Maytag GDE808 Elec. Dryer - Help!!

[jbird68]

Last week our perfectly running Harvest Gold Maytag dryer stopped working properly. Now it will only run for 30-45 seconds, ring the bell once and shut off. but if you take the red wire off of the chimer Solenoid, it will run forever(or until you open the door). I don't think the problem is the moisture sensor because this also happens on "Air Fluff", which bypasses the moisture sensor. I found a new control Switch for about $30, but haven't purchased it yet because I don't know if that is the problem or not. Does anyone have any idea why the dryer is not operating properly?

Thanks,

Jay

 

[jbird68]

Here is the set.
Dryer: GDE808
Washer: GA806

 

[goatfarmer]

Is the dryer properly grounded? That's a must do on Maytag electronic control models.
I had the opposite problem on a similar Maytag a few years ago, it wouldn't shut off. Turns out the electronic control board was bad.

kennyGF

 

[danemodsandy]

Kenny:

On my DE606, are you saying I need to ground off the screw on the cabinet to the cold water pipe?

 

[bobbyderegis]

Jay,
it sounds like you may have a loose wire connection going to the electronic control. Check all your wires in the console. This happened on my 608, and all it took was putting back a loose wire.
Bobby in Boston

 

[panthera]

Ground

Yes, the unit must be correctly grounded. Otherwise the electronic sensors won't work. Pull the hook-up cord or trip the breakers (be sure they are the right ones, there are two).
If the machine has a four-prong plug, then you will need to have that outlet checked - it the ground was lost there, then who knows where else it is out.
If that is not the problem, check that the frame and all the parts which are to be grounded are actually grounded.
Maytag, for a while, delivered a cheap aluminum ground wire and even cheaper clamp for the cold water line. If that has come loose or broken, the electronic sensor won't work.
Oh - and if you use those damned fabric softener sheets, give the inside of the drum, especially the contacts, a very good cleaning. Not only do those sheets cause lint to build up in the exhaust (fire sooner or later), they also gum up the sensors.

 

[danemodsandy]

Panthera:

Doing proper grounding is my priority for this weekend, even though the dryer is working fine. I have older three-wire connections, so I'm figuring that the ground wire and clamp for the cold-water line is the way to go.

The original Maytag aluminium ground wire is still present on the washer. It'll get replaced.

 

[panthera]

Great, like Bobby

mentioned, the break can be anywhere - including a loose clip or connection on the control board.
Doesn't hurt to clean out a dryer every few years, anyway.
Do be careful, I remember a few sharp edges in this series.
Let us know how it goes!

 

[danemodsandy]

Panthera:

Thank God, I knew enough to clean out the dryer when I got it last week- it was full of the most amazing- and dangerous- lint and crud. It was actually bumping and banging because of some dryer sheets stuck in the squirrel-cage fan; the lint screen was so full of holes that the dryer sheets just blew right through it into the fan. It's all okay now- clean, plus I bought a new filter at Fox Appliance. It's quiet as new now, and amazingly fast- about twice the drying speed of my old Whirly.

This weekend will be the grounding. I assume I'll need two lengths of 12-ga. wire, plus two ground clamps for the cold-water pipe.

After that comes some work on the washer. New belts go on as a matter of principle, and I want to examine the damper pads while I'm in there. So far, both machines have been very responsive to the things I've done to catch up their maintenance. They were not actually abused, I can see, but the finer points of washer care were not observed, LOL.

 

[danemodsandy]

P.S., Panthera:

Dryer sheets are the work of Satan.

 

[bpetersxx]

sorry to hear about your dryer

picture taken after the washer came back from the washer hospital

The transmission locked up tighter than a tick and burned a 20.00 belt

 

[danemodsandy]

Manuals?

I thought I'd call Maytag and check on getting manuals for my machines while the Newton call centre is still open (through Spring). Does anyone know what they charge for them? And are they photocopies, as I suspect?

 

[gansky1]

If Newton has anything left to photocopy, I'd heard most of that stuff is gone now - but you never know until you ask.

When I called 4-5 years ago, they still had an orignal book for the DG 906 dryer (I had a DE906 electric but they told me just ignore the gassy section ;-) and made a copy of the A906 washer manual for no charge.

Good luck - G

 

[danemodsandy]

Manuals...

Greg:

The info about old manuals is still up on the Maytag website, so I'm going to give it a shot. Thanks!

 

[danemodsandy]

Panthera:

All grounded now- OY, was THAT a PITA. The washer was easy, but the grounding screw for the dryer was stripped, or rather its mount was- the hole the screw goes into. All better now, but not much fun to fix.

Bronze ground clamps and copper wire, so it should be a better ground system than the stock Maytag aluminium wire. I have to say that the stock wire (still present on the washer) was the cheapest crap I've seen in a day or two. Soft as solder.

Thanks for the tip- my electronic dryer thanks you too.

 

[panthera]

Great!

Actually, I do believe it was Kenny or Bobby who first thought of it.
I just happened to have encountered it coupla weeks back in the 'States.
Glad you are back up and running.