Thread Number: 42395
What I did on my summer ‘staycation’ – Part 2 – Kenmore dryer matchmaking
[Down to Last]

automaticwasher.org's exclusive eBay Watch:
scroll >>> for more items --- [As an eBay Partner, eBay may compensate automaticwasher.org if you make a purchase using any link to eBay on this page]
Post# 623744   9/9/2012 at 20:59 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
Not long after I got the 1951 Kenmore washer earlier this summer, I was sure that I had seen the matching dryer for sale somewhere within my driving limits. I was convinced I had seen one in the warehouse at Hansen’s (Appliances Unlimited) in Queensbury NY when I picked up the GE V-12 set. Well, I was right! I’d sent an email to inquire about it and the pictures I got back confirmed it!
So on Friday the 31st of August, Phil and I set out on another road trip.... We had a brief visit with Roger (firedome) in Vermont then hit the road down to Queensbury.
The dryer was indeed what I was looking for and while at the shop, I inquired about some much-needed GE parts and learned something about GE refrigerators (more about that in Part 3 which will be in the Super Forum!).
We got the dryer back to Ogden safely, despite getting drenched in a downpour as climbed our way through the mountains of Vermont.
I wasn’t too worried about the dryer, because, well, it’s in need of a total restoration!





Post# 623745 , Reply# 1   9/9/2012 at 21:00 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
This poor dear has seen a long and hard life – I think this may have been used in a garage or shop until it finally gave up the ghost.
The cabinet is scratched and splattered with paint – surprisingly the chrome name plate and door handles seem to be in decent condition.
Notice the jewel in the middle of the top cover – a pilot light – wahoo!


Post# 623746 , Reply# 2   9/9/2012 at 21:01 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
Timer control is simple enough, but someone added an arrow to clearly illustrate the concept of ‘clockwise’...

Post# 623747 , Reply# 3   9/9/2012 at 21:02 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
Three temperature selections for all your fabrics! But whether it will eliminate sprinkling so that one can iron damp-dried clothes right from the dryer will have to be tested at a later time... LOL

Post# 623748 , Reply# 4   9/9/2012 at 21:04 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
Inside the drum is not too bad, but yeesh! Look at the lint accumulation in the back of the drum...

Post# 623749 , Reply# 5   9/9/2012 at 21:05 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
Inside door is pretty rusty, but the gasket is still remarkably flexible. The door catch seems solid, too.

Post# 623750 , Reply# 6   9/9/2012 at 21:06 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
Date of birth – March 5, 1951! I had seen a couple of date stamps indicating May 1951 for the washer’s ‘birthday’ – hope it won’t mind a slightly older suitor...

Post# 623751 , Reply# 7   9/9/2012 at 21:07 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
Mechanically, the machine is pretty simple. When I first tried turning the drum and fan pulleys, they wouldn’t budge, though.

Post# 623752 , Reply# 8   9/9/2012 at 21:08 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
Here’s the reason for that – the motor is totally seized! I am pretty sure that I can find a replacement motor locally.

Post# 623754 , Reply# 9   9/9/2012 at 21:09 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
I took the top off – I wasn’t that surprised, but there is an impressive amount of lint build up!

Post# 623755 , Reply# 10   9/9/2012 at 21:10 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
The top cover shows evidence of a short or burnout of a component... Not a happy thought...

Post# 623756 , Reply# 11   9/9/2012 at 21:11 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
Two vacuum bagfuls later....

Post# 623757 , Reply# 12   9/9/2012 at 21:12 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
Don’t like the look of this either... I fear that the ‘cause of death’ for this dryer was some heater malfunction that caused it to seriously overheat...

Post# 623758 , Reply# 13   9/9/2012 at 21:13 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
With the lint gone, I was able to identify other components. This transformer was (I guess) used for the germicidal lamp.

Post# 623759 , Reply# 14   9/9/2012 at 21:15 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
The timer motor looks as if it had been replaced – it works, so I am not complaining!

Post# 623760 , Reply# 15   9/9/2012 at 21:16 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
I suspect that the burn mark on the dryer top cover came from here – note how one thermostat lead seems to have been replaced.

Post# 623761 , Reply# 16   9/9/2012 at 21:18 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
I unhooked the drive belts from and tested the fan and drum pulleys. To my utter amazement, they both turn smoothly! They will be getting a good re-oiling as part of the restoration.

