[homeclinic] Homeclinic'ers, Here's Your DRSNews!

From: Dave Harnish <drs@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: homeclinic@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2004 22:15:00 -0600
The DRSNews
March 2004  
I'm sorry this issue is so late. It's been a little crazy
around here lately! Thanks for your patience!

By Subscription Only
Published by Dave?s Repair Service, All Rights Reserved 
You are currently subscribed with email address:
==> homeclinic@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Unsubscribe instructions are at the end of this newsletter.
 
***************************************
Hi Homeclinic'ers!
 
In this issue:
 
1) DRSNews Back Issues are (Finally) Posted!
2) The No-Heat Gas Dryer
3) How to Convert a Gas Dryer to LP

1) Well, it?s taken longer than I expected, but I finally got 
the back issues of this little newsletter project posted on the website. 
 
I'm also working as fast as time allows at posting ?How to 
do it yourself? articles, parts specials, manuals, and anything 
else that I think might be helpful to you ?handy? folks. 
Stop by for a visit and have a look around when you get a
chance. And please send me your suggestions. But please
be kind (grin) - it?s still a pretty crude site, but I?m just getting 
started! www.DavesRepair.com 

The DRSNews Back issue index:
www.DavesRepair.com/DRSNbackissues/DRSNindex.htm

2) We?ve talked a lot about Electric dryers that don?t heat, but have 
touched only briefly on the gas side of things, so I thought maybe we 
should take a run at the subject.
 
As with electric dryers, the fastest way to diagnose a ?no heat?gas 
dryer is to start at the heat source and work backwards.

And the gas version is simpler in one respect - you?re working with 
120 volts, so there?s only one ?leg? of power to be concerned with. 

You will want to verify that there?s gas pressure available to the 
dryer, but that?s usually not too difficult.

Heating system diagnosis on newer models can be more of a 
challenge because many of them have front panels without 
the full-width bottom access panels that we took for granted 
for years. Most provide no easy way to look at the burner flame, 
although a few models still have a small observation port in front, 
with a removable cap.
 
Like the electric dryer heating element test, I check for
voltage to the heat source - in this case, the gas valve ass?y, 
with the dryer running.  (On models that require front panel
removal to watch the burner flame, I usually just run the drum 
belt off the pulley. You can even pull the drum to get it out of 
your way.)

Keep in mind, if you hear the valve ?click? when you start the
dryer, you already know there?s power to the valve. (You have
made sure the controls aren?t set to ?air fluff?, or 'no heat', right? 
<grin>)

Most burner valve assemblies connect to power with a 3-wire
plug, and that plug's an easy place to test for 120V. Meter test 
pins can usually be inserted into the back side of this plug pretty
easily. That third wire's just a ground, and if it doesn't happen
to be green, you'll see that it connects to a metal part in the
valve area. We want to look for voltage on the other two.
 
If there?s voltage to the valve but no burner ignition, you?ve 
quickly eliminated a whole bunch of electrical controls as the 
problem - timer, t?stats, thermal fuse, etc, very quickly. You 
now know the problem lies in the valve/ignition system itself. 

And proceeding from there isn't too tough.

Basically the ignition cycle is as follows: At dryer start, you
should hear the valve click. 5 or 10 seconds later, you should
see the ignitor start to glow a brilliant red. After it has heated
for a few seconds, 15 or so, the flame sensor should open and 
cut power to it, and you?ll hear another valve 'click', the valve 
should open, and there?ll be gas flow and a nice blue flame.

Note: if you're testing this with the front panel and belt off,
don't allow the flame to burn very long. Without the front 
panel in place there'll be no airflow through the burner, and 
the flame can warm things up more than we want. A few 
seconds of ignition is all you need to make sure everything's 
working OK, anyway.

Problems, from most common to the not-so-common:
 
If the valve clicks on dryer start the but ignitor doesn?t glow, 
the ignitor is probably open. These are very brittle, and a bad 
one is usually cracked (not always easy to see!) or broken. 
In fact, when handling a new one, be very careful with it. It's 
easy to break these, and it's even best not to touch them with 
your bare fingers.
 
