maytag DE750 repair

[jsundragon]

Hi, I've got a DE750 dryer that's been pretty reliable since I bought it in the 1980's. I had to replace the motor a few years ago so it's not all-original, but close. (It's paired with an A702 washer in case you want to know, purchased the pair together here in Fort Collins.)

I've read through other threads where the DE750 was mentioned. I definitely want to thank "qsd-dan" for posting the circuit diagram, that is invaluable.

In the last week, the dryer quit starting and I've tracked the problem down to the selector switch, in particular the momentary contact that gets the motor running. I figure the contacts are probably just gone because there must be a little arc of electricity every time one starts the machine. I'm planning to run a cord out the back to a push-to-start button as a temporary solution. Using an ohmmeter, it looks like the other connections inside the switch are still functional.

I can see that mine has a second problem. The thick "wafer" in the switch is the one that gets yanked by the shutoff solenoid when the dryer automatically shuts down, and that wafer is clearly broken. So, I'll have to test to see if the dryer will still shut off automatically.

So I've been checking on availability of the "familiar" switch 3-2271 (in fact that's how I found this forum) and it looks to be very hard to get. With several problems inside and prospects of finding a replacement rather bleak, I was thinking about getting into the switch and fabricating replacement parts. Has anybody on this forum every opened one of these types of switches up? It looks difficult because each of the connection spades seems to be "staked" into the cover plate, and in fact that appears to be what holds it all together. I don't see a way to open it up except to excavate around each of the spades with a very small drill bit. Any advice?

 

[jsundragon]

no it doesn't

Nope, the dryer doesn't shut itself off anymore. The solenoid now makes the buzz that other forum members have mentioned. So it's now disconnected and this will just be a non-automatic dryer until I fix or replace the switch.

There is a bell right by the solenoid, but I cannot see any kind of a "striker" that would ring it. Can anybody describe what that should look like, or send a picture? I can make something that will ring it. If I feel ambitious.

 

[qsd-dan]

I pulled a pic from one of my posts from 2007. It's a "before" pic I took before the cleaning process took place. If you need a better pic, let me know.

You can see the "paper clip" style linkage with a screw threaded through a nut. The linkage breaks apart after several decades and 10's of thousands of "ding" cycles. If you're feeling creative, you can fabricate your own linkage by using a paper clip.

 

[jsundragon]

Okay, Dan, thank you, this is good. I appreciate your going to the archives for me.

I opened the back of my dryer again and I can see a nut with a remnant of wire, down below the solenoid. It's out of sight in your photo. I assume that's the attachment point. I'm expecting the screw and nut are the "clapper". Is that right?

I might use thin piano wire since it would be more durable. But this all is moot if I don't fix the switch. I'll wait a couple of days to see if anybody has any ideas on the disassembly problem, then I'll probably plunge into it.

With the solenoid connected, opening the door stops the motor and heat. But then closing it again, with the setting left on anything except Air Fluff, the solenoid buzzes again after a few minutes. I believe the reason the solenoid keeps buzzing is because the electronic circuit stays activated, due to the internally-broken switch. For now, I'll stop the dryer by opening the door, and then switching it to Air Fluff which disables the electronic dryness circuit, if I read the diagram correctly.