Galaxy dryer

[akronman]

"Galaxy" dryer, obviously Whirlpool design, I think at $20 non-working I'll get it tomorrow. Can anyone tell me the era? Likely a BOL electric model? timer only, no sensing? The owner says it heats for about 10 minuets then trips the breaker, but I'm a good electrician, I'll get it working right. My various other Whirlpool/KM dryers all have huge doors. I have found Whirlpool dryers easy to work on, parts readily available, and nice big drums.

Also, I'm wired for 30AMP. Isn't that the overwhelming majority of dryers?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[combo52]

Good Basic Dryer

If it runs for 10 minutes and trips breaker there is NOTHING wrong with the dryer, the sellers new dryer will do the same thing, he has a circuit breaker problem, grab the dryer and run. LOL

 

[wayupnorth]

Galaxy was turned into Capri, Sears very bottom line. It is a very basic model but the guts are still a Kenmore. Regular amps for an electric dryer works on this one. I am guessing it is around 1990 vintage

 

[akronman]

John Combo

John----now that I think about it, I bet you are entirely correct!

 

[applianceguy47]

I agree with the Circuit statement

I'm guessing the dryer is fine.

I rented a place once with a three year old GE dryer installed.  The owner, an elderly couple, complained and even took the dryer in for repair because it kept blowing the circuit.  ... A doulbe 20 AMP circuit breaker. 

 

Have fun.

 

[franksdad]

I too agree with the Circuit statement

The same thing happened to my Mama's 1971 Lady Kenmore dryer way back in the late 70's.  My brother-in-law, a kind of jack-of-all-trades, immediately determined it was the breaker.  We had the breaker replaced and the LK dryer worked perfectly until I foolishly gave it away back in the early 90's when I replaced Mama's 1971 LK washer and dryer with a new Kenmore 90 Series pair (which replaced the Lady Kenmore brand).  And the breaker has never given another moment's problem.  Now your delima...should you tell the sellers what's wrong?  Jim

 

[akronman]

Moral Dilemma

Well, I asked if his new dryer was up and running, he said it's a great new machine, and he helped me load this in the car. So who knows?

I won't have it downstairs for a day or two yet. Lightweight, not as big a drum as I'm used to seeing from Whirlpool, and for a BOL model it has a timer/heat on/off cycle, not simple timed dry, it's likely going to be a reasonable machine. No temp selection, purely high heat, no air fluff, oh well.

 

I'll let you know if it blows the breaker or not, we'll see what repairs it needs.

 

[akronman]

something is wrong

IT doesn't trip the breaker, but the motor overheat cutout....cuts out. 1st time I plugged it in, it started right up, medium noise of motor, slightly electric smell in exhaust, tons of lint. I opened the door, turned the dial abit, standard testing crap, cleaned the lint trap, hit the start switch and a tiny movement of the drum then a groan and the motor cut out quickly.

So, entire dissasembly and the worst lint inside everywhere I've seen in a dozen dryers.  I took out the drum, de-linted everywhere, tons of lint off the motor, I was hoping a good cleaning and oil would fix her. Cleaned out the heater tube, blower tube, etc, but this blower doesn't have a bolt off-center at the back to remove it, so I never fully got the motor out. I did my best with the motor by removing those heavy spring clips, a few drops of oil here and there on the bearings at each end, best I could.

This is the medium?? size Whirlpool drum, the back of the machine is flat, not those 3 inch extensions for the huge drums I'm used to. How do I remove the blower so I can entirely remove the motor?

Also, I have another Kenmore 1992 large drum, and a 2006 Kenmore 800 large drum, I could actually swap around motors to narrow down the issue, insure it ain't rollers or felt sleeves or anything the drum rides on. Not easy, but do-able. The motors should be interchangeable, shouldn't they? It's the same belt/tensioner/idel pulley system on all 3, at a quick look. Gas heat on 2 other models, this Galaxy is electric.

 

Anyhows, I re-assembled, all seals and belt and rollers spin fine, then started it right up again fine. 2 minutes later I stopped and re-started, same old problem, groan and motor cuts out.

Pictures during this weekend's re-disassembly, but how do I get the blower off the back of the motor shaft? I'm not incredilby experienced with motors, but happy to clean it far better out of the machine, and what shoudl I look for?

I have 4 other dryers, this one is nothing special, but only $20 in this so far, I may as well give the motor my best efforts.

Prior to oiling, with drum and belt removed, the motor was slightly noisy while hand cranking, no free spinning for sure. I'll try anyone's(Combo52???? Kenmoreeguy???) suggestions, would prefer to see if I can do some motor repair before finding a new or donor motor. This one doesn't look very serviceable, but likely able to clean the dust better when it's out of the machine, better to get oil where needed, and better cleanup of the centrifugal switch.

Pictures later, gotta run for now.

 

 

[akronman]

didn't run out of here yet..

ten minutes of typing, i figured the cutout cooled off, I started her again. NOISY motor, I let her run, excellent airflow and heat, then about 3 minutes the cutout clicked in, dead machine. So it's motor problems for sure.

Re-disassemble this weekend, pictures of motor and blower coming soon. It's $20 BOL machine, I'll be looking to repair the motor or find a used replacement locally, no $90 new one for this machine. Or the basement has space where it can sit 6 months, hmmm.....dryers just ain't as much fun as washers, ya know?

 

If I unplug the heater core, it would be entirely safe to test the motor without the belt, right?

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Mark -

I don't know that I would put much effort into that motor if I were you. These motors are not meant to be serviced, and it sounds to me like the damage/wear to yours is done and it can't be un-done. I get a little skiddish with electricity and items (especially in a dryer) that can catch fire, especially when they have already been showing signs of failure. The motor's thermal element is there for a purpose, which it is serving. If the motor is getting too hot, but you've cleaned the lint and lubed it a bit, and it's still doing it, I think it's done. Trying to re-use that motor may likely be a waste of time.

On the other hand, I just did a motor replacement in one of my Kenmore dryers and so far it has been a very satisfying experience. The motor in my dryer had many many MANY miles on it, and the bearings had become noisy, so much so that you could hear the dryer outside and through the ceiling of my garage into the insulated bonus room above. It finally locked up earlier this year.

I bought a similar if not identical replacement motor on ebay - used - for $14.95 plus shipping. I think it was about $22 total. My dryer came from the factory with a GE motor, which is not as common as the later Emerson motor dryers, so when I saw a GE motor which looked like a low mileage one, I grabbed it. It turned out to be identical. The dryer has been better than it was before the motor started going bad.

Oceanwaves was the seller I used. They are a less than perfect seller, but I bet they have a motor that is identical or nearly so to yours. Most any motor for 1966-current top mount lint screen WP built dryers will work, but getting one of the same vintage will mean direct wire-ups, etc. I'd go that route, it's cheap, you still have a cheap dryer, and its actually fun, at least it was for me. Take the part number off yours and search it on ebay, see what you get!

That is my suggestion anyway!

Gordon

 

[applianceguy47]

I have to agree and...

add that this may well be considered a parts machine.   If the rest of the machine is alright,  set the machine aside (if you have the space) and as you go along, you may well find another dryer like it only that one has a burnt heater and the motor works.  Then you can combine the two and have one good dryer, and some parts, without having to spend much. 

Tomorrow, you may well be reading the FREE listing on CL and someone will be giving the same model away.  It has happened. 

When I was in the business,  several times I was able to combine 2 machines and make one functional machine for very little money.

 

Good luck with it.

 

[akronman]

Gordon and Applianceguy47

You guys make sense, thank you. PArts lists show both 3976707 and 279827 for the motor, and plenty come up around $30 or higher, some free shipping. I'll check a few used places locally first, see if a sale comes up on ebay, $30 and free shipping ain't bad. I do have spare space to let it wait a bit, plenty of other dryers to use in the meantime.  IT's for sure BOL but every thing else looks good, waiting a bit to spend only $30ish to fix it won't be bad-----

Thanks, I'll let you know what happens, when it happens--I don't want or need a fire!

Mark

 

 

[sillysuds]

Sears Galaxy dryer

love the brown control panel, this dryer did not come in gas.

 

[volvoguy87]

motor

I work for Cincinnati Appliance Parts. I can sell you the 279827 motor new for about $72.00 plus shipping if needed.

Dave

 

[akronman]

Hey Dave

Dave--good to type to you! I have an Ebay bid for a used one, but thanks anyhows for sure. Sometime in early summer, when I do a bit more reapirs on my 1-18 and finish some plumbing to allow about 9 total washers, you'll have to do a trip to see my collection!

Thanks-

Mark

 

 

 

 

[akronman]

all fixed

I found a used Ebay motor, $40 including shipping, but when I got it it looks entirely un-used, spotlessly clean and dust free. My BOL one heat Kenmore is now running quietly. $60 total ain't bad, but I have done cheaper before, what the heck.

 

Does this picture prove it's a "timer runs versus heat runs" model? Or is it timer only with no minute markings, to make me think it's a tad upscale? And how long have the timer versus heat style been around?

Those are the only buttons, there's no temp control or buzzer or wrinkle guard, no way! And no air fluff either, it's strictly high heat and not a single frill. I'm glad I have some ritzier dryers, and 3 in gas, but this is cool, I was happy to learn what it needed.

 

Thanks for advice, you were all correct about getting a newer or new motor, not to waste time or safety on the old one.

 

 

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Mark -

I am glad you got the dryer working, and glad too that you've had fun doing so.

This dryer is a thermostatic, automatic termination dryer. Set the knob on the * and the load should tumble until dry, 30 minutes or 55 mins, whatever.

It was a weird sight when I first saw this model. Previous models had an air cycle and a 110 minute timed dry cycle, nothing else. I guess government regulations (or "suggestions") did away with the timed only models, and they had to come up with this configuration to use less energy.

Read some of the current dryer reviews on various manufacturer and retailer websites and you'll find a host of idiot consumers who don't know want to use an automatic cycle and instead complain that the dryer's 35-minute timed cycle is not enough. I think it's supposed to be that way so the consumer is forced to use the more efficient auto cycles.

Gordon

 

[sillysuds]

Gordon, i know a women who do not use the automatic dry, because she said it uses to much energy.i keep telling her that she is wasting more energy by using the time cycle. she keeps turning on the dryer. she will not listen to me. Thank's.

 

[akronman]

Paging Kenmoreguy

Gordon------this BOL machine is frankly pretty darn good. I have more deluxe machines for perma-press and wrinkle guard and bells and whistles, but you are correct----set this little thing on NORMAL, hit the button, and it's perfect every time. So no complaints, thanks to various folks who said not to waste time on the original motor, it's a good simple dryer for over half the stuff I wash. While it is only HIGH heat and ritzier machines of mine have 2 or 4 levels, this one is always exactly completely dry, very accurate, better than some others.