Maytag DE406-01 dryer still heating after stopping

[trock859]

Nice forum. I have a maytag DE406 series 01. It has been drying great for 13 years. I took it apart and cleaned everything twice since we have had it. Just recently I noticed the heating element staying on if the door pops open while running. It doesn't do it all the time. I took off the back and cleaned everything again, particularly the centerfugal levers on the motor. I checked the switch, and it seems to operate OK. But I was thinking about replacing it due to age. Any suggestions before I order a switch? I have not been able to replicate it, but I am very concerned. We only dry when we are right there with it now.

Also thinking about replacing the thermostats as well?

Another note, the belts are rubbing together. I thought new belts might solve the problem. Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks for your help. I certainly don't want a new washer or dryer.

 

[arbilab]

Maytag experts here--I'm not one--but the door should not be popping open. Check/replace the latch.

When it pops open, does the motor continue running too? Yes would suggest the relative vacuum in the drum holding the door switch closed, which isn't terribly alarming. No would suggest only the hi-limit thermostat is preventing damage or disaster from heat with no air flow AND as you already suspected, a problem with the centrif switch.

 

[wayupnorth]

My LDE 410 series 01 has done it on occasion when opening the door but as soon as the timer is on the double click off, its off. But I never leave either one going without being right here during the day and wide awake and thats good advice. Several people barely escaped a dryer fire near here recently and it was supposidly less than a year old and someone put a load in and went to bed, not a good idea.

 

[trock859]

The motor stops running when the door opens; however, the heating element continues to run sometimes. The dryer gets really hot. Would the regulating thermostat be the one that should control that temperature?

The door drags on the bottom of the latch side. The hinge screws are tight, but the hinges are worn and have some play. Maybe the door works itself into a bind as the dryer is running and pops open?

 

[trock859]

Also, the latch seems OK and holds pretty tight.

 

[combo52]

MT Dryer That Will Not Stop Heating When Door IS Opened

The motor centrifugal switch is stuck-bad, you need a new motor. this can be a very dangerous condition, exercise extreme caution if you continue to use the dryer with this defect. Do not let anyone use the machine but you and unplug the machine when you leave the area.

 

[arbilab]

The centrif switch is sticking. Please sort that before something bad happens.

Depending on features there can be 2 operating thermos, one for high ~160F and one for low ~130F. Then there is always a hi-limit thermo ~180F. The operating 'stats are typically in the exhaust air stream so they read the drum/load temp. The limit 'stat is in the supply air stream reading the temp of the heat chamber and in the normal life of the dryer, never trips. With the centrif switch stuck, the limit 'stat is all that's keeping the dryer from catching fire when the door opens while the timer still has time on it. Even with the limit 'stat working perfectly, under these conditions the life of the heat element will be shortened.

(Temps given are ballpark examples.)

 

[kenmore71]

The DE406 only had 1 cycling thermostat and one high-limit thermostat. All of the 06 series dryers used only one drying temp. The previous generation of HOH dryers and the next generation of Big Load dryers offered multiple temps but not the 06 series.

The door popping open on a 6 series HOH is something I have never experienced personally.

 

[trock859]

Do I need to replace the entire motor or just the switch. The centerfugal mechanism in the motor seems to have plenty of spring tension. I have found the switch online. I wondered if the switch is normally the problem or the mechanism in the motor. Thanks for the replies.

 

[combo52]

MT Dryer That Will Not Stop Heating When Door IS Opened

You can try replacing just the centrifugal switch, often this will work.

 

Door popping open can be caused by a weak or broken door catch, also many times on these dryers the cheap inner plastic door panel starts cracking around where the screws screw into it and the door loses rigidity.

 

[kenmore71]

John is completley right. You need to replace the centrifucal switch and also look at why the door is popping open. These were not GREAT dryers, but they did dry well when they were working properly.

 

[thatwasherguy]

Update...

As trock859’s son, I feel I owe it to you to tell the sad ending of this story. They still used the dryer for a while, they just unplugged it when they weren’t using it. That switch wasn’t why they got rid of it, however. The reason was the fact that the transmission in the matching A-108 washer blew up about 3 1/2 months after this thread was posted. (Both went to the scrapyard ). If you read my profile, you’ll see the story on the replacement washer, and the fact that I now have another vintage Maytag set. I prefer to know how this sort of thread ends, even if it is sad. I know you probably do, too, so I figured I’d tell you how it ended.
Thatwasherguy.

 

[repairguy]

Thanks for the update. There are many threads in the archives that end with no idea of the outcome.