Post# 623762 , Reply# 17   9/9/2012 at 21:19 (4,217 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
Now this scares and puzzles me.... It also makes most of my wiring look safe and up to code... LOL
I believe the heating element was also replaced at some point, given the spliced wires. But there are two extra wires hanging around and it wasn’t immediately obvious what they did.
I inspected the heater assembly on the 66 Inglis and a spare assembly that I extracted from a parts donor Inglis dryer and I wondered if maybe the disconnected wires should have been going some kind of a thermostat....

Overall, this is looking like a winter project for me. I would like to rewire this machine completely and get the drum out to give it a good cleaning inside.
Not knowing much about machines of this vintage, does one remove the cabinet to be able to remove the drum?
And if anyone happens to have a wiring diagram for this machine, please let me know!


Post# 623771 , Reply# 18   9/9/2012 at 21:35 (4,217 days old) by e2l-arry (LAKEWOOD COLORADO)        
My parents

had this exact same set when I was a kid. I thought they bought them in 1952 but it might have been 1951? Once when we were playing hide and go seek, I turned it on with my little brother hiding inside. Not to worry. The dryer was unharmed!

Post# 623773 , Reply# 19   9/9/2012 at 21:59 (4,217 days old) by qsd-dan (West)        

qsd-dan's profile picture
Post# 623833 , Reply# 20   9/10/2012 at 07:19 (4,217 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
1951 KM Elecrtic Dryer

combo52's profile picture

WOW Paul you do have your work cut out for you, I think I would hold out for a better condition dryer. And to think that earlier this year I recycled a perfect KM dryer like this, I did save the top which you are welcome to.


Post# 623843 , Reply# 21   9/10/2012 at 07:49 (4,217 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)        

philr's profile picture
Too bad you didn't save the rest!

:)


Post# 623861 , Reply# 22   9/10/2012 at 08:45 (4,217 days old) by firedome (Binghamton NY & Lake Champlain VT)        
Nice to see

firedome's profile picture
the object of your quest that day and its safe arrival home!! I was mighty disappointed to hear that Hansen told you guys that he'd scrapped a number of vintage units... he has a weird manner in not seeming willing to negotiate prices then, instead of selling just scrapping them instead, it's perverse really, I just don't understand that way of thinking, but glad you were able to save this one!!

Post# 623869 , Reply# 23   9/10/2012 at 10:08 (4,217 days old) by Northwesty (Renton, WA)        

I only have two wires coming down that part of the dryer and one goes to the heater element, and the other goes to the motor. I haven't looked at the other dryer yet which is more the int. style that yours is. I'd follow the other end of those to see what they hook up to.

Brian


Post# 758942 , Reply# 24   5/22/2014 at 16:06 (3,598 days old) by ken (NYS)        
Paul:

ken's profile picture
How did you make out with the dryer restoration? Do you still have it and the matching washer?

Post# 758963 , Reply# 25   5/22/2014 at 17:31 (3,597 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        
Still unrestored...

turquoisedude's profile picture

Ken, I haven't done anything more with that 51 Kenmore dryer since the initial 'damage assessment'...  I did, however, pick up a spare top for the machine that is in way better shape than the one that came with the dryer.  

 

My sticking point on this one is...wait for it... wiring!  I really need a wiring diagram (and a service manual would be nice) for this model to help figure out what the heck they did to the heating elements (can we say 'bojack') and what kind of a transformer I'd need to make the germicidal lamp work again.  

 

The good news is that the matching Kenmore washer is still in use, running like a top, but it has given up it's 'suds-saver slot' to the recently reborn Inglis Sterling at the moment.   

 

I need a bigger laundry room... LOL 



Forum Index:       Other Forums:                      



Comes to the Rescue!

The Discuss-o-Mat has stopped, buzzer is sounding!!!
If you would like to reply to this thread please log-in...

Discuss-O-MAT Log-In



New Members
Click Here To Sign Up.



                     


automaticwasher.org home
Discuss-o-Mat Forums
Vintage Brochures, Service and Owners Manuals
Fun Vintage Washer Ephemera
See It Wash!
Video Downloads
Audio Downloads
Picture of the Day
Patent of the Day
Photos of our Collections
The Old Aberdeen Farm
Vintage Service Manuals
Vintage washer/dryer/dishwasher to sell?
Technical/service questions?
Looking for Parts?
Website related questions?
Digital Millennium Copyright Act Policy
Our Privacy Policy