My wife and I recently moved into a new apartment and set up our old Maytag washer and dryer (model DE308) after the units were in storage for a year and a half. Aside from replacing a dry-rotted rubber piece, the washer was good to go. The problem is the dryer.
A maintenance guy at our apartment complex hooked up the ductwork for the dryer and plugged it in. I tested it the next day by setting the timer and pressing the button to start the unit.
Nothing happened when I set the timer and pressed the button. It didn’t even try to start tumbling.
The timer did work (I could hear it), so I unplugged the dryer to see if the timer was mechanical (not requiring electricity) or electric. I unplugged the dryer and the timer stopped, verifying that the unit was getting at least some power.
I have no way of testing the power socket, but I don’t have reason to believe that’s the cause of the issue.
I’ve never opened up a dryer before and I’m scared of electrocuting myself even after unplugging the unit. Does the dryer hold a charge?
Can anyone advise me on what may be wrong with the dryer? Moving has been an expensive process and my wife and I can’t afford to buy a new dryer right now. Even paying a technician to fix the current unit is hard to swallow.
Try turning the drum by hand. Does it turn fairly easily?
I know that is not much of a description so you may want to try a couple other dryers first. Yours may be a little stiffer than new ones, it’s just because it is better made.
If OK
Hold the door switch closed.
Start the dryer.
Rotate the drum by hand in the correct direction.
Watch your knuckles.
If it starts up, it is a good indication that your motor is shot.
This may require two people.
Just to be sure that the switch is not dropping the voltage I would short together the wires going to it. Tape them up so they cannot short to the frame and give this a try. If it starts up without any help then the switch is the problem. Try it at least a couple times. Your switch might have 3 wires Common, Normally Open goes to the motor and Normally Closed goes to the interior light, you want to short the wires going to the Common and Normally Open.
PS: If you did see an arc from the door switch it is an indication that the contacts in the switch are pitted and will fail in the near future. Either blow up or weld themselves together so it will need replacing.
Ge Side X Side The Freezer Side Frozen Up. We Have Replaced Board Asn Main Control, Sensor Temp Ff And Thermostatdefost. Still The Same Thing. Any Help?
If The Heater Is Burned Out Then Why Will It Work For A Few Weeks And Then Stop Working Every Time We Change Out A Part? Sorry I Forget To Tell You That.
How long it takes for the evaporator coils to ice up so bad that it effects the temperatures is dependent on a lot of variables.
How often the doors are opened
What is the humidity like where you live
How well do the door gasket seal
How much food is in the freezer
And probably some I have not thought of so it is possible that it could run OK for quite a while.
Also you have replaced the other two components in the defrost system.
The defrost thermostat and the control board so all that is left is a bad connection or the heater.
Note I am assuming that the main control board controls the defrost. I am not 100% sure of this as getting tech info off the net on GE’s is next to impossible.
Could also be you received a defective part.
You may want to check that the door switch is working correctly. On most units it is the opening/closing of the door that determines how often a defrost cycle occurs.