Appliance Spares
Quick answer: A dryer that spins but won’t heat has tripped a safety device. Cause order, most common first: thermal fuse (cheap, one-shot, blows when the vent gets blocked) → heating element (resistance wire breaks open over the years) → safety thermostat / cycling thermostat → timer or control board (rare and last). Diagnose with a $20 multimeter in ohms mode — each part either reads a few ohms (alive) or infinity / OL (dead). On a vented dryer (Westinghouse, Simpson, Electrolux, Euromaid, Omega), the thermal fuse is the first suspect and a $20-40 part. Don’t replace the dryer for a $30 fault.
The part that fixes this
- Omega Heat Pump Dryer Heater OCD7HP
- Fisher Paykel Condenser Dryer Heater DC8060P3, DE8060P1, DE8060P2
- Omega Euromaid Clothes Dryer Heater Element OCD40WA, DM4KG, ED45KG, OCD6W 0232
Not sure it is the same on your machine? See every part listed by model number.
Last updated September 2026
Before you do anything: don’t buy a new dryer
If your dryer still tumbles but blows cold, the motor is fine and the belt is fine. You’ve got a heat-circuit fault — a $20 to $80 fix, almost every time. The cheapest fix (a one-shot thermal fuse) is under $40 in parts. The dearest fix (a full heating element) usually sits well under $150 in parts for an AU vented dryer.
We’ve had too many customers ring up saying “the bloke said it’s not worth fixing, just buy a new one” — when the actual fault is a $30 fuse that pops because the lint trap hadn’t been cleared in three years.
The 60-second diagnostic before you open anything
- Pull the lint filter out and check it. Lint-packed filter = restricted airflow = overheated drum = thermal fuse blows. If it’s clogged, clear it.
- Check the vent hose (if it’s a vented dryer). Kinked, crushed, lint-blocked? Same story — overheated, fuse trips.
- Set a timed cycle, give it 60 seconds, then put a hand on the drum glass. Stone cold after a minute = no heat coming on at all (thermal fuse / element / thermostat). Briefly warm then cold = thermostat cycling fault.
If steps 1-2 reveal a packed lint trap or vent, clear it before you change any parts. Otherwise the new fuse will blow within a week.
The cause hierarchy (most common → least)
| Likelihood | Part | Why it fails | Rough AU part cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most common | Thermal fuse | One-shot safety. Blows when vent / lint trap restricts airflow and the drum overheats. Doesn’t reset — must be replaced. | $20-40 |
| Common | Heating element | Resistance coil cracks open after years of heat cycling. Multimeter reads OL across the terminals. | $60-130 (vented), more for condenser / heat-pump |
| Less common | Cycling thermostat / safety thermostat | Disc thermostat clipped to the heater duct. Stuck open = no heat. Stuck closed = overheats and trips the thermal fuse. | $25-50 |
| Rare | Timer / control board | Heat circuit relay on the board failed. Diagnose only after the cheap parts test fine. | $150+ |
Work the list top to bottom. Don’t start by ordering a control board.
Diagnostic with a $20 multimeter
You’ll need:
- A multimeter (the cheap Bunnings one is fine).
- A screwdriver to drop the back panel.
- A phone camera — photograph the wiring before you disconnect anything.
⚠️ Unplug the dryer at the wall before testing. Not the cycle knob — the wall.
Test 1: The thermal fuse
The thermal fuse is a small white or grey ceramic block bolted to the heater housing, with two spade terminals. One-shot device — once blown, it stays blown.
- Multimeter to ohms (Ω).
- Disconnect both spade terminals.
- Probes across the two terminals.
- Healthy = ~0 Ω (closed circuit).
- Dead = OL / infinity (open).
If it reads OL, replace it. Also clear the lint trap, vent hose and any internal lint build-up first — the fuse blew for a reason and the new one will blow again within weeks if airflow is still restricted.
Test 2: The heating element
On a vented dryer, the heater is a coiled resistance wire inside a metal housing, usually at the back of the cabinet behind a panel.
- Ohms range.
- Probes on the two element terminals (loom unplugged).
- Healthy = roughly 10-50 Ω depending on the model (a few short coils of resistance wire).
- Dead = OL (coil has burned through somewhere along its length).
- Insulation check: one probe on a terminal, the other on the element’s metal frame / chassis. Should read infinity. Any low reading = element shorted to chassis = unsafe, replace.
Test 3: The thermostats
Dryers usually have two: a cycling thermostat (regulates normal operating temp) and a safety / high-limit thermostat (cuts power if the drum overheats — backup to the thermal fuse). Both are small disc-shaped parts clipped to the heater duct.
- Ohms range, probes across the two terminals.
- Healthy and cold = ~0 Ω (closed).
- Open even when cold = dead, replace.
