DG906 Work Finally Begins

[combo52]

Ballast Drum light Bulb

That bulb was probably original to the dryer, as already mentioned a 40 watt appliance bulb is the same thing and at one time almost all 40 watt appliance bulbs were labeled as ballast bulbs. Some earlier MT dryers did have an ozone lamp that this drum light would have been wired in series with. The pink 1958 gas HOH dryer that we restored about two years ago had both lamps, this was the one I converted to electric ignition like Ricker did with one of his rebuilds.

 

[d-jones]

Finally a little progress.

Corrosion on the dryer's drum cover and mixing chamber brought things to a screeching halt as the perfectionist in me couldn't simply let it go. The parts are finally back from the galvanizer and just need a little dressing up to be used. I went ahead and had the same parts done for my DG701 as well. Now work can finally resume.[this post was last edited: 4/13/2013-01:05]

 

[beekeyknee]

David,

That looks really nice. I've never had anything re-galvanized. Where do you get it done?

I was considering doing what John (combo52) did last summer. See link below.

What would be best, guys? I think the paint idea John did might be best for electrics and probably cheaper.

Brian

http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?40588

 

[bajaespuma]

You people are amazing.

I think there should be a vintage washer convention like the vintage car people have where all you brillian people who actually know how to DO things like this can give seminars. I would gladly pay to attend.

 

[d-jones]

Hi Brian - There's an outfit here in Los Angeles called Apex Galvanizing that did the work for me. Back in the old days(thirty years ago) there were quite a few places here that did this sort of thing, but with all the outsourcing of manufacturing that's gone on since then, Apex is just about the last one still operating. There are still a lot of places that will do zinc electroplating, but electroplating lays down a much thinner layer of material. Too thin in fact for this sort of application.

 

As far as painting the drum cover on the electric version goes, I think you're absolutely right. John's method of painting is likely the best bet. But on the gas versions, the end cover and mixing chamber exist in what can only be described as a hostile environment. Especially if the felt drum seal or the rubber door gasket should begin to deteriorate, which seriously reduces the volume of airflow through the combustion cone, the mixing chamber and the drum cover, while simultaneously raising the temperatures they're subjected to. So I figured to do it correctly, I had to go with hot dip galvanizing.

And Ken - Thanks for the compliment, though I must confess, as I blunder my way through life I seldom (if ever) feel very brilliant. But I appreciate the sentiment.

Here the parts have been placed on a cart and are being taken away to be stripped of old zinc and any corrosion.

[this post was last edited: 4/13/2013-14:26]

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

Wow David, those look brand new!   Oh, wait... they ARE brand new!  

 

As for your brilliance, I can say from personal experience, that you are A LOT more brilliant than you give youself credit for!

 

Great work David!

 

Kevin

 

[d-jones]

I spent another few hours at my folks house this afternoon working on the dryer, so there's a little more progress to report. Some of you may recall that the washer this dryer is being paired with is Harvest Gold, so I'll give you just one guess what's about to happen here.

[this post was last edited: 4/26/2013-19:59]

 

[revvinkevin]

Waiting and waiting...

 

 

Fingers taping..... waiting impatiently for more photos.......

 

tap tap tap tap.....

 

 

[d-jones]

It was pretty easy to figure out, so I'm sure you all guessed correctly. The transfer was very easy. Maytag made it simple by making the two top panels identical with the exception of one small hole that isn't used for anything. Both top panels are in excellent shape overall, but I have to admit that I like the look of the white one better, so it'll be placed in storage for the inevitable day when things get switched back. In the mean time my mom will have the use of a Harvest Gold DG906 that matches her washer. I know this will upset some of the purists out there, but bear in mind that with the preservation of the original cabinet, no permanent harm has been done. 

 

By the way, can anyone tell me if this model was actually made in Harvest Gold? It may sound like a dumb question, but I honestly don't have a clue.

[this post was last edited: 4/26/2013-20:02]

 

[maytag85]

Old thread but..

That Maytag DG906 looks like it’s wanting to be a Norge, or shall that be a ‘S Wonderful ‘S Marvelous ‘S Norge?

 

[rinso]

My HOH DG806 gas dryer from 1970 was an excellent dryer, except for its tiny capacity. The matching washer held much more laundry than the dryer could. I found it prudent to split terrycloth items and heavy jeans, into two loads. Other than that its moisture sensing design, regardless of load size, was far more accurate than my current LG dryer. One thing about my experience with HOH dryers including other family members' similar machines, is that they are slow. IMHO, they just didn't get hot enough to dry even normal loads quickly and couldn't keep up with the washer.

 

[DADoES]

 
A family friend of my grandmother encouraged us to use his pool on occasion in the 1970s.  I recall once running a load of towels in the Maytags, which required a VERY long time to dry.

 

[maytag85]

I think the one of the reasons that made the Maytag Gas HOH dryers even slower is when the felt seals were compromised or after years of constant burning pilot light would weaken the high limit thermostat which would cycle it off below the operating temperature. Another contributing factor is if the belts weren’t tensioned properly, it wouldn’t allow to things to run at full speed causing the high limit thermostat to kick the heat off since there isn’t good airflow. Pot metal pulley that allowed for lots of slippage could cause longer dry times as well. The Maytag DE306 I picked up back in 2018 took awhile to dry a load of towels and thought the high limit thermostat was weak after many years of service, turns out someone replaced it with one that was rated for 140F rather than a thermostat rated in the 150F to 160F rating.

The high limit thermostat on my Maytag DG306 kept on cycling the burner off below the operating temperature back in 2020 since the cycling thermostat wasn’t really working and would just cycling off the high limit thermostat instead. Ended up replacing the cycling thermostat with a L120-10 low heat thermostat, now you think it outs take longer to dry with a lower temperature, nope, seems to be a bit quicker since I observed carefully since the front of the cabinet is quite warm in the first 40 minutes or so when drying towels and heavy cottons then gradually begins to get cooler and cooler right before the cool down and definitely seems to have a better cool down.

Now the Maytag DE806 I am putting together (not a true DE806 since it will have a 408 auto dry timer but otherwise will have similar features to a true Maytag DE806) will be interesting to see how it operates once I get it everything all hooked up and working on it. My original plan was to find a Maytag 808 console since it has the opening for low and regular temperature options, have a 306 timer for timed drying only, and have a adjustable cycling thermostat set to 175F and the other a low heat 120F thermostat. I am willing to bet it will be FAST with a 175F high heat but will just settle on having a single low he temperature until I am locate an 808 console for it. Would even be a first dual cycling thermostat HOH dryer made after 1966 in the group and possibly the fastest one in the group as well.