|
Thread Number: 82353
/ Tag: Vintage Dryers
Lady Kenmore 800 Soft Heat Gas Dryer Start Up |
[Down to Last] |  |
|
| Post# 1063909 , Reply# 2 3/20/2020 at 14:12 (1,820 days old) by 4bagger (Long Beach) | ||
|
Thanks for the info. Here are a couple pics. Haven't been able to confirm year. Guess would be '63. | ||
| Post# 1063910 , Reply# 3 3/20/2020 at 15:00 (1,820 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806) | ||
That more than likely is a 1963 Lady Kenmore dryer. The things I like about these dryers is the lint screen is easier to clean since it’s the older smaller square type lint screen and the baffles on these dryers are stamped in and the speed bump baffles of these dryers are gentler on clothes since clothes tend to glide over them. One thing I’d do is try to source a replacement blower/fan belt since they aren’t easy to find and if the blower belt breaks it won’t really work since there will be no air flow but other than those quirks these are good dryers
| ||
Post# 1063924 , Reply# 5 3/20/2020 at 19:44 (1,820 days old) by DADoES  (TX, U.S. of A.) |
||
Haven't been able to confirm the year ... | ||
|
Post# 1063928 , Reply# 6 3/20/2020 at 20:57 (1,820 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
||
1963-4 LKM GAS DRYER This is a pretty neat dryer and it looks like its in pretty good condition, But is almost as old as you are and it is unlikely that it will not need some attention if you want to use it much.
I would take the rear and lower front panels off and see what condition it is in, if the belts both look good and everything turns when moved by hand, then plug it in and see how it runs.
depending when this dryer was actually built it could have either a 2 1/2 volt glow coil ignition system or direct 120 volt spark, if it seems to run well hook it up to gas and see if it works.
John L. | ||
| Post# 1064834 , Reply# 8 3/27/2020 at 18:01 (1,813 days old) by 4bagger (Long Beach) | ||
|
Supplied gas today and she seems to be heating up and working fine. Thanks Maytag85 for the spare belt suggestion, was able to find one for both the blower and drum. | ||
| Post# 1064836 , Reply# 9 3/27/2020 at 18:53 (1,813 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806) | ||
|
Your Welcome 4bagger! I don’t know if this is possible but would it be possible to get a video of the burner ignition sequence on this Kenmore dryer? Never seen a video of what the burner looks like and haven’t seen what the 37,000 btu burner looks like inside these of one of these dryers
I have a video of what the burner looks like starting up on my 1973 Maytag DG306 and I am the first to make a video of a Maytag gas HOH burner starting up | ||
|
Post# 1064884 , Reply# 10 3/28/2020 at 09:46 (1,812 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
||
|
1963 LKM Gas Dryer | ||
| Post# 1064906 , Reply# 12 3/28/2020 at 12:16 (1,812 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806) | ||
|
Photos can only show so much but a video shows more detail of what’s going on. I was the first to upload a Maytag HOH Gas dryer burner ignition sequence and you’ll be the first to show a video of a vintage Kenmore gas dryer ignition sequence yet alone a gas dryer with a 37,000 btu heat output start up and show the flame slowly turning down when everything reaches up to temperature
| ||
|
Post# 1065029 , Reply# 14 3/29/2020 at 09:21 (1,811 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
||
|
1963-4 LKM GAS DRYER | ||
| Post# 1065055 , Reply# 15 3/29/2020 at 12:35 (1,811 days old) by 4bagger (Long Beach) | ||
|
John L. thanks for the troubleshooting advice. I took the blower motor belt off and the drum starting spinning easily when I pressed "start". What next? Blower motor belt tension to snug, maybe? Is there adjustment on the blower motor belt tension? | ||
| Post# 1065058 , Reply# 16 3/29/2020 at 12:55 (1,811 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806) | ||
|
I am not sure if the blower/fan belt can be adjusted since it’s a stretch type belt. The older Whirlpool/Kenmore dryers with belts and pulleys on the back can be adjusted like a HOH though. I’d try running it without the drum belt or blower belt attached and if the motor starts right up the drum bearing may need grease
| ||
|
Post# 1065062 , Reply# 17 3/29/2020 at 13:12 (1,811 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
||
|
1963-4 LKM GAS DRYER You have a tight blower bearing, when we used to run into this problem we replaced the whole bearing assembly, but these are NLA so your best bet is to soak the oil wick with light machine oil [ do not try using heavy grease ]
There is no belt adjustments possible on this dryer, the drum belt is kept at the proper tension by the spring loaded idler pulley.
And for the record there is no belt tension adjustment possible on any WP dryer or on any MT HOH dryer or newer MT dryer for that matter.
John L. | ||
| Post# 1065064 , Reply# 18 3/29/2020 at 13:32 (1,811 days old) by 4bagger (Long Beach) | ||
|
Installed the replacement blower motor belt I picked up and that seemed to do the trick. The belt that was on it looks more like an automobile fan belt compared to the correct one. Whew! Thought maybe she was done for. | ||
| Post# 1065085 , Reply# 19 3/29/2020 at 16:55 (1,811 days old) by 4bagger (Long Beach) | ||
|
With the correct blower motor belt, dryer seems to run quieter and smoother than yesterday. Here's a pic of the burner about midway thru the timed cycle.
