Takes too long to dry

A restricted exhaust vent system is the most common root cause of overheating errors (tC, tC5, HC) on Samsung dryers. Before replacing any heating components (thermistor, thermostat, heater), always check the vent system first. Common restrictions include: too-long duct runs, too many elbows, flex ductwork (less efficient than rigid metal), outside hood damper stuck closed, and lint accumulation in the duct. Use a 4-inch rigid metal exhaust duct for optimal airflow.

This dryer uses a DUAL 5300W heating element. When testing, you must check BOTH elements separately: PIN 2-3 should read 13 ohms and PIN 1-2 should read 34 ohms. One element can fail while the other works, resulting in reduced heating rather than zero heating. A customer complaint of 'takes too long to dry' rather than 'no heat at all' may indicate only one element has failed. The quick field test (about 10 ohms overall) in the diagnostic flowchart gives a rough indication but does not isolate which element failed.

The gas valve (25M01A) has four separate coil pairs that must all be tested: Valve 1-2 = 1,365 ohms, Valve 1-3 = 560 ohms, Valve 4-5 = 1,325 ohms, Valve 6-7 = approximately 1,000 ohms. If any single coil reads infinity, the entire gas valve must be replaced. A common failure mode is coils that weaken over time — they allow the valve to open initially but cannot hold it open, causing the gas to shut off partway through the cycle (intermittent heating complaint).