Like most appliances, dryers have carbon brushes. Made of carbon, they wear down over time, which is how the brushes pass electricity to the motor. Dryer brushes average 200 to 500 hours depending on factors such as the model, the speeds you use most often, and how often the dryer is turned on and off. The motor will usually stop when the brushes have entirely worn out.

A common way to tell if all that's wrong is the brushes, is that the dryer doesn't run, but the dryer electrics still work. On a Vortex 5 for example, the LCD display would still be working, but not the motor. On Shernbao Dryers, it can be a little harder to tell when its time to replace the brushes, as they don't have an LCD screen as an indictor. They may continue to run even once the brushes have worn down, which can cause permanent damage to the motor. For professional use, we recommend having your dryer serviced every 6-12 months to ensure your dryer is performing it's best. You can find replacement carbon brushes for your dryer model here.

What happens if you don't change the brushes? 

If you don't change your carbon brushes, you dryer will either stop working completely, or continue to work with reduced performance. If the dryer continues to run without the carbon, this will cause the metal brush casing to melt, leaving debris inside the motor. If excess debris makes its way into the motor housing, the only option of repair is to replace the motor. This can be a very costly repair, which is why regularly servicing your dryer is so important. 

Here is what a carbon brush looks like when it has been worn down and melted with continued use: 

How will I know when my brushes have worn out?

If you are unsure of the condition of your brushes based on the performance of your dryer alone, you can disassemble your dryer to check your carbon brushes. If you are not comfortable doing this yourself, any small appliance electrician should be able to check this for you. Alternatively, we also offer dryer servicing, so get in touch here for more information.

Once you have opened your dryer and located the carbon brushes, you should be able to tell the amount of wear based on the appearance. 

This is what a new carbon brush should look like: 

This is what your carbon brushes will look like when they're ready to be replaced: 

Please note - single motor dryers require 2 carbon brushes, and dual/twin motor dryers require 4 carbon brushes. All of the carbon brushes we stock for dryers come in a set of 2. If you're familiar with appliances, you can change the brushes yourself. Alternatively, we recommend a professional do the job for you. We can offer this service, so feel free to get in touch if you would like more information.