Maytag dryer worth buying? (and questions)

[dustin92]

Yesterday I was in Goodwill and they had a nice looking old Maytag electric dryer (maybe 60's?) for $9.99. It has electronic controls (no timer knob, just a round insert, and 4 temperature buttons), and appears to be missing some part of the door latch. I took a couple crummy pictures, but it looks to be in really good condition. Is it worth buying in unknown running condition, and are parts available if they are needed? Can it be converted to run on 110 volts, even if only temporarily? Our house doesn't have 220 service to the laundry rooms, so our dryers are gas.

 

[dustin92]

Front

 

[dustin92]

Inside of drum

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

I could be wrong, but this looks like a DE502, possibly 1965 and what they called the "super highlander".

 

The door latch is simply a magnet so it would be very easy to repair.

 

As for converting to run on 110V, others who know more than I can answer this better.   But I would think most likely not.   Or if it could be converted, it would take a very long time to dry, because it would be like drying your load of laundry with a hair dryer.

 

Kevin

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Just as nice at twice the price!

I'd jump on that just for the parts. Love to hear it run...

RCD

 

[kenmore71]

That's a DE500.  These can be converted to 110.  In fact the older ones (if they still have the original 2 segmented element) convert better than the ones with a single element because the wattage is slightly higher.  Maytag specced these dryers at 4800 watts at 220 volts and 1700 watts at 110 volts.  

 

When I wired my 1970-ish DE806 up to 110 just for yucks it took about 2 hours and 10 minutes to dry what would dry in about 55 minutes at 220.

 

[bluejay]

I'd buy it for parts and then my wife would kill me.

 

[goatfarmer]

I'd go ten bux on that.

 

[danemodsandy]

You Will Absolutely Love:

That dryer's porcelain-coated drum.

 

[combo52]

MT HOH DE 500 Dryer

As Mark suggested this dryer was designed to work on 120 or 240 volts and best of all the electronic control will not shut it off till the clothing is dry no matter how long it takes.

 

The door catch on these used a cheap little plastic washer type thingy that disintegrated like all plastic and rubber parts on Maytag appliances built in the 1960s [ fortunately there were not that many plastic parts in MT washers and dryers in the 1960s ] I believe that these plastic door catch washers are NLA but you could probably figure out something that might work. Many owners just drilled holes in the front and the door and installed a window sash lock when these broke, LOL.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Those are not 4 temp buttons, but the 4 cycles for the electronic dry control. That older system sometimes gave trouble as it aged. I think one cure was to cut the wires on one baffle at a time to make it dry properly. I used my DE806 on 110 volts backed up to a radiator to add supplemental heat for a few months. Electronic dry systems are the only kind that work reliably on 110 volts because they do not depend on temperature to trigger a timer.

 

[epixstar128]

Ten bucks that's a win

 

[akronman]

Well

For all that cabinet size, it's a tiny drum. But $9.99??? I would take it in a flash

 

[dustin92]

So how would one start the thing? There is no start button or anything, does it just start everytime the door is closed? I'm going to check it out again tomorrow.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Are you good at pushing buttons?

Pushing one of the four cycle buttons on the right side of the console should activate the dryer.

RCD

 

[dustin92]

Well, I stopped by again today, and it had been sold. They were just loading it on a cart to move outside. :-&#92

 

[e2l-arry]

As they say . . .

Snooze, ya loose. But there are others. For all you know this thing will burn whoever bought it's house down.

 

[dustin92]

I'm sure there is others. I didn't waste time getting upset over it, my dream machines are a TOL Maytag Center dial matching set, with Gas dryer. Maybe someday.