New Dryers

[DAVID BLANTON]

We Are Currently Running Speed Queen Model Eg Dryers. We Are Thinking About Replacing Them And Would Like To Know Pros And Cons Of Different Makes.

[Outlaw]

I run 6 laundromats and would buy nothing but Speed Queen dryers.

[pete f]

You will get varied opinion here. I have Dexter in many stores, and 3 SQ stacks in one. I hate the SQ's, to hard to fix anything. I am going to try Maytag in the next one, have heard pro and con on them as well...
I do like Dexter, easy to fix, but warranty was less than I like. May be a dealer problem, plus I wanted the dryers to match the washers.. I would buy Dexter over SQ any day, but that is just my opinion. Try these 3 maintainance items.. replace a belt, replace an ignitor and box, replace a motor. I had to cut a hole in a wall recently just to replace the ignitor in an (older) SQ stack. What a job! The dryer was against the wall, you can't get to the screws that cover the gas valve when they are installed like that. Maybe the newer ones are better

[Ryano23_98]

the newer SQ are better now,they droped weight old ones where a pain to install the new ones are about 200-300 lighter belts are 20min job , computers are made better the old ones needed replaced about 3 years or so , only have had a blower motor go out so far , installed 4/00 btu's are lower but moves more air 63k sto27

[MSKLAUNDRY.]

This topic has been debated here before so do a search and look at some old posts on this.

For the most part the 3 picks (in my opinion) would be, in no particular order...

ADC AD236 stack
Huebsch/SQ (Alliance) stack dryer.
Dexter stack

You won't go wrong with any one of these listed above.

Dryers to stay away from...
Maytag, period!!! Re-branded ad330 and the discontinued AD435 with Maytag's mods.

ADC's AD330, AD360x2

Wasco's new dryer

[stlbob]

I have been open for 6 months and I have 10 Wasco TD 30/30s and 3 TD 50s. So far I have had only 2 problems. The people LOVE them and I am sure that I am getting new business daily because of them. I have the 30/30s priced at 8 minutes for a .25 and the 50s priced at 6 minutes for a .25. This is very competitive pricing for my area. The only difference is that the clothes get dry in my machines. The customers can not beleive how great they are.
Bob

[Follow]

I have Dexter stack dryers and a few SQ older model dryers which I am looking for Dexter Stack dryers to replace SQ..
Dexters are working great, I won't go any other stack dryers.. new Wasco dryers!!???
judge it yourself ; one new laundry mat open in my area(one month), all new wasco stack dryers. i went to visit to see what kind of machine they have , one of stack wasco dryer out of order!!??LOL..LOL..
I went to other laundrymat that I was looking to buy but someone else bought and put all new wasco Stack, he said" don't buy wasco dryers, he had many problems)

so, I say Dexters..If any of you have Dexter stack or washers to sell, let me know please.. thanks.

[DAVID BLANTON]

We Will Probably Go Back With Single Pocket Dryers Not Stacked. I Have Not Found A Stack That I Like Yet.

[Andy]

I have 15 SQ st0300dgf's stack dryers that are six years old and am not impressed. The gas valve coils fail at an alarming rate and replacing the belt is a time consuming. I would not buy another SQ stack.

On the other hand I also own several SQ single 50# tumblers that are excellent machines. They run virtually trouble free and are easy to repair. I would buy more of these machines.

[Anonymous]

Gas valve coils were a common problem that was corrected on the newer machines.

[Andy]

I have been using the new coils on my Speed Queen stacks for two years or so and I still am experiencing a high failure rate. There is obviously a problem and I am disgusted that they will not solve this. Now that my warrenty is expired I feel like I am left holding the bag!

[Gary C]

I love my stack maytags and hate my Dexters.

Gary

[Anonymous]

What does Alliance tell you or your distributor about the coil problem?

[PeterH]

I loves me some ADC dryers.

I also have Wasco TD's. Good dryers, but fussy and finicky. There are better chioces at this time, like ADC.

[ajay]

machines are only good as the people that fix them. If you have local support then it makes more sense to buy those dryers regardless of the type....if you stick with SQ, ADC and WASCO you can't go wrong. Just make sure you have local support. I dislike wasco's because I don't have local support and they are first generation, so they are finieky and I have to do all the fixing myself. Once I know enough about it, I will like them as much as any other brand.

ajay

[Kitty]

During my tenure we had a range of dryer ages in the 3 mats I managed. All 3 mats had clientelle that prefered temp over anything. We predominately had gas hogging inefficient hot dryers. Of course I am unsure of the analysis each customer preferred as to the heat versus income spent. Purchasing cost effective, efficient machines would be ideal, but you have to out weigh the cost versus income in order to determine the advantages. Most customers prefer the heat of the dryer and less cost then less heat and more cost. Our market would pay more for a hot dryer than reduce dryer cost with less heat with longer dry time and cost to the customer.

Dryer times seem to be the most sensitive issue with customers. Knowing your market and customer clientelle will be beneficial in making this decsion

[pete f]

During my tenure we had a range of dryer ages in the 3 mats I managed. All 3 mats had clientelle that prefered temp over anything. We predominately had gas hogging inefficient hot dryers. Of course I am unsure of the analysis each customer preferred as to the heat versus income spent. Purchasing cost effective, efficient machines would be ideal, but you have to out weigh the cost versus income in order to determine the advantages. Most customers prefer the heat of the dryer and less cost then less heat and more cost. Our market would pay more for a hot dryer than reduce dryer cost with less heat with longer dry time and cost to the customer.

Dryer times seem to be the most sensitive issue with customers. Knowing your market and customer clientelle will be beneficial in making this decsion

This is easy to counter, just lower the cool down. Gas hog, water hog, they are headed for the pastures in todays utility enviroment.

[DAVID BLANTON]

repairs are no problem as i do all of the repair work. that's why i like the SQ. they are basically the same as they were when i started working on them 45 years ago.

[Ken]

The new SQ is different than the old one.SQ redesign their dryer in 99,30# and stack have 2 motors for each pocket,so the new SQ stack has 4 montors!50# still has same design but has belt instead of chain.
As far as stack ADC236 and Dexter are like the older design.SQ change their stack design 3,4 times already.ADC 330,360X,Wascomat,SQ all have rear air flow system.

[MichaelCa]

Ken, i can't tell from your post whether you like or dis-like the newest SQ stacks ??

I have New-New SQ stacks, and also nearly new. The updated coils (black ones made by RObertShaw) work fine so far (6mos.) - definite problems with the gray ones a few years old.
I'll pass this on for what it's worth: You definitely have to take off the fronts, and de-lint/vacuum at a minimum of every 6mos. - i'd say even more often?
No experience with other big stacks to compare.

Changing belt is a mentally challenging task - about like playing chess.

[Fred50]

MichaelCA,

What is the best way to remove the fronts of the stacks?

Thanks.

[MichaelCa]

OK, taking off the front isn't hard at all:

1.) Remove all (dozen or so) hex bolts from the front
2.) Unlock and push thru the computers
3.) Carefully *partly* remove the front panel; while balancing,
disconnect both gnd-wire plugs, then remove completely.

The tedium comes in carefullly trying to remove all the finer lint from areas that are less than accessible (even with narrow vac nozzles).

Putting the front back on takes a bit longer b/c of balancing and even tightening of long hex bolts.
Min. of 20 minutes each pocket including cleaning.

THe time adds up and you won't finish in one night.

BTW, you're supposed to *somehow* clean the blower box (in the back of each pocket) ....NO IDEA how i'm going to do that !