A thermostat stuck open is a no-heat fault. A thermostat stuck closed is what cooks the drum and pops the thermal fuse — so if you’ve already had to replace the fuse and the lint trap is clean, suspect a stuck-closed safety thermostat next.
Heat-pump dryers are different
Heat-pump dryers (Omega OCD7HP, F&P heat-pump range, some Euromaid models) don’t have a resistance heating element in the same way. They have a sealed compressor and refrigerant circuit — closer to a fridge than a vented dryer. If a heat-pump dryer won’t heat, the fault is usually the compressor / fan / thermistor, not a fuse you can swap with a screwdriver.
If you’ve got one of these and it won’t heat, run the model through the Part Finder — we’ll match the right Omega heat-pump dryer heater (OCD7HP, BCD70, BCD71) or the F&P condenser dryer heater (DC8060P3, DE8060P1, DE8060P2) variant.
The parts (vented dryers — most of the AU market)
| Part | Suits |
|---|---|
 Omega / Euromaid clothes dryer heater element (OCD40WA, DM4KG, ED45KG, OCD6W) | Omega / Euromaid vented dryers — OCD40WA, OCD4W, OCD6W, DM4KG, ED45KG |
 Omega heat-pump dryer heater (OCD7HP) | Omega heat-pump — OCD7HP, BCD70, BCD71 |
 Fisher & Paykel condenser dryer heater (DC8060P3, DE8060P1, DE8060P2) | F&P / Haier condenser dryers across the DE8060 and DC8060 series |
 F&P condenser dryer heater H0024000291A | F&P / Haier — DM4KG and related condenser models |
For Westinghouse, Simpson and Electrolux vented dryers (LD504/505/605, EDV505/605, LT608SA-series), thermal-fuse and element variants change by model. Run your model through the Part Finder and we’ll match the exact fit.
When to give up on the dryer
Honest signs the dryer’s not worth fixing:
- It’s 15+ years old, you’ve already replaced the belt, the drum bearing and the door switch.
- The drum itself is cracked or the rear bearing has destroyed the back panel.
- On a budget machine, parts can cost more than half the price of a new unit.
Otherwise — element, fuse, thermostat — fix it. A $30 part beats a $1,000 new dryer every time.
FAQs
I replaced the thermal fuse and it blew again in a week — what’s wrong?
Airflow’s still restricted. The fuse is doing its job. Clear the lint trap, the lint screen housing (where lint sneaks past the filter), the internal duct, and the vent hose all the way outside. If a safety thermostat is stuck closed, the fuse will also keep popping — test the thermostats in ohms mode and replace any that don’t read closed when cold.
Why does my dryer spin fine but not heat? Isn’t that the motor?
Two separate circuits. The motor turns the drum on one supply path; the heating element / thermostat / thermal fuse sit on a separate heat circuit. A heat-circuit fault leaves the motor running normally — the drum tumbles, but cold.
Can I bypass the thermal fuse to test if that’s the fault?
Technically yes, briefly, with the cycle running and a hand on the drum to feel it heat up. We don’t recommend it — the fuse is a safety device, and a stuck thermostat upstream can overheat the drum or set lint alight if the fuse is bridged. Spend the $30, swap it properly.
How long should it take a dryer to warm up?
A vented dryer should be noticeably warm at the drum glass within 30-60 seconds of starting a high-heat cycle. Cold after 2 minutes = heat circuit fault. Heat-pump dryers take longer to come up to temperature by design — they run cooler and longer.
Will an Omega OCD7HP heater fit my Westinghouse vented dryer?
No — Omega OCD7HP is a heat-pump system part, completely different format and circuit to a Westinghouse vented dryer element. Different brand platform use different element formats. Run your model through the Part Finder for an exact match.
Is testing a dryer thermal fuse dangerous?
No — resistance (ohms) testing is done with the dryer unplugged at the wall and the part disconnected from the loom. No mains-side risk. Power-on tests are the ones that need care.
Related guides
- How to test a washing machine motor with a multimeter — same ohms-mode technique applies to dryer parts
- Smeg oven not heating — element diagnostics — closely related: oven element resistance testing
- Find your Fisher & Paykel model number
- Fridge clicking but not running — same “$30 part, not a $1,000 appliance” diagnostic logic
Ready to fix it?
- Run your dryer model through the Oz Appliance Spares Part Finder — model in, exact-fit thermal fuse / element / thermostat out.
- Browse dryer parts
- Order before 12pm AEST → ships from our Sydney warehouse same day, Australia-wide.
Disclaimer: this article is general information only and is provided without warranty of any kind. Appliance designs vary between models and production runs — always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, switch off and unplug the appliance before starting any work, and confirm parts against the model number on your appliance’s model sticker. Any repair is undertaken at your own risk and Oz Appliance Spares accepts no liability for injury, loss or damage arising from work performed after reading this guide, to the maximum extent permitted by law. If in doubt, use a qualified technician.
