16 replies to this topic

[bc3]

ELECTROLUX ELECTRIC DRYER
MODEL# EIMED55IIWO

So, after 5 days (and STILL) no street power, I decided to rewash and dry the clothes that had been sitting in the wash tub since the power went out.

My generator is a Generac XP8000E with 8000run/10000surge. It is one of the "better" portable generators in that it is intended for safe use of sensitive electronic equipment like high efficiency furnaces, computers and televisions. It is properly back fed/direct wired to panel by an electrician. Let it be known I was extremely reluctant to use the dryer but felt it was within a relatively safe parameter to do so.

I made sure the only thing on at the time at the panel was the dryer. My no load voltage is 241 and 63hz. I assume generator voltage is tuned on the high side due to no load. Using a brand new Fluke 325 amp clamp, I would keep an eye on the wattage, volts and amperage.

Dryer set to normal mode, medium heat, it went on its way for the setting of 45 mins...fingers crossed. It lasted 38 mins.

With 7 mins left, the dryer stopped tumbling, but it kept timing down. Lights were still on (on the dryer panel) and the generator still produced power - no circuit breakers popped.

**operating/running stats:


load per leg
(black 120v) 22.81amp (x) 120 = 2727.2 watts. 58.9 hz
(red 120v) 25.08amps (x) 120 = 3009.60 watts.

Total combined 5746.80watts running

when the dryer stopped, I cancelled the remaining time and tried starting over at at lower temp. Lights came on but no tumble, no noises...just lights on the panel and inside the drum

I will retry when street power comes back on. I am hoping it just timed out? perhaps the Hz were too low? lowest was 58.9hz running, but i was running the generator at 75% capacity of running wattage (5700 out of the 8000- still with an additional 2000 surge.) Is there thermal protection that timed it out?

if the generator wasn't large enough, wouldn't it have either tripped something right away?

where do i look/go from here? thanks, Bob

Edited by bc3, 03 November 2012 - 07:31 AM.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

The power supply specs all sound good. Nice job in checking things out there and kudos for being prepared and having a generator! We cater to terrorist preppers at this site.



I'm suspecting this is just a failure in the dryer that coincidentally occurred while running on generator but was not caused by the generator power supply.

Essentially, the problem boils down to this: you're getting power to the dryer but nothing to the dryer motor itself.

Have you checked the dryer vent for obstructions, particularly on the outside of the house at the discharge hood? If there's a restriction in the vent, this can trip the fuse and kill power to the motor. Check continuity of the thermal fuse ==> http://www.repaircli...ber=EIMED55IIW0



A bad door switch will kill power to the motor, too ==> http://www.repaircli...ber=EIMED55IIW0

[RegUS_PatOff]

Exhaust Outlet Thermal Limiter
http://www.repaircli...tDetail/1482946

 

# 8 134711400

[bc3]

are these Electrolux dryers hypersensitive electrically? I ask this as I had a problem with my old generator causing my Buderus high effeciency furnace to shut off.

If this dryer is hypersensitve... could it be that when it was running under load (5600 watts and 58.9hz) that the dryer went into cool down mode (no heat= drastic decrease in load) that the generator popped back up to 63hz and that drastic of a HZ swing caused the Electrolux to sense this and either time out or shut down?

also - how hard is to get to access to thermal switch where it is located? do I have to disembowel it completely?

thanks, Bob

Edited by bc3, 03 November 2012 - 09:57 AM.

[kdog]

Not fun on those - here is the manual: http://appliantology...wxds65-ewmxd65/

[Cactus Bob]

I may have bad news for you and i say this from experience . I have a cabin that is 100% off the grid , never had grid power and most likely never will

over the years i have and still have 12 or so gen sets , some real big bucks some not so much

I have a solar system with battery storage and a bunch of inverters some big bucks and some not

that said

some appliances cannot be used on anything except grid power , without overheating or damage , no matter what it's connected to . $100 china junk or 5000.00 pure wave
this may be hard to grasp , but this is a thorn i have lived with for 15 years

I had a 1980 ge fridge , no electronics anywhere ! this fridge's compressor will overheat and shut down if it's connected to anything but grid power , on grid power , no overheat runs great

some tv sets will have bars across the screen , even on a pure wave inverter

dimmer switches will overheat on the solar system but not on the gen power . i have asked the best minds out there WHY and i get the same answers " your not the only one " " just find appliances that work well with the power system you have , and sell the rest"

one tech i use for my inverters calls gen power "noisy power" but cannot explain how to cure it

I wish you luck but you may have burned something out and if you fix it now you just might burn it out again

A clothes line cannot burn out

[kdog]

A clothes line cannot burn out

[bc3]

so I want to further diagnose the generator/dryer problems I had and a service manual would help tremendously. I tried calling Electrolux and it was a ridiculous customer service verbal beatdown.

thanks in advance, Bob

[RegUS_PatOff]

tech sheets
137265000.pdf

[bc3]

Thank you. BTW... quick diagnosis.... E00. no error codes present. ??????????? go figure.

