.
The 240-volt supply and the cord
Whirlpool says electric dryers require 240 volts and that without it the dryer will not operate correctly, so it recommends a qualified electrician confirm the supply. It also says to check the power cord installation against the installation instructions and its three-wire and four-wire videos, and to make sure the terminal screws at the dryer are tight, with a warning to unplug the dryer before checking the screws.
Read that last point with care. Tightening terminal screws means removing the rear access cover and working on the connection that carries 240 volts, and a loose or burned connection is a fire risk. If your dryer was recently moved, or a new cord was fitted, mention that to the technician: a cord changed from three prongs to four, or the reverse, is a common reason for half power. The dryer won’t-start guide covers the opposite case, where nothing runs at all.
What to tell the electrician or technician
- Whether the drum turns and whether the panel lights up.
- The result of the five-minute empty heated cycle.
- Any code shown (Samsung 9C1, LG nP or PS).
- Whether a breaker has tripped before, and when the dryer was last moved or the cord changed.
- Whether the dryer is on its own circuit.
Those five facts let the visit start at the supply instead of replacing a heating element the supply never reached. The cost ranges in this guide are for planning only, and a heater replacement quote should follow, not precede, a verified 240-volt supply.
What codes mean
Samsung lists 9C1 as an abnormal voltage indication. LG says nP indicates no current to the heater and PS indicates an electrical supply issue. GE and Maytag describe a drum that can run without heat when the 240-volt supply is incomplete. These messages do not tell you to open a panel or test the outlet.
Samsung’s support guidance describes turning the breaker off for 30 seconds for a particular reset. LG describes its own breaker step for nP. Those instructions vary by model. If you do not know the correct circuit or cannot safely reach the external handle, do not attempt a reset; call a licensed electrician. If the code returns, arrange service.
Stop and call a pro
Call an electrician or appliance technician if the dryer runs without heat after the cycle check, if a breaker looks partially tripped, if an nP or voltage code appears, or if a cord is hot, damaged or burnt. Do not perform a live voltage test. A technician should check the home supply before replacing a heater.
If the appliance has a gas connection, use the gas-dryer guidance instead; this page covers electric dryers only. Do not open the terminal block or attempt to replace the cord yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Why does an electric dryer spin but not heat?
Samsung and GE say one side of the two-line supply can trip while the motor still runs. A missing 240-volt supply can prevent heat. Have a licensed professional verify the circuit.
Can I measure the outlet voltage myself?
No. LG directs voltage measurement to a licensed electrician. Do not open the terminal block or use a multimeter on a live dryer circuit.
What does nP mean on an LG electric dryer?
LG says nP indicates no current to the heater and normally points to a home wiring issue. It directs owners to a licensed electrician if its listed breaker check does not resolve it.
Sources
- Dryer is Not HeatingMaytag Product Help
- Dryer Runs but Does Not HeatGE Appliances
- Dryer Not HeatingSamsung Support
- LG Dryer: Why Does My Dryer Have No Power?LG Support
- Electric Dryer Not HeatingiFixit (secondary repair source)
- Not Heating - Electric DryerWhirlpool Product Help