Can someone explain to me how auto-dry works on my particular dryer?

[ryner1988]

Hi guys,

So when doing laundry this afternoon, I noticed something about my dryer that I've never noticed before.

I generally use the auto-dry setting. I'm not sure if my model -- WED5300VW0 -- uses thermostatic auto-dry or the AccuDry with the moisture strips, but it would seem to me that I've been over-drying some on that cycle. Pretty much no matter what I'm drying, I set the timer to more dry since I want my clothes or whatever to be...well...dry. When I let the timer run to completion, on mixed loads it generally runs for just over an hour before shutting off, and with towels it runs for about a hour and 20 minutes before shutting off. I checked the mixed load today while it was running as I needed something from it in a hurry, and as it turns out, it's actually dry in about 45 minutes, even though it runs longer on the timer. The load of towels I ran today -- 9 standard bath towels, 5 hand towels, 14 washcloths -- took right at an hour to reach dryness on the more dry setting, even though as I said before the dryer would run longer if I had let it go to completion.

I thought auto-dry cycles are supposed to stop the dryer when the clothes are dry, but is this dependent on the dryness level I set? What is the difference, for instance, between energy preferred, more dry, and very dry? I've always figured more dry is in the middle so that's what I've always used. Is auto-dry more timer-based than I thought, and should I actually use less dry time than I've been using?

Ryne

 

[DADoES]

 
Your model is not thermostatic auto-dry, it's moisture-sensing auto-dry with a mechanical timer.  There is a small electronic board that runs or stalls the timer motor according to the moisture hits on the sensor bars.  The timer does have to physically advance through the heat portion of the auto-dry cycle to the cool down (which is timed) and then of course to the Off position.

The designated timer positions for More Dry, Normal Dry, Less Dry, etc. are suggestions based on test performance with a typical "test" load which doesn't necessarily reflect what the various real-world usage scenarios require.  You can set the timer at any position from maximum to minimum.  Play with the setting on your typical loads to find what works without running more than necessary to get the dryness results you desire.  The appropriate setting may vary across different load compositions depending how you sort.

 

[ryner1988]

Thanks for the explanation. I've had this dryer for nearly six years and have always just set it to more dry for every load. I just happened to peek in earlier today and noticed that clothes are getting dryer sooner than the allotted time for more dry when I do mixed loads. So, might dial it back a little bit.

 

[combo52]

Proper dryer setting for dry clothes

Good dryers, give you a wide range of dryness options, generally, you can always find a setting that works for you usually in mid range or normal settings.

 

I’ve never had a dryer that I had to use on more dry ad the only time I’ve ever used more dry was when.I’m trying to bake pillows dry or maybe stuffed toys That are very difficult to dry through.

 

When Maytag made their HOH dryers they always just barely dried clothing because they did not want clothing over dried but many customers didn’t like them because I didn’t get them bone dry.

 

You save a great deal of energy by not over drying, It’s also hard on your clothing and more of a fire hazard to dry things longer than necessary so I would always advise experimenting and getting things dry enough that you like them without overdoing it.

 

John

 

[retro-man]

I have stopped using the auto dry cycle on my dryer. A load of towels would go for a hour and a half to almost two hours to dry. Timed cycle set for 1 hour and they are done. Same with clothes. Cut the drying time to one half what the auto cycle would do. Noticed a drop in my electric bill doing this also.

Jon

 

[DADoES]

 
The moisture-sensing auto-dry on my F&P SmartLoad dryers is reasonably accurate and consistent.  Five choices of dryness level -- Damp, Damp+, Dry, Dry+, and Extra Dry.  I occasionally run a bulky item such as a blanket or comforter at Dry+.  Pillows are at timed dry on Low heat, maximum provided is 80 mins, run twice.  Regular loads, including jeans and towels, are normal Dry.  It always signals at Damp Dry level, which I sometimes remove select shirts at that point to finish them by hang drying and continue the remainder of the load to full-finish.  I once clocked a load of sheets finishing the drying/heat portion of the cycle in 13 mins (spun at 1,010 RPM).  A product information document marketing I have on SmartLoad goes into a bit of technical detail on how F&P test fabrics for developing the sensor algorithms and finish timing, which apparently are slightly different for the various choices of Delicate, Regular, and Heavy/Jeans.

My nephew-and-wife have had two dryers, previously one with moisture-sensing and a mechanical timer, currently an LG moisture-sensing with electronic controls.  They always run timed dry for 60 mins, regardless of the load.  I observed during a visit there a very small load of one or two sets of baby clothes running for ... 60 mins timed, after washing in an LG frontloader so presumably at a reasonable frontloader spin speed.