Wednesday Weekly Stock: Range Items

Every week at W.L. May we have several items we feature as good parts to consider adding to your stock. These parts also have special pricing available. For pricing details, ask your account representative for more information. This week we look at a variety of  range items.

November is range month at W.L. May. You would be surprised at the age of some of the machines we get calls for at this time of year. Sometimes, due to the age of the range, parts are just no longer being made. We have a few switches and otherparts that might help if you find yourself servicing an older range.

WB21X5243

For many years, GE used a push button surface unit switch on their ranges. Eventually, they moved to a rotary infinite switch. The GE design has a few things going for it. One thing, as a part person, I have to love is that GE used the same switch for both large and small surface elements.

Another feature that makes it a versatile switch is the breakaway shaft, which helps it fit as replacement on variety of machine designs. Not all technicians like working with switches that use breakaway shafts, however, there is a certain distrust of the strength of the shaft. Fortunately, our return rates do not indicate that the shaft on these are the weak points those technicians fear.

903136-9020

Another common rotary infinite switch we are featuring this week can be found on ranges made by Frigidaire, Gibson, Kenmore, Kelvinator, Tappan, Crosley and Westinghouse. Designed for the large surface unit your part number is 903136-9020.

5500-200

Robertshaw makes a lot of controls that are used in the world of HVAC. They also have a lot of parts in their inventory that are appliance related as well. One of those parts are universal infinite switches. Robertshaw offers several styles of infinite switches. This week we feature the push-to-turn type, part 5500-200. This switch comes a breakaway shaft and adapters for both screw and palnut mounting. In addition it has a variety of slip fit adapters allowing for knob designs from a variety of manufacturers.

6700S0011

Of course, there are more than just infinite switches involved in a range console (with the exception of cooktops). There is also an oven thermostat on a range. Supco offers a useful replacement with part 6700S0011. We have talked about this part in the past, but it has been a while. It comes in a kit with knobs and adapters. It has a 60 inch capillary tube & can be used to replace most single-pole & double-pole thermostats.

RP2514G

Now that we have covered switches and thermostats that regulate the flow of energy to the various elements, lets look at the wires that current can travel on. Bulk range wire can come in very handy in a wide variety of circumstances. This week we are featuring a 25 foot box of 3 strand, 14 guage coil that has a glass insulation wrapping. Part RP2514G is very much something that should be your inventory if it is not already.

5303051519

OK, so this week we have looked at some switches and a thermostat. We have looked at range wire. Now lets look at few elements. A popular bake element that can be found on over 110 Electrolux and Kenmore ranges is 5303051519.

MP26KA

Frequently in the fall we get call asking about canning elements. What is a canning element? Well, it is basically a normal 8" plug in surface element. What makes it stand out for canning is the reinforced base that can support a heavier load-such as the pressure cookers used for canning. If you would like a canning element, ask your parts rep for MP26MA.

We have lots of other range parts in stock to keep you ready as we move through the "kitchen appliance holidays", just give us a call and even on those older ranges we can probably help  you get it back online.

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Wednesday Weekly Stock: Dishwasher Items

Every week at W.L. May we have several items we feature as good parts to consider adding to your stock. These parts also have special pricing available. For pricing details, ask your account representative for more information. This week we look at a variety of dishwasher items.

Starting with Halloween, and then Thanksgiving, and then Christmas, the season of  Fall leading into winter is also a busy social holiday season. This time of year, lots of folks throw house parties. They might be scaring each other in funny costumes, sharing memories over a turkey dinner feast, or ripping open packages under a decorated tree. It doesn't really matter, there will be food. That means there will be dirty dishes. This is not the time of year to have an out of order dishwasher.

Servicers know to expect calls for ranges during the holiday season, but it easy to forget the number of dishwasher calls generated at this time of year. For many consumers, a broken dishwasher is problem that they let wait too long. By the time the servicer gets the call, time is of the essence. For this reason, we advocate servicers check their stock now so they can be ready to achieve first call completions when that last minute phone call comes.

SSDW7

W10685193

60423LAL

Several of the items featured this week were also featured back in August on this blog. They are still good items to have on hand. The SSDW7 is your 7 foot universal drain hose, W10685193 is the Whirlpool dishwasher installation elbow, and the 60423LAL is the disposal hookup with the rubber tubing and 4 screw clamps.

W10130695

60663

Also in that same August post we talked about a common Whirlpool dishwasher door latch. We offered the white version of this assembly, part W10130694. This week we are featuring the same assembly with the black handle, part W10130695. August also saw us feature a 72" straight pigtail (or power cord) for dishwashers. Sometimes you need an angled plug. For that situation, this week we feature 60663, it has the angled pug you need on a 6 foot long cord.

DWP24

This next part is no stranger to this blog either. Kelly has written about it and it has been a featured part in the past. That does not mean we will not mention it again today. Once again, this week the DWP24 makes an appearance. This is such an affordable bit of insurance against hidden dishwasher leaks, that we think every home with an automatic dishwasher should be equipped with one. 