I am going to change the wire pigtail to the generator. I have 60' of 8 gauge hard wired panel to outlet, and then 62' of 10 gauge flexible pigtail outlet to generator. With that long cord length and no load, I noted no voltage or HZ. drop so I figured I was safe.

At 65% load on generator (5700watts out of 8000 running and 10k overall) HZ dropped from 63.5 down to 58.9. I will probably just sell the 10 guage and get 6 to beef it up. I was told that using super caused the motor to run hotter and therefor lose power. Hmmm

thank you. Bob

[RegUS_PatOff]

Exhaust Outlet Thermal Limiter
http://www.repaircli...tDetail/1482946

 

... I was told that using super caused the motor to run hotter and therefor lose power. Hmmm

? ? ?

[bc3]

I'm sorry...I was referring to the generator motor running hotter, not the dryer.

** ALSO re: Diagnostic Mode

I am following the instructions to view the last 5 error codes and in doing so , it does not go into diagnostic mode. Do different models require different sequencing? I have tried it umteen different ways.

If there was no error code present and not reset, would it NOT go into Diagnostic?

[RegUS_PatOff]

How's the Exhaust Outlet Thermal Limiter ?

DIAGNOSTIC MODE
1. Press the “cancel” button to enter standby mode and enable diagnostic entry.
2. Within 10 seconds after pressing “cancel”, press any button (but “cancel”) to wake up the control.
3. Within 5 seconds of wake up, turn the selector knob to the far left cycle
and press and hold the “cancel” and the far left button under the display simultaneously for 3 seconds to enter the Diagnostic Mode.
(note: to save time at wake up, the welcome screen can be bypassed by turning the selector knob).
4. Upon entering Diagnostic Mode, all lights should flash on and off.

[bc3]

That is exactly what I am doing and not going into diagnostic mode.?? btw ...far left selector knob is "towels" and the far left button under the display is "my favorite"

nada. zip. nuthin.

[Cactus Bob]

I have been thinking about your problem

did you run a neutral wire from the plug on the dryer and another one connected to the case of the dryer back to your generator ?

Did you ground the gen set to earth ground when it was running ?

I had the lack of an earth ground wipe out a TV power supply , had it fixed ($150.00) took it back and blew it again , the ground wire had broken and we did not know it

[bc3]

The generator is ( or was ) neutral bonded to frame because it offers GFCI protection across the entire circuit. This presented a problem when connecting the generator to the house - the onboard GFI would trip instantly. I ended up disconnecting the N/G jumper within the generator because all of the neutrals and grounds are bonded together on the bus bar in my house panel. (I can reconnect the N/G connection for GFCI protection when I am using it out in the field.) I also installed a 8ft+ ground rod with 6 gauge wire to the generator just in case.

The dryer was hooked up to normal home circuit - At the time, I turned off all breakers in the panel except for the dryer.

Where I am at now is thinking about the voltage loss due to the type and lengths of wire I am using.

BTW ...dryer is working fine with street power and no codes present. BUT I still cant get this dryer into diagnostic mode, and not sure if the instructions are correct for the model I have.

thanks

[bc3]

Well, I guess today was my lucky day. started fresh with a cup off coffee and I was finally able to get it into test mode and no error codes present....huh? oh well, thats ok I guess.

So I discovered something else along the way. not sure if I should start a new topic or not.

MIST VALVE during test mode:


I tested all modes and the only one that I believe isn't working correctly is the Mist Valve. I thought the "add steam" function was BS since I never noticed the clothes feeling damp if I stopped it mid cycle of "touch up" or adding steam to get wrinkles out. In test mode I noted no moisture coming out of the spray nozzle located at about 11 oclock on the back wall of the dryer. Clogged maybe? and how to clean?

thanks

Edited by bc3, 08 November 2012 - 07:27 AM.