New Dryer

[dpritz]

So I'm new to the vintage appliance obsession and just picked up my first dryer off craigslist for $20! It a GE model number DDE7230L DL WH. I cant find much about it online. My question is that the top of it gets really hot after only a few minutes of running its not connected to a vent. This may be a rookie question but let me know your thoughts thanks

 

[dpritz]

more picts

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[dpritz]

more picts

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[akronman]

hmmm

regardless of being connected to a vent or not, the top should get barely warm only, not hot. Is the hot air blowing out the tube at the back, regardless of a vent? Unplug the machine, take off the back and see if the vent pipes are all connected properly and blowing out the back of it. Clean any lint you find anywhere, get it out. Take some interior pics when the back is off, it will help us. Also, take out the lint filter and carefully clean as much lint as your hands can reach down the front of the machine, in the air passages. Take pictures all along the way, we can give better advice. If pretty much the entire cabinet is getting hot, you have major problems with a over-linted, dirty blower and tubes and lint filter area. They can be fixed with a good dis-assembly and cleaning, but take pics first and don't run it more than 2 or 3 minutes to test the flow out the back. And it's safest to test airflow with the dryer set for air, without the heat turning on.

PS. Nice machine, easy to work on, lots of spare parts available, congrats on the lighted console.

 

[dpritz]

got it

Sorry I ment it wasn't connected to a vent (that may be clogged) and the air was flowing fine out of the dryer. Regardless I took it apart and blew air throught all passages and very little lint came out. I belive the problem was where the power cord connects to the machine was loose all the nuts needed tightning after that it seems to be fine. Does this make sense? Would that cause the top of the machine above the heating element get so hot you couldnt touch it? Thanks again everybody.

 

[akronman]

somewhat

That does make some sense, could explain much of the problem. LOTS of power runs through those connections, nice and tight means more contact area means less heat generated at the connections. Also check the cord strain relief at the rear of the dryer, if it's nice and tight you should have less wear on the power cable connections. And check the connections at the heating element while you're at it, just to be extra safe and sure. Next to the main cord, those element connections are nearly as high-powered and need to be tight as hell.

But I still beleive in THOROUGH cleaning of an old dryer, take the front off if you have the knowledge, take apart the blower housing and be sure it is lint-free, all the tubes, etc. While you are at it, de-lint the motor, get some oil on the motor bearings, the idler pulley shaft, etc. It never hurts on a dryer this old, and can add years of safe operation. Clean all the thermostats, etc.

You have a high-end GE, lots of options on it. GE made a good and reliable dryer for years, and lots of parts are available.

Having said all that: Yes, tight connections could have been the problem. If you run quite a few loads and check routinely for that same wrong hot-spot and it's gone, then congrats, you found and fixed the problem.

I am partial to any washer or dryer that lights up! Top notch!

 

[washman]

Akronman

how are you coming along with the SQ restoration?

 

[dpritz]

thanks

Yea i'm going to take the whole thing apart and give it a good cleaning this weekend, before I actually using it daily. I will check all conncetions then.

 

[combo52]

Classic GE Dryer

The heaters are at the rear of this dryer behind the drum, the top can get very hot if the airflow through the dryer is poor, however without a vent system connected this should not happen.

I would take the dryer completely apart and do a complete cleaning paying attention to the front felt seal, the blower fins, and all air passages including the inside of the door.

The terminal block connections as well as other electrical connections in the dryer would not in any way cause a hot top. A bad operating thermostat or a shorted heater could cause a hot top. Another rare but possible cause of a hot top would be a dryer that has 208 volt heaters that is now being operated on 240volts, the best way to test for this would to take an amp reading on each side of line, neither side should be above about 22 or 24 amps for this dryer.

John L.

 

[whirlcool]

If the previous owner was a heavy user of fabric softener you could have hard core lint in the internal air flow plumbing. I have seen it so thick and hard that I had to use a hammer & screwdriver to bust the lint free. Then I had to wash the vent tubes in hot water & soap to get them clean again.

Very time consuming and messy, but when you are done you will have a dryer that is safe and will dry clothes very quickly.

 

[dpritz]

humm

I don't want to admit this but would running the dryer with the front door open (so you could watch it spin and the heater light up) make it get hot by changing the way the air flows through the machine (just a guess). When I do that it gets hot as hell, When I leave the door closed it runs like a dream!and stays cool. The heater element is 240V BTW. Im still going to go through the whole machine and give it a good cleaning, But I think I figured out that it was my doing this whole time.

