With the way those GE dryers are designed, I wouldn’t be surprised if more of those dryers went up in flames compared to any other dryer design. The heating element is simply too close to the drum, and clothes can get scorched or burned if overloaded.
3 YO GE Dryer Catches Fire
- Thread starter combo52
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dustin92
Well-known member
We had an electric Frigidaire (same design) that ran far too hot and did damage a few items- totally destroyed a cotton/poly elastic mattress cover that was wash/dry safe, spent about an hour scraping melted polyester/spandex. Another incident melted the poly filling in a comforter. Clumped and stuck together inside.I've been extremely cautious with any dryer since, but none seem to run nearly as hot.
I've personally seen two Whirlpool Cabrio dryers go up in flames so I can't believe those have a great track record either. I wouldn't personally own one. One was electric and less than a year old, one was gas and several years old. Entirely unsure how the electric one started, but the fire in the gas one seemed to have been started in the wiring near the burner.
I've personally seen two Whirlpool Cabrio dryers go up in flames so I can't believe those have a great track record either. I wouldn't personally own one. One was electric and less than a year old, one was gas and several years old. Entirely unsure how the electric one started, but the fire in the gas one seemed to have been started in the wiring near the burner.
Reply #20
Was your Whirlpool Cabrio dryer like those newer Maytag dryers that have a separate belt for the blower/fan or was it a WP top filter 29” dryer? If it was the style of Maytag Bravos with a separate belt for the blower I could only imagine how bad those dryers are.
Was your Whirlpool Cabrio dryer like those newer Maytag dryers that have a separate belt for the blower/fan or was it a WP top filter 29” dryer? If it was the style of Maytag Bravos with a separate belt for the blower I could only imagine how bad those dryers are.
Importance of taking pictures
Combo52, I am glad you are taking pictures of neglected appliances. Many of the saved pictures may never come to use, but sometimes they do...
In my case, I was called out to a large corporation that had recurrent failures with video products, primarily due to overheating. As I was in charge of quality at that time for the manufacturer, I had to show up to investigate. As the job was large, I went with a colleague.
The air filters on many units were so clogged you had to wipe the cabinet clean before you could actually see the filter, and of course it was clogged beyond belief.
We brought the staff in and showed them the trouble. To our face they denied neglect of maintenance. We advised them we are taking pictures, notes and putting it in a permanent file. They must change their maintenance practices or they will face big repair bills. Bear in mind, we were the manufacturer and were also advising that their warranty may be cancelled.
About a year later I get a call. Same corporation - different person. Complaint: Overheating and yellowing of the image. Of course the quality of the product was called into question.
I asked the person how long they worked for the company. Less than a year.
After evaluating one sample I had to give them an estimate for neglect repairs. I shared the pictures. I gave them a thumbnail estimate in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, we had a RECORDED history of neglect and we were not sued. The client went away and that was ok. Our attitude is that we did not want our brand in any facility where they did not perform perfectly - and that was not going to happen there due to neglect.
Although no safety issue existed in my case, dryer fires scream for picture taking in cases of neglect or installation / usage errors. The one time it saves your butt will pay for all the SD cards you've ever purchased... and more.
Combo52, I am glad you are taking pictures of neglected appliances. Many of the saved pictures may never come to use, but sometimes they do...
In my case, I was called out to a large corporation that had recurrent failures with video products, primarily due to overheating. As I was in charge of quality at that time for the manufacturer, I had to show up to investigate. As the job was large, I went with a colleague.
The air filters on many units were so clogged you had to wipe the cabinet clean before you could actually see the filter, and of course it was clogged beyond belief.
We brought the staff in and showed them the trouble. To our face they denied neglect of maintenance. We advised them we are taking pictures, notes and putting it in a permanent file. They must change their maintenance practices or they will face big repair bills. Bear in mind, we were the manufacturer and were also advising that their warranty may be cancelled.
About a year later I get a call. Same corporation - different person. Complaint: Overheating and yellowing of the image. Of course the quality of the product was called into question.
I asked the person how long they worked for the company. Less than a year.
After evaluating one sample I had to give them an estimate for neglect repairs. I shared the pictures. I gave them a thumbnail estimate in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, we had a RECORDED history of neglect and we were not sued. The client went away and that was ok. Our attitude is that we did not want our brand in any facility where they did not perform perfectly - and that was not going to happen there due to neglect.
Although no safety issue existed in my case, dryer fires scream for picture taking in cases of neglect or installation / usage errors. The one time it saves your butt will pay for all the SD cards you've ever purchased... and more.
Another GE Appliance Overheats
A beautiful Monogram DW, customer started the DW and when they came home the house smelled of smoke.
John L.
A beautiful Monogram DW, customer started the DW and when they came home the house smelled of smoke.
