1975 Maytag Dryer DE606

[akronman]

Folks----I took off the back and cleaned lint out, plenty. Belts are tight and good, all looks well so I fired her up! Empty, but nice heat, quiet.
While I'm washing and starting a few loads, can someone tell me what to look for?
On empty, the "Damp Dry" shuts off in seconds, and what a damn loud bell!
So far, empty on "regular", runs over 2 minutes without stopping. With no clothes in yet, I'm impatient to test her very much, wasting power.
So, what do I look for time wise on Regular? What are the differences in the cycles? Permanent Press/Heavy versus Regular? Higher or lower heat? Less/More cooldown, anti-wrinkle run-on? No timesettings, so any idea how long air fluff runs? Is there ever lower heat, or just amount of dryness control?
Any advice is nice, after dinner will be one load on REGULAR then one load on HEAVEY, but it would be nice to know what to look for and/or expect.
Pictures later---and I'm very happily impressed that the DE606 from 1975 is a perfect stylistic match, console to console, for my A608 washer from 1979. I expected some telltale difference, but it looks like an eyeball perfect cabinet and console match, who knew?

Thanks for any advice on the 4 cycles--

 

[qsd-dan]

So, what do I look for time wise on Regular?

Depends on the load size, fabrics, and the length and turns your vent tube has. But, anywhere from 30-60 minutes is normal drying time. I can completely dry my fluffy queen size comforter in 45-50 minutes (which takes my '81 Kenmore hours, including lots of flipping and turning inside-out, ect).

Permanent Press/Heavy versus Regular?

My clothes get bone scratchy dry on this cycle, so I don't use it much.

Higher or lower heat?

It's a single thermostat design, so there's only one heat option.

Less/More cooldown, anti-wrinkle run-on?

Unfortunately, there isn't much of a anti-wrinkle cool down. For shirts, I just select the "Air Fluff" cycle for a 10 minute cool down after the first chime. Surprisingly, I usually don't have wrinkle issues even without using the "Air Fluff" cycle.

No timesettings, so any idea how long air fluff runs?

It varies slightly (something like 9-12 minutes), but it averages 10 minutes.

Is there ever lower heat, or just amount of dryness control?

No variable heat settings, just dryness control.

 

[akronman]

Thanks, QSD-Dan

While the washer was running, I hit the AIR FLUFF, then guesstimated 10 minutes, I agree.
For a mixed load of clothes on regular, wet fill up to approx bottom of the filter, it took 32 minutes, LOUD bell, then about 2 minutes cool-down. I am guessing the bell and heat go off at same time? Clothes were comfortably warm, but the lone heaviest item, the drawstring waistband of pajamas, was slightly damp. Everything else was perfect, so no complaints.
Currently drying a large thin bedspread and a normal size thinnish afghan, we'll see. It's also on REGULAR. These should present a typical need for turning inside out, rearranging halfway through, due to overall bulk.
I will try Permanent Press just to see, in a day or two.
Since it's electric and it's winter and I don't want a exhaust hose hole in my brand new house siding yet (and I already have a properly vented gas Kenmore 800, 4 yrs old) I am not yet venting this, it just blows out the back and warms the basement, no problem. Come spring time, I'll vent it correctly out under the front porch, no holes in my new siding.
I am impressed with it's reliability and performance for a 35 year old dryer, very happy with it's mating up with the A608 so well, but the drum size is a tad small, so I am also glad I have that huge Kenmore, and that one is gas, cheaper. This DE606 will probably be my secondary use dryer, sorry to all you Maytag True Blue folks.
Damn what a bell!
I'll attach pics throughout the evening.
Thanks Dan, very much. Anyone else with specific advice or knowledge of PErma press versus regular cycle, please chime in! And thanks in advance.

Oh also, the lint filter----with popping it on and off that plastic cicle of fingers each time, seems like a flimsy design ready for my finger to pop through it. One minor weakness in the design?

 

[akronman]

pics

A608 from 1979, and DE606 from 1975, in my eyes they are a perfect matched set.

 

[akronman]

more pics

Dial

 

[akronman]

Maytag set

The washer was RUSTY, from a different seller. So its chrome, closeup, is pitted, and I had to repaint the sides and front, and plenty of Rustoleum inside tha cabinet. But the dryer, from a different home, is damn fine for it's age, I just swept/vacuumed/wiped the interior, wiped the outside, good to go. Also, washer bottom half of console is missing 1/4 of the paint. Dryer is better in appearance, but they're both fine looking for my aged basement.

