Maytag Dryer Problem

[nycom]

I have a line of 11 stack dryers that work well except on rainy or very humid days. The problem is that I get no spark in the early mornings. As the day goes on, all of the dryers will eventually work, but that can take several hours. I have changed sparkers, entire guns, control boards, all with no success. I have placed de-humidifers behind the stacks, and I also close off the air vents at night. This seems to solve the problem, but i still don't know what is causing it. I have been told by many techs. that this is impossible. Any thoughts,

Joe

[Anonymous]

Obviously the techs you talked to are total idiots - as it is happening! I bet you Marc will have an answer as he is our in-house tech guru!!!

I would guess from what you are saying that humidity is somehow condensing and getting the ignitors wet - the question is where is the moisture coming from. Have you always had this problem or is it new? Are you running a swamp cooler?

[BWJR]

It sounds like to me that you have insufficient make up air. How long have you had the dryers and how long has this been happening? when is the last time you cleaned you main vents?

BWJR

[MSKLAUNDRY.]

First, tell us what model dryer you have so we know what we are dealing with?

MDG32PC or MLG32PD or something else?

When the flame does come on is it mostly blue and pointing strait up or is it mostly yellow and all over the place. How long has this been going on for, since day one?

A little more info would be helpful!!!
Ignition box type, blue box or white/tanish?
Air shutter position on burner tube, fully open or closed?
LP or Nat, and if LP did they ever convert the dryer to LP, believe me, I could tell you stories about this!!! LOL

[nycom]

I purchased this laundromat, along with 2 others, 3 years ago. The other 2 have the same equipment mix and basicly the same set up. The dryers (mdg32pc3) are approx. 10 years old and according to the previous owner, this has been a problem since rainy day one.

I use Nat gas, and I've got a straight, blue flame. The other 2 laundromats use LP. The dryers could have been converted from LP to Nat, but i'm not sure. White ignition box, I don't know about the air shutter position.

Air vents get cleaned out regularly.

Sorry Kirby, but I don't know what a swamp cooler is, is it a de-humidifier?

Joe

[Anonymous]

First,a swamp cooler is an evaporative cooler that cools air by passing "outside"air over water cooled coils that chill the passing air.Next,it definitely sounds like an air flow problem in the venting as well as the dryer room.

[MSKLAUNDRY.]

I assume that what you are saying is that in the morning when you start the dryer the box attempts to ignite the flame and then goes into lockout, correct? Do you see a red light on the ignition box?

The original White Rodgers box had a relatively weak spark which was also not very consistent. The new Johnson Controls blue box while having a stronger spark suffers from the fact that it is unable at times to "see" the flame and thus goes into lockout.

What I believe is happening in your case is that for whatever the reason in the morning the spark is weak and is unable to ignite the gas.

My recommendation is the following:

Replace ignition box with a Synetek Controls DS3W box, about $30. It has a consistent STRONG spark and the flame sense characteristics are good. Plus it will try 3 time in the event it doesn't lite the first time, which is unlikely.
The reason I would not replace with a ADC original ignition box is I feel that they have some serious issues with there box's that they aren't willing to address and I wouldn't pay almost twice the price for a box that doesn't function properly.

Now I know some on this board have had bad experiences with Synetek box's but I don't understand why. They are inexpensive and work well and I have been using them exclusively for a while now on many different dryers with few problem of any kind, getting away from the Ram's which I feel are of poor quality. The Ram's have constant soldering related problems that they haven't addressed in years among other issues.

Synetek is great to deal with and you can order direct from them as I do or from a distributor. I have had 2 failed units in maybe a 100+ units in the last year of which I have had replaced under warranty, so that is not bad at all. I like the fact that i can call the manufacturer directly if I have a problem.

I have recently change a whole store of 26 dryers MAYTAG MLG32PD'S with Adc blue box to Synetek DS3W kits because of constant lockout problems. these dryers now work great.
Note: I am not a Rep or distributor for them but just a customer that goes through a lot of box's.

That would be my first try as it is an inexpensive way of seeing if in fact that is what is going on.

[Anonymous]

Could also be one other strange item. I had a problem with a gas meter that somehow got some crap in it. First thing in the morning after it settled all night it would not turn very well. There was enough gas for the pilot but you could not get full flow to make equipment run until enough equipment was turned on to nudge the crap out of the way. The gas company replaced the meter and the problems were gone.

[nycom]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will try the Synetek box. Under normal conditions I can see and hear the blue spark created by the ignitor. The box has a green light, and all is well. When the problem occurs I get a green light on the box for about 5 seconds, I do not hear or see any spark whatsoever, I can smell the gas, and then the light turns red and the box goes into lockout.

I don't believe it is a gas flow problem as I have gotten the dryers to flame by using alternative lighting methods. One good shot with a bernz-0-matic over the gas flow, and it works again. Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do on a Sat. morning.

Kirby, I think you hit it on the head, when you suggested that the ignitors are getting wet from condensation.

I'll let you all know how it turns out.

[pete f]

You are definitely one of us,,, hit it with the Benz o matic when needed!
love it, I thought I was the only one to come up with unique solutions to problems...hope you figure this out. i have no idea, I had a Dodge van that had similar problems, never could get it to start after a big rain, without taking the distrib apart and drying everything. here in FL we have major dew in the mornings in the winter time, almost can wash your car with it. I have no trouble with it at my mats. You should not have a heavy concentration of dew getting to your dryers. You may have a mix of problems leading to one.

[mike]

Bernz-o-matic !!??

Why don't you guys just trim your eyebrows with scissors, like everyone else?

[SudsMan]

Hi nycom... so how's things down by the deli? Check your personal message file for a note.

[Rondo]

Nycom, I have the same dryers that had problems like you are describing, went through a bunch of DSI boxes until I added more return air in back of the dryers years ago. It completely solved the problem.

If you have the correct amount of return air (Cubic feet) Make sure that the screen that is covering the openings is not clogging with lint.