John L.
The disdain.. *ahem* I mean polite discerning opinion I've had towards GE since childhood aside, how in the absolute eff did that dishwasher completely melt without actually catching fire?!?!
I thought what I was seeing was the remains of the lower arm. That's the upper arm! The lower arm has completely disappeared into a puddle on the bottom.. Eesh.
I thought what I was seeing was the remains of the lower arm. That's the upper arm! The lower arm has completely disappeared into a puddle on the bottom.. Eesh.
speedqueen
Well-known member
GE disdain...
Yep, other than their stoves and refrigerators, everything else has had some major corner cut in the design since at least the late 1950s. Their electronics were absolute garbage(just try to find a 1960s GE color TV, they all broke 50 years ago, RCA and Zenith are still everywhere), the FilterFlo washers, had that ridiculous clutch instead of a two speed motor, and they never redesigned the machine after just dropping a perforated tub in a solid tub washer in the early 1960s. Their upright vacuums never were any great shakes, though their Swivel Top canisters were good.
Yep, other than their stoves and refrigerators, everything else has had some major corner cut in the design since at least the late 1950s. Their electronics were absolute garbage(just try to find a 1960s GE color TV, they all broke 50 years ago, RCA and Zenith are still everywhere), the FilterFlo washers, had that ridiculous clutch instead of a two speed motor, and they never redesigned the machine after just dropping a perforated tub in a solid tub washer in the early 1960s. Their upright vacuums never were any great shakes, though their Swivel Top canisters were good.
vacerator
Well-known member
Richard Jolly (speedqueen),
GE televisions were made by RCA from at least 1975. Both had the "blue screen".
Design flaws? What about part supplier quality flaws? Runs the gamut from the auto industry to you name it. Of course, some are made to bean counter specifications of the end product makers.
GE televisions were made by RCA from at least 1975. Both had the "blue screen".
Design flaws? What about part supplier quality flaws? Runs the gamut from the auto industry to you name it. Of course, some are made to bean counter specifications of the end product makers.
speedqueen
Well-known member
GE made their own electronics until they reacquired RCA in 1986 and then sold both both their own consumer electronics division and that of RCA to Thomson SA(now Technicolor) of France.
The problems as of the 1960s(when GE's TVs were at their worst) were just poor build quality and cheap components. For example, while both RCA and GE sets used printed circuit boards, only GE had severe problems with theirs completely disintegrating. RCA's were of much higher quality and Zenith didn't even use them at all, preferring to hand wire their sets. RCAs and Zeniths of the era used very high quality components, eg. Sprague "orange-drop" capacitors, no cheap paper caps in their color sets.
The problems as of the 1960s(when GE's TVs were at their worst) were just poor build quality and cheap components. For example, while both RCA and GE sets used printed circuit boards, only GE had severe problems with theirs completely disintegrating. RCA's were of much higher quality and Zenith didn't even use them at all, preferring to hand wire their sets. RCAs and Zeniths of the era used very high quality components, eg. Sprague "orange-drop" capacitors, no cheap paper caps in their color sets.
As far as ranges/stoves/ovens, I agree. We had a plethora of GE appliances throughout the expanse of our families' homes. The freestanding electric smoothtop range was by far the one that was outstanding in my memory. It was probably a '94 model, give or take a year, because it was bought when we moved into the "Sheffield" house I grew up in until I moved out. It wasn't replaced until after I moved out, because my mom wanted an oven with convection. But during the time that range lived with us, I remember it being reliably steady as far as cooking on the stovetop, something I've only heard complaints about on smoothtops. Even the Maytag 8880 range I have now has a very sensitive and temperamental cooktop; low is what medium should be, medium is high, and high is..well, I've never cooked a single thing with any element turned to high, because there would be nothing but ash. But that GE I grew up with was so consistent and easy to use.
I still hear that GE makes the best major cooking appliances. At least I hope that's the case these days, considering the shape of the dryer and dishwasher in this thread.
I still hear that GE makes the best major cooking appliances. At least I hope that's the case these days, considering the shape of the dryer and dishwasher in this thread.
gusherb
Well-known member
Our GE gas range w/double oven from 2015 is holding up well. No complaints whatsoever, had to get used to the oven though because it holds temperature so precisely it doesn't even overshoot the setpoint.
I've never cared for any other appliances GE offers.
I've never cared for any other appliances GE offers.
I’ve never really liked GE dryers, and the heating element to me is way too close to the drum and again I can guarantee that a lot of GE dryers in electric have gone up in flames compared to any other dryer made. Yes, the Halo Of Heat dryers from Maytag have a heating element that was pretty close to the drum but Maytag used a sensitive high limit the on both gas and electric models, and sometimes the high limit safety thermostat would cycle the heating element below the operating thermostat but Maytag did that for a reason to help prevent the dryer from overheating or scorching clothes.