 

[appnut]

Mark, let me impart some wisdom from the owners manual for these dryers (prior to the electronic control models with both dryness variance (two buttons) and low or high heat selection.  As has been stated, therer is only one heat temperature.  Low.  What I remember from a manual posted on here once was the regular cycle is intended for normal dryness level (read moisture content removed).  Because of the nature of Permanent Press back in its day, the sensors for this cycle were designed to yeld a bit of extra dryness to facilitate wrinkles in fabrics from the washer, heat them up to a bit higher bit of dryness, and then cooldown.  Because of this, the manual also stated the Perm Press cycle can also be used for heavier loads which need a bit more dryness added (read towels, jeans, heavy stuff like that--just like if you had a load that was the majority of which had extra thickness in one small area, like the drawstring area on that one pair, then you would want to choose Perm Press so the whole load would be completely dry).  If you're complaining about the bell being loud, you are one of the few I'vfe ever heard that comment from.  Most people complain the bell isn't loud enough, but then you may be standing right next to it.  Trust me, that isn't as loud as the 2 minute continuous buzzing from a GE or Hotpoint dryer.  That's enough to wake the dead.  If I'd ever owned this dryer, I would have used Perm Press for just about every load to make sure heavier stuff was completely dried (like "more dry" on modern dryers and use Regular for stuff I wanted for "normal dry" level.  No extended tumble on Maytag dryers until they moved the control knob to the right side of the panel. 

 

[appnut]

I would definitely say you  have a matched pair there.  both of these machines, with the exact feature set, were marketed together for years.  So it doesn't matter that production years are 4 years apart.  You actually lucked out. Looks like the washer's panel is a victim of Spray n Wash or Shout on the gold paint on the lower panel.  Happened to Kenmores too from the mid 1970s. 

 

[combo52]

DE606 ELECTRONIC CONTROL

As others have pointed out there is really just one operating temperature on this dryer. But because the control was calibrated to turn off on the normal setting with the heaviest parts of the load slightly damp the clothes don't get up to the full temperature possible. With a full size load of cotton clothing on the normal setting the operating thermostat usually never cycles the heat off before the control senses dryness and triggers the solenoid rings the BELL and turns off the heat. At this point the cool down thermostat is all thats keeping the dryer running and since the dryer load didn't get all that hot the cool down can be pretty short. Most people used the WnW setting for everything so everything was dry when the dryer shut off. MT also had larger capacitors that could be installed on the control to give dryer clothes, when we were selling these in the 1970s about 1/2 of the people who bought one complained that it shut off to soon. About 1/2 of these people you could explain too them how it worked and they would be satisfied the other half got the bigger capacitor. MT never sold nearly as many HOH dryers as they washers. The lack of versatilely on dryness settings and only one heat setting plus the lack of timed cycles didn't look very attractive to many buyers to say nothing of an inconvenient lint filter and small drum. And both the gas and electric versions were slower than many other brands, the electric models only have a 4800 watt heater compared to WPs 5600 watt and the gas dryers had only an 18,000 BTU burner other brands used 18,000-30,000 at the time your dryer was built. Once MT went to the newer design in 1976 sales were much better for years to come. Believe it or not a do have a soft spot for the HOH dryers they are great piece of history, I have worked on hundreds of them and have several in our collection, hope you enjoy yours.

 

[DADoES]

 
I noticed the disparity in dryness level and running time on Regular vs. Perm Press the few times I've used my DE906.  Regular, jeans came out undesirably damp.  Perm Press it runs noticeably longer to hotter, drier clothes, lightweight items to the point of overdryness IMO.

 

[polkanut]

I leave my DE606 on Wash & Wear aka Permanent Press.  My dryer was built in 1971.

 

[toploader55]

I too...

Have been disappointed in the DE806 HOH Dryer.

I feel that the drun is too small and 99% of the time the clothes are Damp. Yes permanant Press gets them dryer, but alll and all, I've been disappointed in the results.

My 886 Maytag is a much better dryer as far as Drying a perfect load. Now I just have to install the New motor. The DE806 Dryer HOH has only impressed me with 1/2 a load out of the A806 washer.

 

[volvoguy87]

DE806.

Right now, a 1975 DE806 is the only dryer we have up and running. I love it! I use the regular setting nearly all the time and although, it leaves the laundry with slightly more moisture than I was previously used to, I've found I like it better that way! The damp dry setting is perfect for dry ironing and using the iron rite. This is, in my opinion, the best performing dryer I've ever used. I will admit, however, that the design has some major shortcomings, but I can live with them quite happily.

Check out my thread on rebuilding a HoH dryer. It's a decent breakdown of what it's made of and how to oil it (with Zoom Spout of course). I did the thread on our DE806, and it's been the daily driver ever since.

Welcome to the wonderful (and occasionally quirky) world of Halo of Heat drying,
Dave

DE806 operation and refurbishment...

