Thread Number: 41931
lighting up Norge Time-line gas dryer 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 617715   8/17/2012 at 00:27 (4,269 days old) by jtclick ()        

Hi-
New to this forum. Just bought an house house in San Francisco. Came with an old 1950's Norge Time-line gas dryer. The gas valve is off. So I figure I need to turn the gas valve on, but I can't figure out where to light the pilot. Some photos attached. Any ideas? Thanks!

-Jeff




Post# 617716 , Reply# 1   8/17/2012 at 00:28 (4,269 days old) by jtclick ()        

second image!

Post# 617717 , Reply# 2   8/17/2012 at 00:29 (4,269 days old) by jtclick ()        

3rd image!

Post# 617720 , Reply# 3   8/17/2012 at 00:41 (4,269 days old) by AutoWasherFreak ()        

Nice dryer, is there a matching washer?


Post# 617733 , Reply# 4   8/17/2012 at 01:19 (4,269 days old) by jtclick ()        

There is a washer that came with the house, but not matching. It's probably 70's/80's vintage, I'll take a pic of it next time I'm back at the house.

Post# 617737 , Reply# 5   8/17/2012 at 01:50 (4,269 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)        

rp2813's profile picture

That is the exact dryer we had from appx 1956 until 1967!  The timer crapped out sometime in the earlier 60's and was never replaced.  Mom just made a mental note about when to shut it off.

 

I don't remember ever seeing my dad working on it, or I might have some recollection on where the pilot is located.

 

Others here will know.  Give them some time to chime in.
Post# 617765 , Reply# 6   8/17/2012 at 06:23 (4,269 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        
Congratulations on your new house!

 Have you tried turning it on, by setting the timer past 15 minutes with the heat selector set to "HEAT" to see what happens? The timer pointer is way beyond where it needs to be. Turn the timer dial to the left to set the timer to off and then turn the dial to set it at about 20 minues after you plug it in. The spring wound timers have to be set beyond 15 minutes for the burner to light. You will hear the spark ignition mechanism making noise to light the burner is there is electric ignition. I ask about this because it looks like the pilot light mechanism outside the burner area is missing and might have been replaced with an electric igniter, but I am not sure from the photos (my shortcoming, not yours) and you were only told to open the gas valve, not light the pilot. The absence of rust and fuel grime under that cover would also indicate the absence of a pilot. It would be a retrofit, but given California's energy conservation programs, it might have been done since a constantly burning pilot consumes enough gas to dry several loads a month. Did you check for a gas valve behind the dryer? Check to see if that needs to be turned on.

The pilot, if it is still there, should be at the back of the opening where you see the tubes going into the burner chamber. There should be a little swinging cover over a round hole. There should be something you push to override the pilot thermocouple, on ours it was a red button, but I don't see it on yours. You push the little swinging cover aside and hold the lighted match inside while pushing down on the override button. You should see the pilot light and the little pilot flame will begin to heat the safety thermocouple which will be visible at the top of the flame. You have to keep holding the button down for close to two minutes, but you can extinguish the match as soon as the pilot lights. Are you sure no booklet of instructions was left somewhere near the dryer? Was the dryer said to be in working condition?

I believe that your dryer, like my parent's dryer has a cast iron, drilled port burner that runs the width of the drum at the back of the dryer. There is a 21" fan that blows over the burner and into the drum. I don't know the maintenance that has been performed on that dryer, but the burners can become partially clogged with lint over the decades.

Post# 617785 , Reply# 7   8/17/2012 at 08:25 (4,269 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

John says that Norges were available with electric ignition so it is possible this never had a pilot.

Post# 618741 , Reply# 8   8/20/2012 at 19:00 (4,265 days old) by jtclick ()        

Thanks folks for the suggestions.

Based on the descriptions I see in this thread, I don't think this dryer has a pilot light. I think the knob might be broken as well, I cannot turn the dial to the left.

Ok, I called two of the more established dryer repair folks in the area (was hoping they have had experience with Norge dryers), but both of them said they would not service a dryer of that vintage.

It's a shame because it's a really nice looking dryer, but I'm going to have to throw it out and get a new dryer.

Post# 618752 , Reply# 9   8/20/2012 at 19:49 (4,265 days old) by rockland1 ()        

My parents had the matching washer. My Dad bought it when my brother was born and he was sick of using the wringer washer.

Post# 618761 , Reply# 10   8/20/2012 at 20:13 (4,265 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Cool Old Norge Gas Dryer

 combo52's profile picture

Your Dryer Has Electric Ignition. Yay. All you need to do is connect to gas [ bleed the air out of the gas line if it was not used before this dryer was installed ] then turn on the dryer. A small 2 1/2 volt glow coil should light the pilot and then it will heat a mercury filled sensor that is attached to a switch that will energize the main valve coil and open the main gas valve. This was a good system that many gas dryers used till the mid 1960s. If the dryer fails to heat after several attempts it should be checked out by someone familiar with this type system, or if you are handy and mechanically inclined you can read up on it and fix it yourself. Post what happens and I will try to respond to any questions, John.
Post# 618763 , Reply# 11   8/20/2012 at 20:24 (4,265 days old) by danemodsandy (The Bramford, Apt. 7-E)        
If You Must Replace....

 danemodsandy's profile picture
....Please offer it here. That will make a collector with the knowledge to repair it very happy, it will give the unit a good home, and it will give you some money toward your new dryer.

Don't look for a fortune, you understand, but that dryer shouldn't go to the crusher if you decide not to fool with it.

Post# 619518 , Reply# 12   8/23/2012 at 15:07 (4,263 days old) by jtclick ()        

Hi-
I got the gas and power connected and turned on and nothing happens when I turn it on. I know the knob is broken. I may open the panel up tonight and see if there's anything I can do about it.

If not, if there is someone wants to become this dryer's guardian, I might potentially be able to accomodate but that someone will need to figure out shipping costs and shipper who can pick up from my house. Thanks,

-Jeff

Post# 619666 , Reply# 13   8/24/2012 at 00:33 (4,262 days old) by jtclick ()        

quick update- I fixed the knob situation. It was just a simple problem of the spring being stuck. The machine still won't do anything when turned on.

Post# 619703 , Reply# 14   8/24/2012 at 07:08 (4,262 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Dead Norge Time-Line Dryer

 combo52's profile picture

Check the door switch, a bad one will stop every thing. This is a really cool and rare Norge gas dryer, and because of the automatic ignition it is not all rusted out like machines that had a constantly burning pilot light. If I could get to the east coast without paying $500 for shipping I would add this to the Museum.
Post# 620302 , Reply# 15   8/26/2012 at 08:40 (4,260 days old) by jtclick ()        

I took a look and the door switch appears to be in perfect working order.

Post# 620543 , Reply# 16   8/27/2012 at 05:43 (4,259 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        
Only asking because you did not mention, so please do not be

 Did you remove the wires from the switch and jumper them together and then use a test light to see if power was coming to the door switch when you turned the dryer "on"?

Post# 620957 , Reply# 17   8/28/2012 at 22:21 (4,257 days old) by jtclick ()        

I am not that comfortable with doing anything that involves electrical unfortunately.

In any case, the dryer situation is a near emergency. I will need to replace it this week. No one has volunteered to take the dryer off my hands, so Sears installer will take it.

-Jeff


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