Dryer Fires
Hi Sean, The MT HOH dryers were a far greater fire risk than even these cheap new dryers from GE, back in the 70s our store replaced several electric HOH fryers back to MT after serious fires, two DE606s and one of the new DE407s.
On these new GE dryers they have a minimum of three thermostats on the heater assembly, there is a safety to cut off all power, there is a modulating thermostat that cuts out one heater to control overheating which has a bias heater that allows the user controls to cycle the heater at lower temps to make the dryers heat more gentle ant there is a thermal fuse that shuts the whole dryer down if serious overheating occurs.
MT [ and most other dryers back in the 70s and before ] had none of these safety devices and dryer fires were far more common with these order dryers.
John L.
Hi Sean, The MT HOH dryers were a far greater fire risk than even these cheap new dryers from GE, back in the 70s our store replaced several electric HOH fryers back to MT after serious fires, two DE606s and one of the new DE407s.
On these new GE dryers they have a minimum of three thermostats on the heater assembly, there is a safety to cut off all power, there is a modulating thermostat that cuts out one heater to control overheating which has a bias heater that allows the user controls to cycle the heater at lower temps to make the dryers heat more gentle ant there is a thermal fuse that shuts the whole dryer down if serious overheating occurs.
MT [ and most other dryers back in the 70s and before ] had none of these safety devices and dryer fires were far more common with these order dryers.
John L.
Dryer fire
The newer machines seem to be assembled to allow for less access to key areas that need cleaned. It is an absolute shame just as access to drain pumps are limited too. Our newer Duet dryer has been cleaned internally once as a result, but our old Kenmore was cleaned twice annually as they should be. Regardless of how thorough we are with lint trap cleaning, both the dryer and exhaust venting will still accumulate quite a bit of lint in 6 mos. I know numerous people that have never cleaned their vent, let alone their dryer or lint filter. People really don’t know how big of an issue it is until it happens to them.
The newer machines seem to be assembled to allow for less access to key areas that need cleaned. It is an absolute shame just as access to drain pumps are limited too. Our newer Duet dryer has been cleaned internally once as a result, but our old Kenmore was cleaned twice annually as they should be. Regardless of how thorough we are with lint trap cleaning, both the dryer and exhaust venting will still accumulate quite a bit of lint in 6 mos. I know numerous people that have never cleaned their vent, let alone their dryer or lint filter. People really don’t know how big of an issue it is until it happens to them.
maytagneptune
Well-known member
GE Dryer Fires
UH OH! I hope my GE DBSR453GB2WW does not go up in flames. IT's a Gas dryer and I clean the lint trap before each load. I got a 7500AWW gas Dryer but it needs repairs.
UH OH! I hope my GE DBSR453GB2WW does not go up in flames. IT's a Gas dryer and I clean the lint trap before each load. I got a 7500AWW gas Dryer but it needs repairs.
bradfordwhite
Well-known member
I think GE's , and other home appliance makers, have a disqualification statement as part of their warranty. Something to the effect that the appliance is intended for home use and the warranty doesn't cover commercial or heavy useage.
In that circumstance, that dryer is probably running for several hours a day. And people, when it's not their own (sometimes even when it is), don't take care of things.
In that circumstance, that dryer is probably running for several hours a day. And people, when it's not their own (sometimes even when it is), don't take care of things.
laundry habits
People that are stupid should be barred from doing any type of laundry, period! It just kills me how lazy they are. They don't clean the lint trap, sort their laundry accordingly, and use the wrong cycle. I've seen this in college at the dorms.
People that are stupid should be barred from doing any type of laundry, period! It just kills me how lazy they are. They don't clean the lint trap, sort their laundry accordingly, and use the wrong cycle. I've seen this in college at the dorms.
I have to agree!
With seemingly that much laundry to dry, a commercial or even industrial drying machine is unquestionably what that type of facility needs, as well as someone thoroughly qualified just in maintaining lint build-up in something as simple as cleaning the traps!
-- Dave
With seemingly that much laundry to dry, a commercial or even industrial drying machine is unquestionably what that type of facility needs, as well as someone thoroughly qualified just in maintaining lint build-up in something as simple as cleaning the traps!
-- Dave
matching washer
And they should've had a matching washer and a lesson on how to do laundry properly. I swear, most college students are just stupid to abuse their machines then have the audacity to say the machines are broken. Granted, there are crappy machines out there.
And they should've had a matching washer and a lesson on how to do laundry properly. I swear, most college students are just stupid to abuse their machines then have the audacity to say the machines are broken. Granted, there are crappy machines out there.
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