50's (?) GE clothes conditioner dryer

[chrissy]

I have an older GE dryer. I do not know the year of the dryer. Can anyone help me? I beleive the model # is: D1A820R4W
The dryer came with the house when I bought the house last summer. It works fine. Although, I am not sure how energy efficient it is, I am considering selling it and buying a newer dryer. Any thoughts?
Thank-you!

 

[chrissy]

correction in Model#

The model # 1DA 820R4W

 

[mixfinder]

1960

This model was sold in 1960 as the matching dryer to the TOL GE Filter Flo washer.
Kelly

 

[maytagbear]

Mercy!

Chrissy... the differences in energy use between an older dryer and a new dryer are minimal. The main thing is keeping the filter and vent clean. Buildup of lint l-e-n-g-t-h-e-n-s drying time, not to mention is a fire hazard.

Furthermore, you aren't going to find one any better made, nor probably any easier to use.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[chrissy]

thx!

thank you all for the info.!

 

[gansky1]

"R" model designation would be 1958. Pink controls were gone after this.

 

[bajaespuma]

What Gansky said! The "R" designation makes this a 1958 model although this one presents a bit of a problem for a GE archive fan like myself. It's significantly different from the models depicted in the literature for that year. Here's the first one from the library on this site (although what's depicted is the WA 855 R washer, trust me, the matching dryer was a DA 820 R):

 

[bajaespuma]

What's really interesting to me is that in a later brochure of GE 1958 models, the WA850R/DA820R pair looked like this(almost identical to yours, except the colors were slightly different and the panel wasn't elevated on pedestals--makes me think that at the beginning of the year GE used this designation to run out of the previous year's parts and then reinvented the newer models):

 

[bajaespuma]

At any rate,

If you decide you want to sell it, please give me a chance to bid on it. I'm starting a fledgling GE collection and these have been very difficult to find.

 

[chrissy]

bajaespuma

bajaespuma,
thankyou for your interest. I have no clue of what price to sell the dryer. and I am in PA with no means of transportation for an large appliance. So, I guess I'LL hold onto it.
My dryer does look almost exactly like the one pictured above,DA-820R.

 

[spinout]

Baja--

A dilemma indeed! The machines with pink timer knobs on the left hand side are really "P" models from 1957. I know, as granny had that 855P set which I grew up with. I don't know why GE was referring to them as R models, I think it was an error and the later brochure depicts them correctly. NO "R" models in the GE service microfiche library have left hand side timers--that was '57 only.

Hope this add some clarity.

 

[gansky1]

The plot thickens... The 1958 dryer service book shows the models matching the washer service info posted above, the TOL 920R had dial on the right, the 820R & 620R had timer dials on the left. I guess Chrissy's dryer was an end of the run for 58 - with panel styling for 59, or perhaps a special-promotion model?

 

[bajaespuma]

Chrissy,

If you ever DO decide to sell it, PLEASE give me a holler.

Spinout, what I was saying was that in the early brochures, the 855/820 R models had basically the same control panels as the "P" series and were probably a way for GE to recycle parts from the previous model year. Then they switched to what Chrissy's models looked like with the new style of knobs and controls. GE tended to do this up until the 60's. GE always had odd-ball "leftover" models that were Frankensteined with parts from previous years.

What's really interesting here is how many GE Dryers from the 50's and 60's are still around. It's partly because electric dryers are simple non-water using machines but also because they were well made.

 

[lesto]

It looks very similar to the 59 we had.

 

[sudsmaster]

The issue of date of manufacture could probably be laid to rest with a phone call to GE headquarters Customer Service. In the past I've found them to be very helpful in identifying the date on the various GE appliances that came with this house (mostly late 70's).

All you will need is the model number and serial number.

 

[bajaespuma]

A request:

Could we get a couple of clear shots of the control panel, the dial and the inside of the unit as well?