1966 Lady Kenmore Dryer with Soft Heat, part 2

[danemodsandy]

The Other Thing....

....That I like about vintage laundry appliances is that when they break down, the problem is usually easy enough to diagnose.

Maytag washer squeaking? You probably need to lube or replace damper pads. Won't drain? Likely the PolyPump. Won't advance through the cycle? Could be several things, but the worst it can be is usually the timer.

Contrast that simplicity with a new laundry appliance with a digital readout that's showing an error code.

No. THANK. You.

 

[akronman]

test runs

The new heater element came today, so instead of repairing the old one, it's safely stored for the future and I installed the brand new heater. I put everything back together for a few test runs before I remove the front again for repainting. Every other aspect came apart and it now has a spotlessly clean blower and housing and motor and all air and exhaust passageways, what a hell of an exhaust out the back, fine improvement.

First load, towels and corduroys and painter pants and sport socks, full load from a 10 pound machine. I left the back off the dryer to watch the heater work, but put the exhaust vent on to get the air up near the basement ceiling instead of in my face. I craned my neck and stayed on the floor for the entire two loads, almost 100% of the time eyeing both elements, believe me i didnt' miss much. Both elements kicked on immediately and NEVER CYCLED. It was set on 5 of 8, 8 being damp-dry. Finally after about 34 minutes, the small element went off, about 3 more minutes and the large went off, then another 5 minutes of cooldown and the buzzer rang. Except for the thickest pair of athletic socks, all was dry and cool-downed.

 

Second load--after an empty AIR cycle to get back to room temp for test purposes--one entire double bed of sheets and pillowcases, regular cotton sheets. Only 20 minutes total time till the buzzer, but never any cycling on and off. Both elements for about 14 minutes, then only the large one for maybe 4 minutes, then neither for last 3 minutes for cooldown, all was dry and "cooled-down-warm", perfect.

 

Without much info on this system of 2-part heater, 4100 watts and 1500 watts, I expected both for starting, then only 4100, then kick over to only 1500 near the end, then no-heat cooldown. And I EXPECTED CYCLING ON AND OFF after about halfway through. There are two 2-wire thermo's on the blower housing, and the hi-limit right on the heater housing, and the 3 moisture sensors inside the drum, nice big bands. I removed TONS of lint from every aspect of the machine, it's spotless and was in a million pieces, everything washed and cleaned, and the airways from the filter intake to blower to out the back were the worst I've ever seen, Now it is like brand new. Is this why it no longer cycles, the airstream is truly fast enough that it never overheats? 2 loads dried perfectly and in a logical amount of time, but I really expected cycling on and off. Both loads, the instant the buzzer ended I could hear one thermo snap. The exhaust just runs up the wall about 6 feet and warms the basement for now, wintertime. Come spring, I'll get under the porch and drill thru for an outdoor vent which will add one 90 degree bend and then the final outdoor flap. This will somewhat slow the exhaust, and maybe then it will need to cycle?

 

Is something wrong? Thermostats to check? Does anyone have a wiring diagram ( and some deciphering skills?)

 

Of course if I hadn't stared at the heater, I'd have been perfectly happy with the results. It's noticeably quicker than before, when it had a partial heater and horridly compromised airflow.

 

Thanks

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kenmore71]

My understanding of how "Soft-Heat" was designed to work on electric dryers is that BOTH elements came on at the beginning of the cycle. The lower wattage element stayed on for the ENTIRE cycle until the cool-down began. The high-wattage element cycled on the cycling thermostat (which was often in the 150 degree range) The Low wattage element operating for the entire cycle was what made it "Soft-Heat" as the temperature in the drum never fluctuated as widely as a single 5600 watt element cycling on and off would.

I have a 1967 800 series soft heat dryer in the stable right now. I should make some observations next time I use it as to how it cycles.

 

[kenmore71]

Here's a page from a 1968 service manual describing the "Soft-Heat" system.

 

[kenmore71]

And here is a page which includes an electrical schematic for a Soft heat dryer with electronic control.

 

[akronman]

Mr Kenmore

THANK YOU, I will print these out in the morning for review. I wonder if I got the wiring mixed between the 2.

Thank yuo , this is perfect, it's also time for bed--

Mark

 

 

 

[combo52]

1966 LKM Dryer

Hi Mark, and Mark, I do think that you have the two heaters connected backwards, as Mark in Minneapolis suggested the 1400 watt element never cycles until the Electronic Control says DRY or if the heater box thermostat opens. With the elements wired backwards you would do some real damage if the EC fails to shut off the heat after the clothing is dry, so it is a good thing that you took such a close look at the dryers operation.

 

[akronman]

thank you

I will switch 2 leads and lay on the floor again to watch, glad I asked and thank you both for advice and posted info--

Mark

 

[akronman]

now working perfectly

Yes, I had crossed the wires, now they are correct thanks to John Combo and Kenmore71 Mark, all is well. It's also tons easier to watch the heater with a handheld mirror instead of laying on the floor.  IT ran both elements for 20 minutes on a huge load of towels, throw rugs, jeans, then the main 4100 watts went off, the little one stayed on, and then once the main one cycled at least 12 times I stopped counting, all is well. Near the end the 4100 ON was down to maybe 20 seconds each time.

 

I'm thinking this out without a ton of skill on the schematics----Hi-Limit is on the heater box and really only kicks out during emergencies and failures, the normal operating thermostats are the 2 mounted on the blower housing. One of those says 150, I can't read the other, each has only 2 wires. 2 wires per thermo means only one temp per thermo, as opposed to various other dryers with multi-temp/3 or more wire thermos and a temp switch on the console. So here,  the 150 operates the 4100 watts on and off, the 1500watts is always on, then once the moisture sensors get down to the 1 thru 8 level setting, it kicks off all heat and the motor continues to tumble on the second thermostat, down to maybe 100 or so when the cycle is done.

 

I installed the drum light which runs thru the cycle and whenever the door is open, the flourescent for the console should arrive tomorrow. Other than painting the front, this old one is restored and operates very well, thanks for the help and advice.

 

For delicate items and low heat, I use a different dryer?

 

[combo52]

1966 LKM Electric Dryer

Glad you got it working Mark, YAY.

 

You can dry most delicate items in this dryer, but like most older dryers it does not have as low a temperature as newer dryers do today. The main thing to do if you want to dry delicate items in this dryer is to set the dryness control to a damper setting so the machines cuts off the heat and goes into the cool-down while their is still a hint of moisture left in the delicate clothing items, this way the clothing temperature stays very low.

 

[badgerdx]

I loved reading this thread. So glad you posted it. Very cool old Lady, you have there.

 

[akronman]

Finished.....almost

Check out the console light, as yellow as any I've ever seen. There's good advice up the thread for cleaning it, but with the need for peroxide and UV light or sun, it will wait for a summer day, not now in Ohio.

This machine is back in perfect shape, with advice from Kenmore71Mark, John Combo, Dave Vovloguy, thanks to you all and others.

New heater element properly installed and checked, old one wrapped up for repairs, new hinges on the lint filter door, new paint on the entire front, it runs like a charm. The lights(console and drum) are wired together, they come on at the start of the cycle and whenever the door is open, they go out when you close the door or when the cycle ends. The origianl motor is clean and lubed, everything inside is cleaned and Rustoleumed, the blower and airways all lint-free. The vent needs to be cut through the wall to the outdoors, come summertime, along with the one for the D608 to the right. I only do gas dryers where there is a vent, I use electric for some basement heat and moisture until summer arrives and I can crawl under the front porch to cut through a vent.

Running like a charm, huge 29" cabinet monster of a machine, it's fine.

 

[akronman]

inside

look at that moisture sensor, there's 3 of them, very fine-tuned and accurate for quick results

 

[akronman]

more

8 moisture levels, so far 6 seems fine for sheets and shirts, 5 is for towels and blue jeans.

 

[akronman]

more

Lint filter door, new hinges--unmatched--but working fine. Due to my mistake and/or Ebay mis-listings, I have spares of these plastic hinges. Anyone need a few? Email me.

 

If the pic was clearer, you'd see my only cheating--the new lint filter is actually Whirlpool instead of Lady Kenmore.

 

Except for the yellowed lens, this machine is now finalized, grounded, leveled, etc, I expect years of good service from it. Thanks to AW.org folks for much needed info and advice

 

[danemodsandy]

Do I Spy?

A freshly re-painted drum?

Man, you're good!

Congratulations. I never realized my dream of owning one of these, but it's great to see someone else has one and appreciates it properly.

 

[akronman]

nope

No, the drum and bulkhead will remain as in the old pictures, sorry. Too much work and then the possibility of just wearing.chipping paint again, that shot shot is just pure luck of being in the best position for photos. As for a new bulkhead, this one has both the inlet holes for the perfume bottle scent, and the window for the drum light, it would be too hard to find the exact bulkhead with those extras. So that will  remain. I appreeciate the advice on powder coating and various specialty paints, they may come in very handy down the road on this or another machne, and with a better budget here.

 

This machine just did another load of clothes, perfect performance. The buzzer is the very end of it all, no "WrinkleGuard" run-on ability, oh well. And I think I set a new personal best record, only one 5/16 sheet metal screw leftover, nothing else, I got all wire guides and stainless screws and everything back in place save that!

 

John--Mark--Did the gas model of this have modulating heat for SoftHeat?