Speed Queen Dryer Error Code Alrm: Break-In Alarm
Alrm on a coin or card Speed Queen dryer with the single and stacked electronic control is the break-in alarm. It shows when the door switch or the coin vault switch reports an opening the control did not expect. Make sure the coin vault door is shut and latched and the dryer door is closed, never bypass a switch, and call us if Alrm stays.
Medium: the dryer is protected by the alarm and will not run properly until the door or vault switch is corrected.
- Code
- Alrm
- Maker
- Speed Queen
- Equipment
- Coin & card laundry
- Applies to
- Single/stacked dryer electronic control (DRY716C family)
What does Speed Queen error code Alrm mean?
Coin and card dryers protect the cash box. The electronic control watches two switches, one on the dryer door and one on the coin vault, and it expects them to change only when someone legitimately opens them. If either reports an opening at a moment the control does not expect, it treats it as a possible break-in and displays Alrm. For an owner, it is a prompt to check the vault and the door, and it is not a heat or gas problem, so the dryer is not overheating and nothing is wrong with the burner. The manual lists a coin vault door that is not latched all the way, a door switch that reports an opening without cause, a loose wire on a door or vault switch, and a control that reads a switch wrongly. Because the alarm responds to a switch rather than a part that wears in the drum, a vault door left slightly ajar is the most common reason. Leave the switches alone, and if Alrm stays, take the dryer out of service until it is checked.
Affected models and control systems
This applies to Speed Queen coin and card dryers with the single and stacked electronic control (DRY716C family). Washers with the Quantum control show a similar alarm as ALrn.
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
- Alrm on the display
- Dryer will not start a cycle
- Coin vault door looks closed but not latched
- Alarm returns after the door is shut
Possible causes
Listed in Speed Queen's documentation
- Coin vault door is not latched all the way
- Door switch reports an opening without cause
- A wire on a door or vault switch is loose
- The control reads a switch wrongly
Other likely causes — what usually sits behind error code Alrm on this control. A technician confirms which one it is before any part is replaced.
- A vault door lock slightly out of line after the cash was collected
- A door switch worn after thousands of loads in a busy shop
Safe checks before calling for service
- Make sure the coin vault door is shut and latched, and the dryer door is closed.
- Never bypass a door switch.
- A gas smell means you leave and phone the gas utility from outdoors.
- If Alrm stays, post an out-of-service sign and ask us for a visit.
How a technician diagnoses error code Alrm
- Read the display and confirm the model and control version.
- Inspect the vault door latch and its switch for alignment and wear.
- Check the dryer door switch and its wiring for loose connections.
- Test the switch operation with a meter, powered down for access.
- Replace the switch or repair the wiring only after the test, then confirm the alarm clears.
- Switch wiring sits near 120 or 240 V circuits behind the panel.
- The coin vault is a security area, and its switch must be serviced without defeating the protection.
How error code Alrm differs from similar codes
Alrm is the dryer's break-in alarm. The same function on Quantum frontload washers shows as ALrn.
Technical reference
- Document
- Single and Stacked Dryers Troubleshooting DRY716C, Part No. 513447, April 2010, Error Codes (p.29)
- Models / control
- Single/stacked dryer electronic control (DRY716C family)
- 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 Speed Queen coin & card laundry error codes
Is Alrm a heating problem?
No. It watches the door and the coin vault switches, not heat or gas.
Can I bypass the switch?
No. Bypassing a door switch is unsafe and defeats the cash protection.
The vault looks shut, so why is it still alarming?
The latch may not be fully engaged, or the switch may have worn, and we can check both.
Need help with Speed Queen error code Alrm?
A technician confirms the cause on site and gives you the price in writing before any work starts.