12012

60421

41045

Finally this week, we have a grab bag filled with a few other goodies for dishwasher servicing. For example, to  keep you dishwasher clean we have Dishwasher Magic, the liquid cleaner for the interior of your dishwasher, part 12012. For installation jobs, the 60421 air gap can be helpful in preventing backflow. For a safe installation, the 41045 6' stainless steel wrapped hose gives great prtoection against burst hoses. With two kinds of fittings it is a one stop solution for many dishwasher fill hoses.

We carry a full compliment of parts to suit most dishwashers. If you do not see what you are looking for in this post, call us. What would you like to see us feature in future weeks? Let us know i n the comment section below.

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Wednesday Weekly Stock: Dryer Elements

Every week at W.L. May we have several items we feature as good parts to consider adding to your stock. These parts also have special pricing available. For pricing details, ask your account representative for more information. This week we look at a variety of dryer elements.

The element in a clothes dryer gets lots of wear and tear. They go from room temperature, to red hot back, to room temperature, every time a load is done. The result is the element eventually will fail. Often this happens sooner than other parts on the appliance. When that happens, a call to W.L. May will get you help in finding a replacement.

Y303404

There a variety of elements that are used on clothes dryers. Often they cane be a restring coil, other times it is a complete assembly "complete with the can". A common Maytag dryer assembly uses a tube type of can. The part number is Y303404.

WE11X103

WE11M232

GE dryers have a different style of "in the can" element assemblies. Rather than fitting the elements into a tube, like the Maytag, GE has an assembly that sort of resembles a trash can lid. It fits behind the drum and can be replaced as an assembly or can be restrung. It is generally a bit easier to restring than a tube style of element assembly.

This week we feature two common assembly sizes, Parts WE11X103 & WE11M23. They are very similar. If you need help, call us with a model number and we'll help you sort it out.

WE11X203

WE11X10007

As I mentioned, GE makes restringing the element an easy option. In addition to complete elements we stock their restring kits. For the WE11M23 element, your restring kit is part number WE11X10007. It gives you a restring coil and the needed element insulators.

For the WE11X103 element, the restring element is part WE11X203. This restring kit DOES NOT come with insulators. If the insulators in your WE11X103 element are in need of repair, unfortunately the restring kit will not work for you. In that case, replace the whole element assembly.

279838

Whirlpool does not sell their dryer elements "in the can" and they don't use a restring kit either. Instead, their models have a sub-assembly that then is mounted into the element can. For many years, it was simple. All the Whirlpool dryers used the same element. This made identifying a replacement easy. Things aren't so simple theses days.

The old Whirlpool dryers elements featured coils wrapped onto a wire frame. The first variation Whirlpool introduced was fairly different  in that instead of a wire frame, this element comes mounted on a metal plate. The part number for this element is 279838.

3387747

More recently, Whirlpool introduced another element that is in wide circulation. Also mounted on a plate, the 3387747 element is threaded in a sort of figure-8 like pattern that makes it fairly distinctive.

5300622032 & 5300622034

To complete a circuit of the "big three" appliance makers, we need to include dryer elements from Electrolux. We have 2 of them featured this week. These are restring coils for Electrolux dryers with rear of drum element cans. The part 5300622032 is a 3/16" coil and the 5300622034 is a slightly thicker 1/4".

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Wednesday Weekly Stock: Range Elements

Every week at W.L. May we have several items we feature as good parts to consider adding to your stock. These parts also have special pricing available. For pricing details, ask your account representative for more information. This week things heat up with a variety of range elements.

When fall arrives, we head into range season. During the time leading up to all the end of year holidays, people begin cooking more indoors. Thoughts of roasted turkey, prime rib, pies and cookies come to mind. Delayed repairs to the oven have now come due. We have some help for you on getting that oven repaired, which we will get to in a moment. We also have help for you if you have a problem with the surface burners on your range.

660533

Most Whirlpool ranges that do not have a glass cooktop use the same plug in elements for surface cooking. The 8 inch 5 turn element has a "Y" support (as opposed to a "delta" support). Whirlpools elements are also know for having closed loop connectors. It's part number is 660533.

660532

The smaller brother to the 8 inch surface unit is the 6 inch 4 turn unit, with a "Y" support. We are featuring that element this week as well. Ask your account rep for part 660532.

WB30M1 & WB30M2

GE has many different surface elements they have used over the years. Lately they usually use a similar surface elements to the Whirlpool version. GE also has a "Y" base with standard 6 inch 4 turn and 8 inch 5 turn sizing. The big difference is in the connectors. Instead of a closed loop, GE uses a push in tap style of connection. For the 6 inch ask for part WB30M1 and the 8 inch is part WB30M2.

5303935058

We have featured items from GE and Whirlpool to revitalize an ailing electric range. Electrolux also has a lot of ranges out in the world. From Electrolux, we are featuring a "universal" surface burner receptacle, part number 5303935058. This is the piece that you plug your element into. This part works for many of Electrolux's products. This kit comes with hardware that allows the part to work on ranges made by many other manufacturers as well.

WB44x200

Something we notice that comes with the holiday season are calls about older ranges. Often these ranges have been the workhorse for decades of holiday dinners. It is important to the consumer that the appliance is repaired. Luckily, many parts for these older ranges are still available.