If the ignitor glows, then the flame sensor turns it off, but 
there?s no flame, one of the coils is probably open.  These are 
much easier to test than the old 'K' valve coils, and can be 
replaced individually. But it?s better to replace them as a set. 
To test the coils with an ohmmeter, I?ve posted the resistance 
readings here: 

www.DavesRepair.com/DIYhelp/DIYgasdryermvalves.htm
 
One of the least common failures is the flame sensor. This little
switch is heated by the ignitor and flame through a little window.
It mounts to the side of the burner 'can', usually on the left, and
is just a simple two-wire switch. When radiant heat warms it
enough, it electrically opens and the burner ignites. The radiant
heat from the flame then keeps it open, the flame heats the
ignitor, which keeps its resistance low, and the gas keeps flowing.

If the ignitor glows but the gas never turns on, suspect this part.
If you're comfortable doing so, after the ignitor has glowed a few
seconds, carefully pull off one of this sensor's wires, and you 
should get ignition. That's a quick 'proof' of a bad flame sensor.

These are surprisingly reliable, though. I recently replaced my
first one in about 3 years!

3) Conversion to LP is pretty easy with this valve too, and is a 
really common job here in the country. It's getting a little more 
involved lately with some brands, because they're playing games 
with burner venturis and make you replace the burner tube. 
The conversion kits are more expensive, but the job's still not a 
big deal.

Basically, if you don't have to change the tube, it's only a matter 
of changing the burner orifice and replacing the brass regulator 
vent with a block-open pin. Orifices, pin, instructions, and labels 
to let everyone know it's been converted, are all supplied in the 
kits.

You'll see a picture of the component layout on the 'M valve' 
page link I've included above. That's:

www.DavesRepair.com/DIYhelp/DIYgasdryermvalves.htm
 
And let me know if you have any trouble locating a conversion 
kit for your dryer. I carry many of them in stock, and most of 
those I don't stock can be here 'next-day'.

***

Thanks again, Homeclinic'ers, for allowing me into your inbox 
again this month. I really enjoy this project, and hope you 
benefit from it. 

Feel free to invite others to subscribe that you think might 
enjoy it. They can just email me with ?Subscribe DRSN? in 
their email?s subject line. 

Also, if you have any topics you?d like to see discussed here 
or covered in an online article, let me know and I?ll do my 
best to oblige. The website is a resource I'm excited about, 
because it allows a lot more flexibility and depth than email. 

Thanks for all your encouragement - I really appreciate it! 
May the Lord richly bless you & yours!
 
Sincerely,
 
Dave Harnish
Dave?s Repair Service
New Albany, PA
drs@xxxxxxxxxx
www.DavesRepair.com
(570) 363-2404

?For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth 
eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and 
holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble 
spirit...?  Isaiah 57:15 

Appliance Help (and a lot of other stuff!) for the Handy:
www.DavesRepair.com
 
I?m Helping Ordinary Folks Earn $100,000/Year 
- in 5-7 Years Working Part-Time From Home. How? 
Watch This Free 10 Minute Seminar, then Contact Me! 
www.QuickRetirementSeminar.com/26556

***

The DRSNews is sent by ?opt-in? request only.Your 
name and email address are held in strictest confidentiality 
and are never shared with anyone.
 
To unsubscribe anytime, (no hard feelings!), click: 
mailto:drs@xxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribeDRSN
 
Or just send me a blank email: drs@xxxxxxxxxx
with ?unsubscribe DRSN? in the ?Subject? line 
(But hey, tell me why, and I'll try to make it right, OK?)




********************************************************************
To unsubscribe send 'unsubscribe homeclinic'in subject line to    
Ecartis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
View the Archives at //freelists.org/archives/homeclinic
********************************************************************
[homeclinic] Homeclinic'ers, Here's Your DRSNews!

Other related posts:
