Just scored A806/DE806 on Craigslist

[easy]

Maytag washer is in great shape and I've already ran a load. No leaks or squeaks.

I turned the dryer on and after 3 or 4 minutes I could smell something like wood burning. Opened the door and could see smoke coming out of the front of the drum (where the heated air enters the drum?). Anyone have an idea what can cause this?
I'm hoping that it's something like a lint blockage that can be cleaned out...

What is the best way to clean up the cabinets? I've read that some of you have used 409 or is there something better? There is no rust - just age and dirt.
If I decide to refinish the cabinets {WHITE), what brand of paint is best?

Finally, can temperature and/or dryness level buttons be added and be made functional? If so, how? I'd love to "upgrade" the dryer to work like a more recent model.

 

[kenmore71]

On the dryer and smoke...

The front drum seal is made of felt and eventually disintegrates, starts to break off and fall directly on to the heating element. This needs to be fixed before you run it again. The actual seal is still available but replacing it is a rather involved project as you have to remove the entire cabinet to get at it. I just did this on a HOH dryer that found its way into my basement recently. Actual replacement of the seal - 15 minutes, disassembly of the cabinet, cleaning and reassembly - total of 4 hours.

As to the electronic control on these machines, there really is no way to make it more modern. You basically have two levels of dryness that are ultimately controlled by the capacitor. Regular was originally designed to get most things dry, PP got things quite dry. You can mess around changing out the capacitor to see how the dryness levels work for you. Factory spec. was an 8 uF. I currently have a 10 uF in my electric HOH and a 7 uF in my gas HOH.

 

[goatfarmer]

Is this the HOH model? Small door VS larger door?

 

409 works good to clean cabinets, I've repainted before with RustOLeum with good results.

 

[kenmore71]

The DE806 is a Halo of Heat Dryer. It was produced from 1966 until 1975.
In 1975 the "big door" Stream-of-Heat dryers were introduced.
The DE808 replaced the DE806 and was produced until 1980 when the center dial machines were replaced with the 10-series machines.

 

[kenmore71]

Also...to add a bit more to my post from above:

There is no way to add additional heat settings to these dryers without a MAJOR amount of redesign. These were 1 heat dryers by design and to modify that would require some very creative mechanical and electrical engineering.

There are two thermostats mounted in the blower housing. The cycling thermostat maintained an exhaust temp of about 155 degress. The "cool-down" thermostat kept the drum tumbling and the fan running after the heat turned off until the exhaust temp dropped below 120 degrees.

 

[macboy91si]

SOH/Big Load

<a name="start_39835.590014">"In 1975 the "big door" Stream-of-Heat dryers were introduced."</a>

 

This is interesting, I have 2 dryers made in 1976. One is a CDE407 and the other is a DE408. Both made in 76, one is a big load and one is a halo. Did the 2 types overlap for a period of time? I can vouch that the HOH DE407's ran until April 1976, the DE408 is newer, I think October. Both have the gold escutcheon. 

 

-Tim

 

[combo52]

HOH vs Stream of Heat Dryers

The newer dryer design did come out in 1976 and it was a very fast change over however the new design dryer had been used in the commercial machines for several years. I always remember what my MT representative said when I asked him how he thought the newer design would work out, to which he replied [ if it works as well as WPs dryers we will have it made ] and while the new design was light years better than the HOH dryers it was never as durable or as fast as the WP built dryers.

 

[macboy91si]

SOH = Slow on Heat

"<a name="start_39835.590033">it was never as durable or as fast as the WP built dryers."</a>

 

Things I can honestly say from my standpoint on these dryers: The timers seem to be fickle and the machine is slow outright. I've been pleased with the overall performance, and maybe it's the fact that these units are getting on in years, but when it comes to dryers, WP has this beat. That said I love the look of the pair, and the quality in construction materials and feel is certainly there and I LOVE the porcelain top, a WP top wouldn't last long in our house.

 

-Tim

 

[combo52]

Porcliean top on dryers

While it is true that one of MTs great things was always giving you a Porcelain top on their dryers, WP also offered Porcelain tops on their dryers for less than the cost of a basic MT dryer.

 

[macboy91si]

WP Porcelain Top

WP may have offered them but they are pretty rare around here, I've only seen one whereas all of the Maytags of the 70's I think had them. My Highlander does not have a porcelain top, but it's the only Maytag I have seen like that.

 

I've often wondered how well powder-coat would hold up on the top of a dryer.

 

-Tim