re: Dryer Question - Water in basket and heat turning on before start

heating element is grounded.
Or the red wire and black wire are getting continuity past the timer motor.

Strange, I guess it means your dryer doesn't have a two part safety on the heating element.

One leg of voltage should flow through a thermal cutoff then to the element. Usually this is sent from the timer red wire or the motor red wire.

When from the motor red wire there is a centrifugal switch that sends one leg of power to the element. This leg is hot at all times.

If it is jumped or not present in your dryer design. Then if the element is grounded it will come on as soon as the timer control contacts send power to a leg of the heating element.


The water tells me you have a bypassed or non functioning thermal fuse. Because to have condensate you have to have bad airflow; which is caused by a restriction. Since restriction leads to fires ALL dryers have a thermal cut off which limits the blue power input to the motor. (or the heating element on gas units or GE elec dryers)


You need to vacuum out your air vent of replace it. see if your dryer blows good from the back.

Note these issues are independant UNLESS caused by a failing timer.


Do you have access to a multimeter?

Check for continuity (with power off) between the element and the metal in the dryer.

Your thermal fuse should be replaced anyway it may have failed closed.