Cissell OPL Dryer Error Code ESH: Shorted Thermistor
ESH reports a shorted thermistor. The thermistor is the temperature sensor the control uses to watch drum heat, and a shorted reading cannot be trusted, so the dryer stops the cycle instead of drying. Switch it off at the disconnect, let the drum cool, clean the lint screen and run an empty cycle.
Medium: the dryer will not run a cycle until the sensor circuit reads correctly.
What does Cissell error code ESH mean?
The thermistor in a Cissell OPL dryer, such as the CT025L, CT030N or CU030E, changes its resistance as the drum air warms and cools, and the control turns that resistance into a temperature. A short means the resistance has dropped to nearly nothing. That would be a temperature far beyond what a dryer can reach, so the control knows the reading is false. It cannot hold the drum at a safe temperature without a real reading, so it stops the cycle and shows ESH. Store staff see the dryer stop and display ESH instead of drying. The short may be in the thermistor itself, in the wiring and plug, or in the control input that reads the sensor. Lint packed around the thermistor can also bridge a damaged lead. Compare with EoP, the open reading. Both stop the cycle, but a short usually points to pinched insulation, moisture or a failed sensor, while an open points to a broken wire or a loose plug.
Affected models and control systems
This page covers the Cissell OPL electronic control tumble dryers, 25 to 35 lb C-prefix models, including the CT025L, CT030N and CU030E.
Code numbers and their meaning can change between control generations. We match the full model and control before acting on a code.
What you may notice
- ESH appears and the cycle stops
- The dryer shows ESH again on the next start
- Loads come out damp
Possible causes
Listed in Cissell's documentation
- Lint packed around the thermistor
- Damaged thermistor wiring or plug connections
- A thermistor that reads shorted
- A control input that misreads the sensor
Other likely causes — what usually sits behind error code ESH on this control. A technician confirms which one it is before any part is replaced.
- A sensor lead that has rubbed through its insulation on a sharp panel edge
- Moisture in the plug from a leak or a hose-down that has bridged the pins
- A thermistor that has failed internally and reads as a dead short
Safe checks before calling for service
- Switch the dryer off at its power disconnect and let the drum cool.
- Empty and clean the lint screen, and clear any lint you can see at the lint door without reaching behind panels.
- Restore power and run an empty cycle.
- With ESH back on the display, keep the dryer idle and call us. Tell us whether the dryer was cleaned with water recently.
How a technician diagnoses error code ESH
- Read the code and ask about recent cleaning, moisture or service.
- Inspect the thermistor, its plug and its lead for pinching, wear and moisture.
- Unplug the sensor and measure its resistance against the temperature chart.
- Check the control input with a known resistor.
- Replace the thermistor, harness or control only after the readings show which one has failed.
- The sensor and its lead are in the hot area behind the panels.
- A short can only be found by measuring, not by looking.
- Heating without a reliable reading is not allowed, so the dryer cannot be forced to run.
How error code ESH differs from similar codes
EoP is the opposite reading, an open circuit. ESH is a short.
Technical reference
- Document
- Tumble Dryer Programming, OPL Electronic Control, Part No. 70444901ENR15, October 2018, Error Codes Table 11 (pp. 50-51)
- Edition
- Part No. 70444901ENR15, October 2018
- Models / control
- OPL electronic control tumble dryers (25-35 lb, C-prefix)
- Section
- Error Codes table, printed pp. 51-52 (PDF pages equal printed pages); Machine Errors behaviour descriptions p. 50
- Checked
- October 2026
We use the maker's document to read the code and do not reproduce it. Always confirm the complete model and control before applying these steps.
Related Cissell dryer error codes
Can I keep using the dryer with ESH?
No. The control stops the cycle because it has no real reading of drum heat.
Will ESH clear by itself?
It may after a dry-out if moisture was the cause. If it returns, a wire or sensor is damaged.
Is ESH the same as EoP?
No. They are opposite readings of the same sensor circuit, a short and an open.
Need help with Cissell error code ESH?
A technician confirms the cause on site and gives you the price in writing before any work starts.