Vented tumble dryer not working, any ideas?

[Itsmeaga1n]

First of all I should say I'm a single parent and useless at diy or with electrics.

I have a cheap small tumble dryer, this one:

www.tesco.com/direct/indesit-vented-tumble-dryer-is-41-v-uk-white/125-7202.prd?skuId=125-7202&pageLevel=sku&sc_cmp=eml_auto_dispatch&source=others

It's 19 months old. It was working fine until yesterday. Now it won't start up. There MAY have been a slight burnt smell when I emptied it yesterday but I'm not sure.

It's in a small pantry with a dehumidifier because I've no access to a window for it in my flat. Could it have overheated?

I really can't afford to replace it or pay for someone to repair it so I'll have to get rid of it if I can't fix it but I've no drying space in the flat, no garden or balcony, so I'll be lost without it.

I'd be really grateful for any help.

Thanks

Have you cleaned the filter?

Is it within warranty?

Yes I've cleaned the door filter, will there be another?

I bought it February 2017, trying to find out if its in warranty, I bought it from Tesco direct and they no longer sell them so not feeling hopeful.

A vented drier has hardly any working parts so not much to go wrong. I've had a couple, the current one is about ten years old and working fine (a Bosch), the previous one lasted longer.

If it won't turn, it's probably the switch (perhaps including the door safety switch) or the motor.

Electric motors have a small wearing part called "brushes." In washing machines they might need replacing after ten years or so and are a cheap and easy repair, but I wouldn't expect them to be worn out in an 18-month old machine.

There is probably an appliance repairman in your district who will look at it for £50 or so. If it was a cheap machine you may think not worth it. It was probably made for Tesco either in some factory in China or Korea, or else a rebrand by Beko or Electrolux. If not a major brand, parts might be hard to find. It could be made cheap to sell cheap so not very reliable. I don't know.

I think I'd start by approaching Tesco and saying you feel it has not given reasonable service.

I'll have a look on Which and see what a good new vented costs. They are cheaper than condensers, and also more reliable, due to their simplicity.

Thanks Piglet. It's an Indesit but only cost me £90 So not worth paying £50 for repairs. Just hoped it was something I could do myself. Should I try changing the plug fuse? It's in a confined place, would that cause it to overheat?

back again

I just looked on Which, selected tumbledriers, Best Buys only and sorted by price. Cheapest is Beko DTGC7000W

£190.00 plus delivery
68%
Launched Sep 2017 Reviewed Feb 2018
Best price in stock at

Next Domestic Appliances
£190.00 plus delivery £19.99

Boots Kitchen Appliances
£190.00 plus delivery £20.00

AO.com
£210.00 delivery Free

At Argos it's £250

Posher brands best buys start about £280.

Sometimes you see a "last years model going cheap" which we can look up to see if it seems good. John Lewis sometimes have bargains like that, and provide a good service.

IIRC "Tesco Direct" has closed down recently.

you can change the plug fuse, it should be a brown 13A, and you can try plugging it into a different socket, especially if the socket is a double and you have the washer plugged into it as well (this makes sockets overheat) or there are any brown stains.

driers are very light appliances so you can probably drag it around the floor.

If the drier has overheat protection, there might be a pop-out/push-in button on the back, but the instructions should tell you.

With a vented drier, it is much better to poke the hose through a hole in the wall, or at least an open window, to remove the steam and heat. A dehumidifier will use extra electricity.

BTW the Indesit IS41V has a Safety Alert. What model is yours?

If you say where you are you might find someone has an old one they could give you or freecycle may have one or ebay will sell second ones cheapily.

alert relates to driers made up to Sept 2015, so not yours, it seems.

It's an IS41V

Ah ok , it was purchased February 2017.

It's a double socket, the socket next to it has the dehumidifier plugged in. There's nowhere in the flat where I can hang the vent hose out of a window

if you haven't got any spare fuses, buy a pack each of 13A, 5A and 3A. They will cost about a pound a pack and most likely last you a lifetime. They hardly ever blow. Supermarkets and houseware stores like Wilkos sell them.

A heavy load like a kettle, fan heater or washing machine needs 13A (brown), light loads like a radio or table lamp only need 3A (red), very few things need 5A (black, as are all the special ratings that you will never see). Maybe a big TV, and the instructions will say. When you buy a UK appliance from a UK supplier, it should come with a plug and the correct fuse. Observe the colour of the old one. Shady imports on Amazon, Ebay and some street markets might not. Amazingly, considering how cheap they are, there are some counterfeit fuses found in the same places.

If you have some spares of the correct type, you will never be tempted to fit the wrong rating. Keep them in the drawer with your spare lightbulbs and your screwdrivers and torch. If your fusebox has actual fuses in it (rare these days) they take a different type of fuse. Don't try to use plug fuses even if they look like they'd almost fit.