Does anyone have photos of these Norge positive air flow dryers taken apart? Never seen one taken apart and looked through the archives to see photos of one completely taken apart and didn’t see any photos of one disassembled.
Any positive comments for pre 1980 Norge/Wards dryers?
- Thread starter repairguy
- Start date
Remember a Norge when I was a kid, would it heat a room?
When I was young, this had to be around 1970 I was playing with a friend, Jimmy. We were doing something in the basement and it was cold and I remember Jimmy opening his mom's dryer, pulling out a lever called stop N Dry and turning the dryer on. I don't remember it being any warmer but what was going on there? Somehow the door switch was taped (?) or maybe it runs with the door open? What was Jimmy trying to do with this dryer? Could this be one of the dangerous childhood situations we survived, that is, could we have died of CO? I though it was strange as this is the only time I saw Stop N Dry.
When I was young, this had to be around 1970 I was playing with a friend, Jimmy. We were doing something in the basement and it was cold and I remember Jimmy opening his mom's dryer, pulling out a lever called stop N Dry and turning the dryer on. I don't remember it being any warmer but what was going on there? Somehow the door switch was taped (?) or maybe it runs with the door open? What was Jimmy trying to do with this dryer? Could this be one of the dangerous childhood situations we survived, that is, could we have died of CO? I though it was strange as this is the only time I saw Stop N Dry.
repairguy
Well-known member
The lever lifted the drum to prevent it from turning while the big fan at the back of the drum blew heat out. If it was gas and the burner wasn’t adjusted right there could’ve been some CO entering the room.
I don’t think it would have been admitting CO/carbon monoxide into the room since gas dryers don’t admit much if any carbon monoxide since the burner burns much more efficiently since there’s tons of air being pulled through the burner on a gas dryer compared to a gas stove or water heater burner since not much air gets pulled through on any of those burners.
Norge Dryers,
Original style approximately 1952-1967, 2nd style 1968-early 80s.
While both these Norge dryer designs were positive air pressure dryers with the fan behind the drum blowing heated air in from the back and out from the drum at the front they were completely different dryers.
The 1st style dryers had a lint filter in the toe-kick area that was about 20" square and only needed cleaning every week or so, the 2nd style had a filter in a plastic frame just inside the door that was much smaller and needed cleaning every few loads.
The first style machines were built like tanks and usually outlasted several AWs the 2nd generation machines were a POS and usually could not outlast even the Norge washer that came with it, there was not one part that interchanged between the two different designs.
A lot of the early style machines suffered door switches that would get stuck closed and the dryer would run with the door open.
Gas dryers make a minuscule amount of CM, Norge even had a hair dryer attachment for the early style dryers that allowed the hot air from the dryer blow all around your hair to dry it.
John L.
Original style approximately 1952-1967, 2nd style 1968-early 80s.
While both these Norge dryer designs were positive air pressure dryers with the fan behind the drum blowing heated air in from the back and out from the drum at the front they were completely different dryers.
The 1st style dryers had a lint filter in the toe-kick area that was about 20" square and only needed cleaning every week or so, the 2nd style had a filter in a plastic frame just inside the door that was much smaller and needed cleaning every few loads.
The first style machines were built like tanks and usually outlasted several AWs the 2nd generation machines were a POS and usually could not outlast even the Norge washer that came with it, there was not one part that interchanged between the two different designs.
A lot of the early style machines suffered door switches that would get stuck closed and the dryer would run with the door open.
Gas dryers make a minuscule amount of CM, Norge even had a hair dryer attachment for the early style dryers that allowed the hot air from the dryer blow all around your hair to dry it.
John L.
ozzie908
Well-known member
Is it possible to seal the gaps around
the cabinet to help minimise dust and debris being expelled during the dry cycle.
We had positive pressure Hotpoint dryers and if you took it apart to repair it was a good idea to buy draught sealer the adhesive type and when replacing the panels etc you lined it with new seal and it would make a lot of difference to lint every where !!
I recall doing one that took ages to dry and afterwards was 2x as fast and the only air you find other than the hose was blown out the back of the timer dial.....
Austin
the cabinet to help minimise dust and debris being expelled during the dry cycle.
We had positive pressure Hotpoint dryers and if you took it apart to repair it was a good idea to buy draught sealer the adhesive type and when replacing the panels etc you lined it with new seal and it would make a lot of difference to lint every where !!
I recall doing one that took ages to dry and afterwards was 2x as fast and the only air you find other than the hose was blown out the back of the timer dial.....
Austin
Ozzie908, I did just that on an earlier iteration of a Wards Signature dryer that blew air/lint out the door. I added weatherstripping around the door seal and that helped. Sometimes the air flow would be too much and it would push the door open..!
Treeshrugger
New member
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2025
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I've got a 1983 Norge 20 positive pressure dryer. It's a workhorse
mrb627
Well-known member
I would say this is the dryer version of "Hurricane in a Box!"
Amazing machines, really.
Amazing machines, really.
It's too much trouble to edit out all the lint so you can see the parts... I recall one I serviced in the 1980's with the cabinet solid filled with lint.
My 1965 Positive Air-Flow Norge made-Montgomery Wards dryer that I found 9 years ago was never used, along with the matching washer which had maybe 5 loads washed in it and was put away never used again. This is a great dryer and produces evenly dry and very soft clothes. It's auto-dry design worked extremely well and accurately. It worked beautifully for over 7 years and after that it started flocking the basement with lint. I stopped using it at year 8 because of the lint everywhere issue. It seems for the first 7 years the seals held up just fine and then all of the sudden the seals stopped working.
The dryer in post #1 gets me. I like the drum color, the compass rose at the back of it, the air holes, the dial, the choice of two timed cycles, the "Permanent Press 18" and the fabric selector. You can stair at them oven and over in a vintage laundry room.
Does anyone know how well these dryers performed?
Does anyone know how well these dryers performed?
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