View Full Size
| ||
|
Post# 1065136 , Reply# 21 3/29/2020 at 22:47 (1,811 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
||
|
1963-4 LKM GAS DRYER | ||
| Post# 1065179 , Reply# 22 3/30/2020 at 10:51 (1,810 days old) by 4bagger (Long Beach) | ||
|
John L. I believe it is glow coil ignition, but not 100% sure. Where is the serial number plate located? | ||
|
Post# 1065192 , Reply# 23 3/30/2020 at 12:39 (1,810 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
||
|
| ||
| Post# 1065195 , Reply# 24 3/30/2020 at 13:28 (1,810 days old) by 4bagger (Long Beach) | ||
|
Looks like the Ser.# plate was removed. Here's a pic of the front of the burner unit if that helps. | ||
|
Post# 1065239 , Reply# 25 3/30/2020 at 18:42 (1,810 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
||
|
1963-4 LKM GAS DRYER A picture of the left side of the burner assembly would confirm for sure, the Dec 62 date on the modulator would indicate that this dryer is and early build and these all had the glow coil ignition.
The GCI dryers take a minute or so to light as the pilot lights first which heats up the mercury safety switch which sends current to the main burner valve coil and 37,000 BTUs of gas lights instantly.
John L. | ||
|
Post# 1065260 , Reply# 26 3/30/2020 at 20:06 (1,810 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD) |
||
|
Can't you tell by the noise? | ||
| Post# 1065318 , Reply# 27 3/31/2020 at 11:15 (1,809 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806) | ||
|
Sounds like these older Whirlpool/Kenmore dryers use a pilot type of ignition but not a standing pilot.
Not a Whirlpool/Kenmore dryer but here’s a Maytag gas dryer from 1956 that uses this type ignition system Whirlpool/Kenmore used up until the early 1960’s sometime CLICK HERE TO GO TO Maytag85's LINK | ||
| Post# 1065323 , Reply# 29 3/31/2020 at 12:19 (1,809 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806) | ||
|
The engineering of vintage appliances has always fascinated me, and it’s interesting how they used a variable burner in gas dryers many years ago and it seems like they dried very fast and slowly turned down the flame as things got more dry. If you uploaded a video to YouTube of the burner operation drying s small or medium load it would definitely be entertaining to see the burner turn down as things get dried towards the end of the cycle.
| ||
| Post# 1066457 , Reply# 30 4/8/2020 at 11:26 (1,801 days old) by 4bagger (Long Beach) | ||
|
I've used this dryer about 10 times now and she really is a workhorse. Currently paired with a pristine '59 Maytag model 142. Mismatched, but still very cool set.
View Full Size
| ||
| Post# 1067516 , Reply# 32 4/15/2020 at 15:30 (1,794 days old) by 4bagger (Long Beach) | ||
|
Okay she's back up and running smoother & quieter than ever. Getting the blower unit apart enough to oil the bearing became obvious as I was cleaning it. Great advive John L. Should've oiled the unit out of the gate. | ||
| Post# 1091562 , Reply# 34 10/1/2020 at 21:46 (1,625 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806) | ||
|
I have a 1963 RCA Whirlpool Imperial dryer in electric, and I greased the bearing but I might grease it again just for the sake of greasing it and making sure it doesn’t start squeaking.
I’ll post a picture of my 1963 Whirlpool Imperial dryer just Incase if anyone wants see what it looks like
View Full Size
| ||
|
Post# 1170913 , Reply# 35 2/1/2023 at 21:15 (772 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA) |
||
|
dryer update What are the updates on this dryer? What is the drying temp for sturdy cottons? | ||
| Post# 1170922 , Reply# 36 2/2/2023 at 00:45 (772 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806) | ||
|
Reply #35
I believe most of those Kenmore soft heat dryers had all the temperatures built in. Even the timed drying cycles on a Kenmore soft heat are a sort of automatic dry cycle. Basically on the gas versions, it starts out with the full 37,000 heat output then gradually starts turning the flame down and if the temperature can’t be held once the clothes are dry, it’ll shut off the heat completely. The electric versions of the Kenmore soft heat simply just use a lower and high wattage element, basically the higher wattage element cycles on and off while lower wattage element stats on to maintain a steady temperature, if the temperature can’t be held once the clothes are dry, it’ll cut off the heat early before the cool-down. Probably left out a thing or two but that’s how it works from my understanding from surfing through the archives on the Kenmore soft heat dryers.
| ||
|
Post# 1170932 , Reply# 37 2/2/2023 at 06:18 (771 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
||
|
Kenmore soft heat dryers from the 60s
Reply number 36, mostly correct
During the heated portion of the timed or auto dry cycles. The heat never shuts off, unless something goes wrong. On the electric versions there is no operating thermostat at all the smaller heating element will always be on. On the gas versions themodulating burner will hold the temperature between 160 and 165 depending on the dryer it’s one or the other, if the modulating burner failed to modulate down word such as a failure, the heat was shut off at 180 to protect the machine and the clothing. but normally the flame never goes out until it gets to cool down. John. ⛽️ j | ||
|
Post# 1170972 , Reply# 38 2/2/2023 at 12:25 (771 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.) |
||
|
| ||
| Post# 1171000 , Reply# 40 2/2/2023 at 16:25 (771 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806) | ||
|
Reply #39 | ||
|
Post# 1198294 , Reply# 43 1/30/2024 at 15:10 (409 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
||
|
| ||
| Forum Index: |
| Other Forums: |
|
|
|
|
|
Comes to the Rescue!
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}