John Eich, John Fev, and Jon Char & Other Pros: Need Combo Expertise on GE's 66 Version

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mickeyd

mickeyd

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Sep 23, 2009
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Location
Hamburg NY
It's a case of Benign Non-Combo-itis in which the Wash Cycle is perfect, and the Dry Cycle fills and pumps perfectly for the condenser drying, but the heat won't come on.

I fear I may have damaged the machine, but don't know enough to know if, in fact, I did. Here's what happened. There was a leak somewhere pooling out on the garage floor shortly after I started the machine. Took off the back panel, and found nothing. Started the machine up again and saw water squirting from the fill valve, which looked, by the way, minty and new. Fixed the leak problem with a new hose.

BUT DURING THE ANALYSIS: at one of the trials, a drop of water hit one of the terminals and there was a spark and a flash.

Because the fill valve is integral to the drying process, I'm wondering if I shorted something out and that's why my baby won't dry.

Please advise, and many thanks in advance for the enlightenment.

Michael Mick

mickeyd++10-28-2013-23-26-31.jpg
 
What contact did you sizzle where is it located?

and I have found those SS hoses to be a bane sometimes on vintage machines, if the polarity of the machine is reversed then they can act as conductors to ground. I once fried one in my Duo and all the rubber squished out between the braids. You may have shorted a circuit to ground.
 
Hmmm.... In the early models (like, oh I don't know, a 1956...) GE suggests the following possible causes of no drying:

- One blown fuse or bad connection on the wiring block (not getting 240v to the dryer)
- Bad timer or timer contact
- If condenser water is not flowing, the water control switch may be defective
- If condenser water is flowing, the heater relay may be defective (not sure if there is one on the 66 model, though)
- Defective operating thermostat
** This may not apply to the 66**
- Belt switch tripped (THIS was the root cause of not getting heat to the 56...)

I don't know if these suggestions apply or not, but it might help!!

Keep us posted....
 
Jon, the sizzle was right from where I photographed--one of those contacts, but nothing LOOKS damaged, and the hot warm cold temp functions are all working.

Paul, there must be a heater because this is an Electric Combo, not a Gasser.

Singing the "How dry I am song," but changing it to wet. "Nobody knows.... how wet I am."
 
Michael, Have you tried testing the dry function since the 'zap' incident?? If you still can hear water flowing through the condenser valve, that should mean the valve is still good. I think you are correct that the dry function will not kick in if the condenser valve is not working...

I have a LOT of service information on these later combinations, but the books are all down in Ogden and I'm stuck in Montreal this week... I'll do some hunting on the weekend if it helps.

What is the model number of this combo??
 
Yeah, that's the bite in the butt, Paul. Everything else works with the precision of a Swiss watch. Remember the screen flush on the 49 GE. Well, this does a tub flush THREE of them between rinses. There are short pauses with reverse tumbling before the drains, all kinds of cool stuff that I have yet to fully appreciate & organize much less master. Getting my head around this machine's operation will become the equivalent of a Vulcan Mind Meld.

Here's her pedigree:
Model 861C1 W
Serial HC 300 630
Volts 120 208 3 wire
Cycles 60 Watts 4500

Any help is greatly appreciated as this is far beyond my pay grade. So busy haven't even checked Ephemera for a manual which I'll do right now.
 
And the fabulous DRIP DRY

which is all I'll be doing until we figure out what's wrong. Again, during the dry cycle, the condenser clicks on, you can hear the gushing & gurgling, ( sometimes it sounds just like the water vac the dentist places inside your mouth), and the pump and see the condenser water discharging from the hose in trickles and gulps. BUT NOT A DEGREE OF HEAT.

mickeyd++10-29-2013-13-13-30.jpg
 
Excuse the body parts.

Had to lay on the floor for the shot and use my foot to depress the very sturdy though easily accessiblle heavy metal safety switch.

You're seeing the first flush rinse. Wish you were here.

mickeyd++10-30-2013-13-09-31.jpg
 
Unusual finding

Wanted to see what goes on in the Soak cycle, which is a short one, but clicked the cold valve off because I wanted eventually to wash the load in hot and wasn't sure what temp the Combo soaks at. But then, I said wait till tomorrow in the sunlight and try the Soak in an empty tub--no laundry--with the door open, and really study the operation.

So I dialed up the Wash Cycle, and then went in the house to Aworg. About three-quarters of an hour later, I returned to the garage to find the machine tumbling quietly and happily with the dial holding tight at the start of the rinse cycle. Interesting. So I flipped the cold valve back on, and the WARM water gushed in for the first rinse. Amazed that the Combo would not go forward without cold water, but just kept tumbling on, all patient and no drama.

Here's a shot from the first day before learning correct dosing--a short learning curve, indeed. Biggest Suds Cake I've ever made.[this post was last edited: 10/30/2013-21:48]

mickeyd++10-30-2013-21-26-51.jpg
 
Non Heating GE Combo

Hi Michael and congratulations on joining the combo club at long last.

 

The first thing to check is to be sure the circuit breaker is not 1/2 tripped in your panel.

 

The heater element terminals are very close to the water valve mounting bracket, and it sounds like it may have shorted in this area.

I would unplug the machine and raise the top of the machine and look at the heater element terminals, there are four of them and see if you can see a burnt or loose terminal, you may have to unscrew the inlet valve bracket to see the top terminal. Hopefully a wire just blew off a terminal and it can be repaired. If the end of the heater terminal blew off it is a big job to repair and you need a new heater.

 

The not heating could also be many other things, a bad timer contact, adjustable dryness control thermostat, hi limit thermostat, motor centrifugal switch and a bad wiring connection ant where in the heater circuit.

 

There are several other possibility's as to why it is not heating, it would be best to call me as it is had to even try to diagnose something without me asking more questions, John.
 
HI JOHN

I did call you but figured either the voicemail got lost in the shuffle of a thousand calls, or you were insanely busy as usual, and I was patiently awaiting my turn before the Oracle.
 
What's a cool and unexpected coincidence is that the timer "CHUMS" just like the Unimatic next to it, and the chums often occur in synchrony because General Motors is doing back up spinning for General Electric, but not always. For clothing, the GE is perfect for outdoor drying. Enough water out for reasonable drying, enough water in for wrinkle-free hanging. Towels, alas need a tighter squeeze.

mickeyd++11-5-2013-18-34-17.jpg
 

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