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🏆 RECOMMENDED PART
279838 Dryer Heating Element for Whirlpool, Kenmore, Roper, Maytag, Amana
Check Price
- Direct replacement for Whirlpool 279838, fits the entire Whirlpool family (Kenmore, Roper, Maytag, Amana, Admiral).
- Most common dryer repair after years of use, dryer runs but clothes come out cold or damp.
- Kit usually includes the element plus the thermal fuse and high limit thermostat, swap them all at once.
- Installs in 30 to 45 minutes with a basic socket set, just pull the back panel off.
- Upgraded heavier gauge coil that lasts longer than the original.
Prices are accurate as of the date of publication and are subject to change.
What the 279838 does
The 279838 is the main heating element for most Whirlpool platform electric dryers. A coil of nichrome wire inside a metal housing that heats the air pulled across it. When the coil breaks (usually after 8-12 years), the dryer runs but produces zero heat.
Symptoms when this part fails
- Dryer runs full cycle but clothes come out cold
- No heat in any cycle (Normal, High, Heavy)
- Element visually shows a clear break in the coil
- Multimeter on continuity reads infinite (open circuit) across element terminals
Compatibility
Fits the Whirlpool, Kenmore, Roper, Maytag, Amana, Admiral family. Specifically:
- Whirlpool electric dryers built 1995 to present (most models)
- Kenmore dryers with model number starting 110.
- Roper electric dryers RED series
- Maytag dryers MEDC, MED series
- Amana NED series
- Admiral electric dryers
Also replaces: AP3094254, PS334313, 279837
Tools you'll need
- 1/4 inch socket or nut driver
- Phillips screwdriver
- Multimeter (to confirm element is bad before swapping)
Difficulty: Beginner to Intermediate · Time: 30 to 45 minutes
How to install the 279838, step by step
- Unplug the dryer (or shut off breaker for hardwired units)
- Pull the dryer away from the wall and remove the back panel
- Locate the heating element, the large rectangular box with two terminal wires
- Disconnect both wires and test the old element with a multimeter on continuity
- If element is open (no continuity), remove the mounting screws and slide it out
- Slide the new element into the housing in the same orientation
- Reattach the mounting screws and reconnect the two wires
- Replace the back panel, plug back in, and run a 5 minute test cycle on heat
Related troubleshooting
If swapping this part doesn't fix the issue, check these next: