I may have earned my "Halo"!

[kenmore71]

I happy to report that my 1967 Maytag DG806 is back together and for all intents and purposes seems to be working properly!!!
This machine was a bit of a challenge and most of the real headaches came from the electronic dryness sensing system. While not completely solved to my satisfaction, I think I'm well on my way. Here is a link to the "before" pictures.[this post was last edited: 7/2/2011-22:01]

http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?34841

 

[kenmore71]

Pictures!

Here's a list of what was done:
- I thoroughly cleaned up the insides.
- Took the motor apart, cleaned, and oiled it.
- Replaced the Hi-Limit stat as it was cycling the burner off within 5 minutes of firing with a full load of wet clothes. After replacement the burner is cycling properly on the original cycling stat.
- Pulled the drum and oiled its bearing.
- Replaced the large front felt seal with a new one. (Thanks to Combo52 for the part lead and Larry at Modern Parts for saving it for me!)
- Sanded and painted both large pulleys and the back of the blower housing.
- Replaced the original aluminum motor pulley with a new steel one.
- Replaced the original electronic control with a NOS one. (I'm still not entirely happy with the way this one works either. This one does shut the machine off, but it seems to be overdrying by about 10 minutes or so on "Regular", replacing the capacitor is the next step.)
- Replaced the door seal.
- Replaced the original, sticky, gooey wiring leading to the drum baffles.

I am loathe to get out my calculator and add up how much this beast has cost me in parts and hardware! I guess that's not why we do this.

Here's a pic looking inside the back at the motor and pulleys.[this post was last edited: 7/2/2011-22:48]

 

[kenmore71]

A revelation...

When I was doing continuity tests on the baffles and slip ring, I kept finding that there was "stray voltage" getting from somewhere in the cicuit back to the cabinet. This is not good for this type of control. I was finally able to isolate the problem to the slip ring itself. Power was leaking from the ring through the felt into the aluminum blower housing. This had me scratching my head trying to figure out how I was going to solve this problem. Then it occured to me: I was doing these tests on a cold dryer in a basement when the dewpoint was 70 degrees, of course the felt was going to conduct some electricity through it when it's damp! I fired up the dryer until the cycling stat cut the burner out and ran tests again. NO voltage leaks!!! Dry, hot felt doesn't conduct electricity.

The pesky slip ring and it's felt.

 

[kenmore71]

A glamor shot

All lit up!

 

[kenmore71]

The brain

The cleaned up control center with the NOS electronic control.

 

[rp2813]

What a beautiful job, and how satisfying!  She's good for another 35 years at least! 

 

The DG806 still holds the title for favorite/best dryer I've ever owned, and I don't think that's ever going to change.  Quick, quiet, and efficient.  Those machines just purr.

 

Enjoy!

 

[goatfarmer]

Nice machine!  I just rescued a HA 806 from behind a local Sears store yesterday.

 

[mrb627]

Quiet

Aren't the HOH dryers some of the quietest dryers ever?

I haven't heard one running in many years, but as I recall, it was amazingly quiet compared to the Kenmore machine.

Malcolm

 

[kenmore71]

It is quiet

This machine is pretty quiet. One little issue it has is that the motor has a little bit of a "rumble" to it. It did this even when it had no pulley on it. The machine amplifies this rumble and also, being a gas model, there is the low rumble of the gas burner too. There are also a few rattles here and there that I need to chase down.

 

[polkanut]

My DE606 is one of the best dryers for towels that I've ever had the pleasure of using.  I like how items come out feeling so nice and soft, and not rough.  Everything has such a nice texture to it when done.  I think I should have been a spokesman for Maytag back in the day! lol

 

[swestoyz]

Good job Mark! Good troubleshooting work!

Sorry I've been super busy the last few days. Let me know if you still need the later wiring diagram.

Ben

 

[beekeyknee]

Capacitor

Mark,
I'm curious to know; how did you decode that capacitor and what did you finally decide to replace it with? I found a code for it that was close, but not exact.
The cap I see in your dryer looks more like the one that's in mine. Thanks.

Brian

 

[blondie]

I love all these machines that lite up. Gorgeous! I do not know why they do not make machines like this any more. Very good job!