It's been awhile, but Elginkid and I finally got our 1975 DE806 put back together and we have some issues and questions. I finished reassembly, plugged the old girl in, and pushed Air Fluff (to test the motor without heat) and she purred quietly to life. I opened the door to turn it off and I...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[qsd-dan]

but the drum size is a tad small, so I am also glad I have that huge Kenmore

Don't underestimate that drum size. Truth be told, bulky items pass up my big load DE808 and '81 Kenmore dryers, and go straight into one of my HOH's. Why? The smaller drum prevents large bulky items from rolling into a ball, causing the middle section to remain damp throughout the cycle. With the HOH design of a large heating element the circumference of the drum, there's 360 degrees of heat entering, with no hot spots. This helps dry large items very quickly and evenly in any position. The dryness accuracy is superb with 3 moisture sensors in the baffles that are constantly in contact with fabrics, unlike my KM or the later big load dryers that has a single small sensor up against the wall near the exhaust.

I have a hard time understanding complaints about the smaller sized drum in HOH's. Anything that can be stuffed into a big tub Maytag washer has plenty of room in an HOH dryer. Hell, my comforter won't begin to fit in my A806's, yet it drys quick and even in any of my HOH's.

Damn what a bell!

Interesting. My 81 KM buzzer seems a little louder than any of my bell chiming Maytag dryers.

Oh also, the lint filter----with popping it on and off that plastic cicle of fingers each time, seems like a flimsy design ready for my finger to pop through it. One minor weakness in the design?

Interesting. I never felt the filter was flimsy. They do flex a little bit, but that's due to the nature of their design. My '81 Kenomore with a top loading filter has gone through 6 filters during its 30 year run because the rigid plastic handle keeps breaking. All filters in my HOH's are original and function perfectly fine

I feel that the drun is too small and 99% of the time the clothes are Damp. Yes permanant Press gets them dryer, but alll and all, I've been disappointed in the results.

Uh-oh, sounds like something isn't right.

One of the biggest issues with the electronic controlled HOH's is that electrolytic capacitor that directly affects the dryness performance. Anybody who dabbles into vintage TV's or audio equipment knows the fate of electrolytic capacitors and their limited lifespan. After 20 years or so, electrolytic caps really start to degrade and their capacitence starts to drift. Being that the last HOH rolled off the market more than 35 years ago now, those caps are gonna start failing, and failing soon!

Example:

My '74 HDE-806 would chime and turn off at the 2 second mark if "Damp Dry" was selected with an empty drum. Too soon. It also would chime and shut off too soon with a load of clothes, leaving them far too damp. I replaced the original electrolytic capacitor with a film cap (polyester, if I remember correctly) and it immediately started to function correctly. With a film cap installed, I'll never have to replace it again in my lifetime. That proved to me that all of my electronic controlled HOH's are gonna need a cap change here pretty soon if I want them to function up to par.

 

[DMC]

Is this capacitor that you speak of behind the controller board? My DE606 is shutting off also before the clothes are dry. I have to keep turning it back on every 15-20 minutes to get a load dry. The dryer is getting hot but just doesn't run long enough to finish drying. Maybe I nee to change this capacitor also.

Thanks

 

[moparwash]

I have a nice sungold dial you can have for free...send me a message if you would like to have it

 

[electronicontrl]

Shutting off too soon

You got me thinkin'.........

My HDE906 HOH has the same problem of shutting off too soon. All it seems to do is the "add-on" time. Now I'm thinking the capacitor may may the issue. I can dry a full-size set of sheets on Permanent Press since the 15 min or so "add - on" time is enough to dry them.

 

[kenmore71]

Aweak or failing capacitor will cause the dry to run too long or not shut off at all. If it's shutting off too early there are several causes:

 

1. You have an early model with a 5 mF capacitor. These always under dried. Maytag had a lot of complaints and upped the capacity later on in production.

2. Something has gone wonky with the resistor circuitry in the electronic control and the current levels have drifted toward to high end.

3. The machine is not properly grounded. These machines depend on a good ground connection for the auto-dry mechanism to work properly.

 

For almost everything you wanted to know about HOH of heat dryers, see this post of mine from 2011

Maytag 1967 HOH electronic dryness control data

I had originally posted this under my last thread (#36059) but it occurred to me it might be better if it had its own thread given the specific technical data that's here. A few folks have asked how my "adventures" with the electronic control on this dryer have been going. After nearly 3 months...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[kenmore71]

And this one:

Maytag DG606 Capacitor

Hi, My vintage Maytag DG606 does not shut off after it's activated. The heat cycles correctly so I'm certain that the thermostats are working correctly. The dryer has an electronic controller in it that has a large capacitor on the outside. I was able to test the components inside the...

www.automaticwasher.org