** Should I call an electrician before calling Whirlpool **
Yes, you should have the breaker box checked out.
Generally speaking, if a house panel fuse/breaker for a dryer trips but only after a while of use, the problem is most often in the breaker box/fuse panel rather than the appliance. Most of the problems in a dryer that would affect the house fuses/breakers would cause the fuse/breaker to trip *immediately* as soon as the dryer was turned on (or as soon as the dryer's heater came on).
** The breaker tripped in less than 4 minutes and was hot to the touch. **
The heat is a sure sign of a problem. A loose connection will generate heat which in turn will trip the breaker/blow a fuse as a safety precaution. A problem in the dryer should
NOT cause heat in the house fuse panel.
JFYI
Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com/?ref411=Clothes_Dryer
The Appliance Information Site
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