Lady Kenmore 800 Soft Heat Gas Dryer Start Up

[4bagger]

I recently picked up an early 60's Lady Kenmore 800 turquoise gas dryer. I removed all panels and cleaned it up the best I could. It appears to be all there. Seller claimed it was in working order when removed from service. Any advice as to what to check for when I hook up gas and attempt to use for the first time? Any advice would be appreciated.
BTW New member, but long time visitor to this site.

 

[tomturbomatic]

By "Early 60s" are you talking about a dryer with the perforated drum back or a dryer with a solid bulkhead with an inlet grill for the hot air on the left side and another grill on the right side for exhaust? The design changed about 1964 or 65.

You will first connect it to electricity and see if it starts. Have the lower panel open and see if the igniter comes on and glows until it is yellow or, if it still has the original spark igniter listen for a loud racket. If that works, and you have the pieces needed to connect it to gas, I would say try it. Depending on how it has been maintained, it probably needs to be disassembled and cleaned and the tub bearing lubed, if it is a perforated tub back machine. While the tub is out, you will cut some felt strips to glue on the solid bulkhead behind the drum in a crescent shape to the right, above and below the air inlet and to the left, above and below the exhaust port. This helps keep the air from travelling behind the drum and forces more of it through the rear of the drum into the load for greater efficiency. I hope your dryer has the 37,000 BTU burner. Those are amazingly fast dryers. Write back for what you need to do for a solid bulkhead drum

 

[4bagger]

Thanks for the info. Here are a couple pics. Haven't been able to confirm year. Guess would be '63.

 

[maytag85]

That more than likely is a 1963 Lady Kenmore dryer. The things I like about these dryers is the lint screen is easier to clean since it’s the older smaller square type lint screen and the baffles on these dryers are stamped in and the speed bump baffles of these dryers are gentler on clothes since clothes tend to glide over them. One thing I’d do is try to source a replacement blower/fan belt since they aren’t easy to find and if the blower belt breaks it won’t really work since there will be no air flow but other than those quirks these are good dryers

 

[4bagger]

Found and repaired a broken wire terminal on the timer dial while cleaning. Now unit seems to start and spin fine. Haven't tried gas connection yet, but ignitor appears in good shape. Even found a burned out bulb behind the drum that is now functional. The display panel bulb was bad too, have one on order.

 

[DADoES]

Haven't been able to confirm the year ...

 
The serial number is coded for the year & week of manufacture.  Model number for market year.  Someone can probably come along and translate if you're not sure and provide the info.

 

[combo52]

1963-4 LKM GAS DRYER

This is a pretty neat dryer and it looks like its in pretty good condition, But is almost as old as you are and it is unlikely that it will not need some attention if you want to use it much.

 

I would take the rear and lower front panels off and see what condition it is in, if the belts both look good and everything turns when moved by hand, then plug it in and see how it runs.

 

depending when this dryer was actually built it could have either a 2 1/2 volt glow coil ignition system or direct 120 volt spark, if it seems to run well hook it up to gas and see if it works.

 

John L.

 

[4bagger]

I did do a complete clean and visual inspection with all panels removed. It was dirty, but no rust corrosion to speak of. Door and sides have some paint discoloration, but not too bad. Gonna be a week give or take before I can get it into place where the gas is. Won't get used for more than a couple loads a week. Hopeful and optimistic after today's trial run.

 

[4bagger]

Supplied gas today and she seems to be heating up and working fine. Thanks Maytag85 for the spare belt suggestion, was able to find one for both the blower and drum.

 

[maytag85]

Your Welcome 4bagger! I don’t know if this is possible but would it be possible to get a video of the burner ignition sequence on this Kenmore dryer? Never seen a video of what the burner looks like and haven’t seen what the 37,000 btu burner looks like inside these of one of these dryers

I have a video of what the burner looks like starting up on my 1973 Maytag DG306 and I am the first to make a video of a Maytag gas HOH burner starting up

 

[combo52]

1963 LKM Gas Dryer

This model was in production from 1963-5, Take the lower panel off and take pictures of the burner in operation,

Thanks John

 

[tomturbomatic]

That burner operation from ignition sequence to the diminishing flame is really something. There is a roar at the start that diminishes with the flame size. The burner is so powerful that with a full load of heavy cottons, the air coming out of the vent is 160F within 5 minutes and the flame starts going down. By the end of the dry cycle, so little heat is needed to maintain the drying temperature that the flame is just this little blue flame at the tip of the burner. There is a capillary tube that runs from the gas valve on the burner to the end of the lint filter housing where there is a bulb that senses air temperature and that controls the flame size to maintain the 160F temperature. Unlike many cycling heat dryers, the Soft Heat system keeps the drying temperature steady from damp through completely dry and does not spike once the fabrics are dry . 160F is a safe drying temperature and it is also the temperature which causes optimum performance of permanent press fabrics. Even Maytag HOH dryers heat to 160F when set to the Wash 'n Wear setting to dewrinkle those fabrics. The original Duomatic dried at 160F and was safe for all fabrics. The neat thing about the 37K BTU burner is that it does not have to depend on the fabrics being dry to reach 160F because it has the power to even heat a damp load with high airflow to 160F.

 

[maytag85]

Photos can only show so much but a video shows more detail of what’s going on. I was the first to upload a Maytag HOH Gas dryer burner ignition sequence and you’ll be the first to show a video of a vintage Kenmore gas dryer ignition sequence yet alone a gas dryer with a 37,000 btu heat output start up and show the flame slowly turning down when everything reaches up to temperature

 

[4bagger]

Well she completed two drying cylces like a champ yesterday, but when I tried to run it this evening and shoot video of the igniter, not so much. When I push the start button the motor attempts to run but then shuts down. I then unplugged it, manually moved the blower motor belt and drum and retried to start, but no luck. Sounds like it wants to go at first, then nothing. I assume the tub main bearings need to be serviced?

 

[combo52]

1963-4 LKM GAS DRYER

Take the blower belt off on see if it starts, if that does not work take the drum belt off and see if the motor runs, if the motor still does not run you have a bad motor.

 

John L.

 

[4bagger]

John L. thanks for the troubleshooting advice. I took the blower motor belt off and the drum starting spinning easily when I pressed "start". What next? Blower motor belt tension to snug, maybe? Is there adjustment on the blower motor belt tension?

 

[maytag85]

I am not sure if the blower/fan belt can be adjusted since it’s a stretch type belt. The older Whirlpool/Kenmore dryers with belts and pulleys on the back can be adjusted like a HOH though. I’d try running it without the drum belt or blower belt attached and if the motor starts right up the drum bearing may need grease

 

[combo52]

1963-4 LKM GAS DRYER

You have a tight blower bearing, when we used to run into this problem we replaced the whole bearing assembly, but these are NLA so your best bet is to soak the oil wick with light machine oil [ do not try using heavy grease ]

 

There is no belt adjustments possible on this dryer, the drum belt is kept at the proper tension by the spring loaded idler pulley.

 

And for the record there is no belt tension adjustment possible on any WP dryer or on any MT HOH dryer or newer MT dryer for that matter.

 

John L.

 

[4bagger]

Installed the replacement blower motor belt I picked up and that seemed to do the trick. The belt that was on it looks more like an automobile fan belt compared to the correct one. Whew! Thought maybe she was done for.