Reset buttons are extraordinarily convenient, at least most of the time. When all you have to do is remove the back panel to your appliance, reach in, and press a button (or flip a switch with a pin) to solve your heating troubles, it feels like such a relief.
A majority of electric dryer models come with this type of reset button or switch on the high-limit thermostat. It proves an especially beneficial fix when your dryer heats too much or not enough.
Unfortunately, however, Roper dryer models don’t seem to come with a thermostat reset button or switch. Instead, you’ll need to run diagnostics and inspect parts yourself in order to fix your dryer’s heating issue.
This article will answer questions about what you can do to fix your dryer instead of pressing a reset button.
Is There A Reset Button On My Roper Dryer?
Many electric dryer brands come with a resettable thermostat—that is, a thermostat that has either an external reset button or an internal reset switch.
However, Roper dryers unfortunately seem to have a nonresettable thermostat, meaning there’s no button for you to press or switch for you to click that will reset the heating settings.
Instead, you’ll have to turn to other avenues.
What to Use Instead of Roper Dryer Reset Button
You have a couple of options from here.
The first is to clear out dryer vents and check specific components, such as the thermal fuse or dryer heating element.
However, diagnosing problems on your own can take a lot of time—hence why people perform a reset in the first place. From disassembly to searching which continuities are appropriate for a given component, it can be quite a hassle to diagnose the problem alone.
Fortunately for us, Roper dryers come with a diagnostics process that you can initiate from the control panel.
How to Run Roper Dryer Diagnostics
To run a diagnostics process on your electric dryer, start with the control panel dial turned vertical—it should be resting on NORMAL. Then:
Turn the dial once around counterclockwise (360 degrees).
Turn it clockwise so that it rests on the DELICATES setting.
Turn it counterclockwise so that it rests on CASUAL.
Turn it clockwise once more, back to DELICATES. All the indicator lights (except for LID LOCKED) should blink in unison.
If it doesn’t work the first time, turn it back to its original vertical position and start over, turning the dial more quickly.
Potential Error Codes Related to Underheating or Overheating
Roper is a subsidiary of the Whirlpool Company and its appliances share some of the same error codes as other Whirlpool Company dryers.
In Roper dryers, each of the status lights corresponds to a letter and a number:
E corresponds to the SENSING OFF light.
F corresponds to the SENSING ON light.
And the other three lights correspond to numbers.
You may receive as many as 4 error codes from this process, if there are that many to begin with.
When your dryer isn’t heating, these codes can give you crucial clues about which components to inspect.
Error Code F20: Heating Components
This error code is quite broad. It can encompass anything from loose wires or blown fuses in the heating loop to a dysfunctional heating element, thermostat, fuse, or motor.
If you get this error code, you may want to skip below to our section on testing and replacing heating components.
F28 Error Code: Moisture Sensor
The moisture sensor communicates with the rest of your dryer to let it know when your clothes are sufficiently dry. But when it malfunctions, it can under- or overestimate the amount of moisture left in your clothes.
If it underestimates, you’ll end up with a damp load of laundry that’s nowhere near ready to throw on—if it overestimates, your dryer can overheat, trying to eliminate moisture that isn’t there.
Error Code F30 or F4E3: Insufficient Airflow
This error code indicates that your dryer isn’t receiving enough air to heat up or (especially) cool down properly.
Typically, airflow problems come from clogged lint filters, obstructed exhaust vents, or other dryer venting. All you’ll need is a flashlight to see any debris and your hands to pull the rubbish out.
How to Replace Heating Components (Thermostat + Element)
Once you’ve run a diagnostics, you should have one of two outcomes. Either an error code has led you to the source of your dryer’s heating problem or the diagnostics process turned up nothing and you have to troubleshoot on your own.
Both possibilities probably involve testing with an ohm meter and replacing certain parts that manage the heat of your dryer.
How to Access Heating Components
In order to do anything with these parts, you’ll need to get to them first. To do so:
Unplug the power cord from the power source.
Remove the entire back panel of the dryer. There should be 8 screws to undo—3 each on the left and right sides and two at the top.
The heating element assembly box will be located toward the middle/bottom right of the dryer. In it is the heating element.
You’ll also find a small, black cylindrical component on the box. That’s the thermostat. It will have wires connecting to each side of it.
To the left of the box, you’ll find the thermal fuse, which is also connected to some wires and embedded into the dryer.
Thermostat
To replace the thermostat—which is primarily a safety device—first find it on the bottom left side of the heating element box. Disconnect the wires on each side. Then, pull it out of the heating assembly box and put in a new one. Reconnect the cables as they were before.
For this, you’ll need to perform a couple of extra steps:
Disconnect the wires on the thermostat
Unscrew the mounting screws on the sides of the box
Pull the heating assembly box down and out
If the thermostat is still functional, remove it and install it into the new box.
Insert the new box by pushing it in and out
Screw the box back in
Reconnect the wires to the thermostat
Conclusion
Roper dryers may not come with a resettable thermostat, but that doesn’t mean you’re powerless to fix your dryer. Try running a diagnostics cycle on your dryer and troubleshooting the appliance based on which code you get.
If you’re still having difficulties getting your dryer to work, consider contacting a licensed dryer repair appliance technician.
