Maytag Neptune Dryer MDE5500AYQ responding strangely to dryer temp buttons

[Gerrywinzor]

My dryer was having the common issue with the random beeping/phantom button presses due to a worn out membrane pad. It still worked very well but I was getting sick of the random beeping and it occasionally changing settings on its own while it was running

I purchased a reproduction part and replaced it. This fixed the original issue but now its doing one rather odd thing that wasn't happening with the old keypad. Pressing the "Dry Temp" buttons makes the temp level LEDs on the keypad progress up or down in the correct sequence but the estimated time doesn't match up to the selected temp anymore

Normally the estimated time goes up as the selected heat level goes down. Normally starting from high temp to low it would look like this:
35
42
55
67

With the new keypad instead its jumping around like this:
67
43
52
43

The new pattern is consistent up and down. The temp level indicator LEDs are steady and also consistently change in sequence up or down with each button press

The heat does come on and the time goes down as the clothes dry.

The issue did not go away after unplugging the dryer for an extended amount of time

 

The control board looks in good shape; no bulges or burns. The wiring inside the unit is connected properly and doesn't seem to be damaged anywhere


The manufacturer confirmed the repro keypad should be compatible with my model. I also used the continuity check table from the troubleshooting guide to test each of the buttons with my multimeter. Aside from a couple of typos Maytag made on their end everything matched up. I attempted to do the same with the old pad but it seems to heave developed a few shorts after the heating/peeling to remove it.


I'm kind of stumped by this. I really dont think there is anything wrong with the new keypad but there isn't any other easy explanation as to why the setting is behaving strangely. Its definitely possible that the control board itself is glitching but I'd assume it would less consistent if so. I'm willing to try a different board but I'm trying to avoid throwing parts at it unnecessarily

 

Any suggestions or info will be appreciated!

[dfphoto]

I would have got oem there... check the connectors probably need electrical contact cleaner or maybe a short or a loose wire... second thought I am starting to think you have a bad computer board..

Edited September 1, 2024 by dfphoto

[Gerrywinzor]

There doesn't seem to be new stock anymore and a used keypad might have had the same issues as my original. The repro seems very high quality at least. The keypad side jumper of it checked out with my multimeter and the board side pins were all pretty clean

I'm going to try a different board. Its just really crappy timing that it started doing this when I was fixing something else. ESD or bad luck maybe

[Gerrywinzor]

The reconditioned control board I ordered is doing the same thing... differently

Current pattern
21
51
52
33

I'd assume that the estimated time is going to be calculated based off the selected temperature setting and some combination of the moisture and temperature sensors in the drum. If either of them was faulty I'd be getting bad estimates but I'd expect each temperature selection to be affected with the same bias

At this point I'm thinking my next move is rig up a separate momentary switch across just the Temp+ or Temp- pins with the new keypad disconnected

[Gerrywinzor]

Welp, I've done about everything I can to rule out the keypad, thermistor, and moisture sensors. They all seem perfectly fine

The most likely issue left is my memory.  

I'll confess that I more or less always ran it on regular before all this.

 

Anyone with a similar vintage Maytag able to check how theirs behaves on sensor dry? I really wouldn't expect it to estimate such a short time for the "extra low" temp setting but if its how they were designed then I'll be OK ignoring that

[Gerrywinzor]

I've run it a few times on different temp settings. Seems like the estimate is an average of the last few times it ran at the settings you've picked; as I've run it the numbers have become more accurate

So my original board seemed wrong because I'd been messing around with it a bunch doing tests before I actually tried to use it. The refurbished board was probably in similar boat from getting QC'd on a bench (hopefully) or however it got used by the previous owner.

So assuming it eventually gets its self back to normal, the answer was that nothing was really wrong with it. While its aggravating that I spent some money on a board I didn't need I at least have a spare now and am still way ahead of buying a new unit.