Maytag DE308 dryer fail - yet again

[earthlyamy]

Got notified by my kid that the repair I made June 2021 didn't last. Posted photo is from Dec. 1 2021. Today, May 5, 2022, I snapped a shot of all the burnt and corroded parts of the heater element wiring (coil is intact, thankfully). Nobody's touched the dryer since December. I now have all the necessary parts - after waiting months for the ceramic insulators.

I guess my question is why bother if this is just going to happen again? I can't figure out what is causing that corrosion/burn out. There seems to be less and less time that any repair lasts and it looks like the coating of high-heat goo was useless. No repair people will touch it.

Sorry, but the "Add Photos Here" function isn't working. They are in my photo album in my EarthlyAmy profile.

 

[coldspot66]

grounded heater coil?

 

[earthlyamy]

Dryer Fail

Yes, the heater coil is grounded. One of the first things checked when this all started.

01@burnt [email protected]

 

[combo52]

Add power connections for the heating circuit

This is a very common problem on electric clothes dryer‘s as they age, and Maytag did not use particularly great terminal connections to begin with.

We see this all the time in the field we replace at least 6 inches of the wire with a heavier gauge wire where they attached to the heating element.

Everything Hass to be about perfect if you’re to have a lasting repair.

I’ve heard the story many many times from customers it fixed it over and over again, but once I go in and replace the ends of the wiring harness etc. you’re not likely have a problem for a decade or more.

 

[maytag85]

I had something similar happen to a Maytag DE306 (now a parts dryer) where once of the wires that went to the high limit thermostat burnt out on me. Happened to have some extra wire, re spaded the new wire since I had to cur it down and was back in business after doing that repair.

 

[earthlyamy]

to combo52:

I see you're in Beltsville MD - how much to make the trip up to Barton VT and replace the wiring harness as described? I'm thinking it might be the splice between the black wire and the new jumper wire - as well as the other two areas circled. Finally got the photos to load - wrong jpg format.

 

[earthlyamy]

New battery in the multi-meter

Further testing reveals continuity in the heater coil, as well as the high-heat thermostat. But still puzzled as to why this keeps happening.

 

[cfz2882]

reply 3 is right on.

this is a very common problem in dryers and other electric powered heating appliances:bad/oxidized or loose connection begins to heat from the current flow and gets worse until wire or connection oxidizes till it breaks off or no longer conducts.Often in heating appliances the terminals are made of nickel plated steel instead of the much more usual tinned copper used for general purposes-copper will oxidize rapidly when heated to several hundred degrees.Repair of this common burnt terminal condition is easy if the correct materials and methods are used.PVC wire insulation used before Ca.the mid-'80s outgas corrosive vapors when overheated aggravating the problem.

 

[earthlyamy]

Just a matter of time now...

Well the repair is done and the dryer has been running for 45 minutes. The electrical tape on the butt splice? Just reminds me that there is no more wire for any subsequent repairs, short of a completely new wiring harness. When/if the dryer finally fails, the pair of matching avocado green washer and dryer will be up for grabs.

 

[combo52]

Wiring repairs on an older Maytag dryer

Hi Amy, it’s pretty easy to splice in some more wiring if this fails again.

I see several problems from the picture the purple wire is beginning to fail on both ends, the crimp joint is about to fail putting tape on it will make it fail sooner because it’ll get hotter.

Heavier wire needs to be used for field repairs at least 10 gauge copper, a second nut should be added for each of the heating element terminals and the wire clamp between the two nuts.

Maytag and other brands tend to have a lot of problems with these terminals as the machines age, this is why whirlpool always use silver plated terminals which seldom failed.

Your repair should work for at least a while but the white wires really aren’t big enough.

John L

 

[henene4]

Do you have an electrician you know?

Most people have their go to companies for such stuff.

If you "know a guy" who happens to be electrician during the day they might just be willing to help you run a new wire.
Of course off the books cause liability and such..

 

[earthlyamy]

Ancient Maytag dryer repairs

John - the white wires are 10 gauge, OEM jumper wires from Maytag. Don't know what I could do differently and I am DONE with trying to fix this over and over.

@henene4: we had an appliance repair person in to look at it - basically his attitude was "not going to touch it". Didn't want to take on the challenge I guess. Another electrician we had in to do some bath wiring also said they don't "do" appliances. It's been self-care all the way since 2017.