Maytag DE406

[littlewally]

My trusty Maytag Dryer built in 1969 will no longer heat.
Nothing online shows how to access the heating element, but I found out how on my own. The entire body/shroud must be removed. The heating element is behind the hole/door.
I am going to replace the heating element, even with out testing continuity. I am also wanting to replace the Thermostat. (figure as long as I'm in there I may as well change it out)

My question is this, while looking on two websites (repair clinic and Maytag) there seems to be more then one Thermostat available. How can I be certain it will be an exact match for my vintage unit??

THANKS!!

 

[kenmore71]

That's the hi-limit thermostat on the halo shroud. From the looks of it, you really should replace it.
The cycling thermostat for these dryers is on the blower housing

Original part number: 3-3036
Of course this part number is no longer valid, nor is its direct substitute.

According to the service manual what you need is a high limit stat with a cut-out temperature of 155 degrees.
Because of the way the halo-of-heat dryer works, this hi limit stat has a cut-out temp that is considerably lower than other electric dryers with the element is a separate assembly.

I would look for a generic high-limit thermostat with a rating of L150-20F. Or something close to that rating.
The L150 indicates the "cut-out" temperature and the 20F indicates that if will cut back in after a temperature drop of 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

The original part was technically a L155-30F but I am not finding those on the market, but I did find the L150-20F made by a number of companies out there.

ClimaTek Furnace Single Pole Snap Disc Limit Switch Control Open at 150 L150 L150-20F

This is a BRAND NEW Universal 150 degree 1 Pole snap disc limit switch (L150-20F). The switch opens on rise (at 150 degrees) and closes when cooled (to 130 degrees). Replaces part # ERL150- this part is used in many appliances. Thanks for looking and good

www.northamericahvac.com

 

[littlewally]

I found this on ebay.

DRYER OR DISHWASHER HIGH LIMIT THERMOSTAT L155-30F PART # 305865 FACTORY SEALED

I will purchase this. THANKS!!!

 

[combo52]

NonHeating HOH MT Dryer

Yes it does look like you should replace the Hi-Limit Thermostat, I would save your time and money and NOT replace the heater element however, unless it has a break in it you can do more harm than good replacing it. MT HOH dryers almost never burned out a heater element unless a metal object falls down on the element and shorts it out.

 

Do be sure to replace the felt protector that is glued to the front lip of the drum however, this felt ring helps to keep items from falling out of the drum and falling on and shorting out the element and sometimes causing a fire.

 

MT HOH dryers were easily one of the most dangerous dryers because of the risk of fires from having a heater so close to the clothing. Don't take any chances by running this dryer when you are not around or have gone to sleep.

 

[maytag85]

This may be a thread from a couple of years ago, but I had something similar happen to my 1974 Maytag DE306, but I was able to fix it, and I had the parts on hand. What happened was it was making a funny burning smell, and I quickly turned the dryer off, and turned off the breaker to the dryer, unplugged it to see what was wrong, and found out that the wire that goes from the heating element to the high limit thermostat actually burnt out on me ( didn’t fully burn out, but practically burnt out on me ). I spent a couple of days fixing and servicing that dryer while I had it completely apart, and when I put it back together and tried it out, it was back to normal. This happened in February, and the DE306 has been in regular use, and seems to work just fine since I repaired it.