 

[akronman]

well

like most of us, you learn lessons the hard way!
Thanks for the posting.

 

[combo52]

Hot GE Dryer Top

Hi Dave, yes it looks like you figured out the cause, and actually running the dryer with the door open is a good test of the heaters safety thermostat. If you run the dryer with the door open you should be able to observe the two different heaters operating [ one on low heat and both on hi heat ] and they should both cut off in about a minute or so [ with the door open ] when on hi heat if the safety thermostat is working properly.

This is a good test of almost any dryer gas or electric, Whirlpool used to advise us to do this test on any dryer we were working on to be sure the safety thermostat was working. Fortunately dryers got a lot safer in the early 80s at WP when they added a safety one-time thermal fuse to the exhaust housing and later also added a heater box thermal cut-out, these improvements not only eliminated clothing heat damage complaints but also eliminated almost all clothes dryer fires.

It is interesting that GE and Frigidaire are both Finely getting the heating elements away from the rear of the dryer drum and have both gone to the safer design of having the heater in a separate area away from the clothing. WP always had a separate heater box, Maytag changed in 1976 and almost all European dryers are built this safer way.

Dave if you want to use this GE dryer as a everyday dryer you might want to add some safety thermal fuses when you rebuild this dryer, especially if your laundry area is in an older home where there in no fire sprinkler head over the area where the dryer is.

John L.

 

[dpritz]

Good Idea

combo52 would you or anyone else please give me some more info on adding safety thermal fuses to this unit. I have worked as a small engine mechanic in the past and have been a carpenter for the past 10 years. The reason I'm telling you this is to let you know I have a pretty good understanding of how stuff works and how to fix it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have searched this site and couldn't find any tutorials. Thanks Again Everybody!

 

[akronman]

yea

as the owner of 5 dryers over 20 years old, I'd like that info too!

 

[dpritz]

curious

I was wondering how many of you guys and gals use you old machines regularly? I drive an old 67 VW Bus everyday and I know that may not be for most people but I know that is what it was made for and it serves me well. I feel like if these old appliances have run this long, why not 20 more years (with regular maintenance)?

 

[akronman]

old machines

My two cents------I have a big old basement, and therefore can collect and install lots of laundry machines. But each one wears out a tiny bit each time used. I have a 22 yr old Kenmore gas dryer and a late 70's GE Filter flow washer that get the most use, easy to maintain if something does malfunction. But the 1960 Whirlpool washer gets lightly used and sparingly, so does the Frididaire 1-18 washer and dryer set from 1978, not as easy to maintain should they fail. And the 4 dryers from pre 1970 each get about one load of clothes weekly to keep them in good shape. My newest find, a 73 Speed Queen solid tub, is getting lots of use because it's my newest toy, but very soon I'll let her rest a bit.

My Speed Queen wringer and Easy SpinDrier and Hoover Twin tub are for summer use 'cuz your hands get cold, and they will someday be even harder to repair, I may not want to "use them up" too soon.

Dishwashers----I religiously use 3 different ones in rotation so each gets little use. 1992 KitchenAid, 1966 GE Mobile maid, 1956 GE Mobile Maid. Those last two are delicate and tempermental, I don't want to wear them out, anymore than 40 or 50 years already has.

If the GE Dryer is your first find, it's quite a strong built machine and lots of parts are avaialable, and dryers last a lot longer than washers. If you collect quite a few washers you can use each in rotation, or find a Kenmore/Whirlpool or a center dial Maytag or a GE Filter-flo from the 60's or 70's for daily use, they are all pretty well built and many parts can be sourced if needed. Tons of info and advice is available here if you are semi-handy and ready to start an old repair job. Your dryer is relatively high-end, lots of options and that lighted up console. Frankly, it makes it harder to find an exact match, the upper models didn't sell as well as the middle of the line ones. Ford and Chevy always outsell BMW and Cadillac.

I'm surprised noe of the GE experts have posted here to say how old your dryer is. Best of luck for years of use. Now go find a washer to restore and enjoy.

 

[76speedqueen]

Very nice dryer!

We had the matching washer for a while when I was a kid. I too am very partial to appliances that light up!