For example,consider this GE bake element, part number WB44X200. No longer used in new products, for a long time GE was using this bake element in many of their models. The element measures a width of 13-1/2 inches, length of 16-5/8" inches, and a depth of 2-1/2 inches. The terminal ends are spaced 1-1/4" apart. It is hinge mounted, It was used on GE, Hot Point, RCA, Kenmore and a few other brands. We still get calls for it everyday. We recommend this element for truck stock as we approach the holidays.

308180

Another common older element that we get lots of calls for is Whirlpool's 308180. It is a closed hinged style bake element is 15-3/4 inches long and 16-5/8 inches wide. The terminal depth is three inches and they are 1-3/4 inches apart. This element appears on several hundred models produced by Whirlpool, Roper, Kitchenaid, Kenmore and more. If you have this part in stock as the holidays approach, it will get used. We recommend having one (or more) on hand.

326791

Another common bake element for Whirlpool produced brands is part number 326791. This element is a replacement for a variety of elements that Whirlpool has used in the past. Part numbers 310216, 257987, 660542, 255103, 257376 & 14210176 all are replaced by this element. This part measures: Width 15"x Length 15-5/8". This is an open terminal element. The space between terminals is 11-7/8".

5303051519

The last element that we feature this week is from Electrolux. Another bake element, part 5303051519 was used on many models. Frigidaire, Gibson, Kelvinator, Kenmore, Tappan & White-Westinghouse have ranges that use this element. This part measures: Width 19-1/4"x Length 15". The terminals do not come together at a mounting plate, on this element either. The space between terminals is 13-3/4".

If you are part of an active service  company, any of these parts would make a fine addition to your inventory. Remember, the holidays will be here soon. Not having parts on hand can cause return trips to finish service calls. Be ready with inventory on hand and keep your rate of first call completions high.

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Wednesday Weekly Stock: Dishwasher Parts

Every week at W.L. may we have several items we feature as good parts to consider adding to your stock. These parts also have special pricing available. For pricing details, ask your account representative for more information. This week we help you clean up with dishwasher parts for a variety of machines.

675576 (Blue) and 676453 (White)

Often we get call from do-it-yourselfers who want to replace their dishwasher rack. These folks are often surprised at the cost of dishwasher racks. Sometimes they even think that the cost of a new rack is enough to drive them to replacement the dishwasher.

Wear and tear on the rack that can lead to spots where the racks coating wears away. that is not usually enough to condemn the rack to the scrap heap. Dishwasher racks can be spot painted with touch up paints designed specifically for the conditions inside of an operating dishwasher. This week we feature both the blue, #675576, & white, #676453, touch up paints.

Not a featured item this week, but another useful repair piece that often goes with rack touch up paint are tips that slip over tines on the rack. Naturally these are called tine tips and are sold in packages of 125. These are available in white #675679, blue #12022, or grey #676458.

675813

Modern Whirlpool dishwashers generally have a control board in stead of a timer. That board frequently is designed to have a thermal fuse to protect it from overheating. The nice thing about this arrangement is that if the fuse blows, it can be replaced without servicing the whole board. For that thermal fuse your part number is 675813.

We have several other dishwasher parts featured this week as well that we have told you about in the past, such as install pieces, cords and Dwip Pans. For dishwasher parts, or for any other home appliance part, give us a call. We will be happy putting our experience to work serving you.

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Wednesday Weekly Stock: "Universal" Refrigerator Parts

Every week at W.L. may we have several items we feature as good parts to consider adding to your stock. These parts also have special pricing available. For pricing details, ask your account representative for more information. This week we celebrate labor day with refrigerator parts that can "labor" on a variety of machines.

Regular readers of this blog will remember that whenever possible, we advocate using OEM parts from the appliances manufacturer. Even though the parts we are describing today are "universal", our intent is that these be used in places where the manufacturers OEM is no longer available.

SL300T

Our first item this week is actually a piece of testing equipment. Determining the behavior of a malfunctioning refrigerator can be a time consuming process. Observation of the refrigeration cycle could leave a tech idle waiting for a while while they wait to observe the part of the refrigeration cycle that is acting up. A solution for that problem is a data logger.

For years, the common data logger was a large device, about the size of shoebox that had round paper discs with a graph that rotated. As the graph rotated pens marked the temp and time settings of the various stages of the refrigeration cycle.

Technology has greatly improved temperature data logging. These days the Supco data logger, part SL300T is a great solution. Much smaller than the old style of loggers, this unit is little more than a sensor. It is somewhere in size between a Zippo lighter and a cassette tape. The idea being you can leave the unit behind to take more detailed reading than the larger old mechanical loggers.

When you are ready to analyze the data, Simply plug the unit into the USB port on your computer. Using the included software a variety of analysis can be applied to the data, taking the guesswork out of refrigerator diagnostics.

SC1002

Cold controls that regulate the temperature in a refrigerator are one of those parts that usually stay available longer than many components in a refrigerator. Even though that is true, every day seems to give us calls for situations where the manufacturer is no longer producing the OEM cold control. A good fix for those scenarios is the Supco universal cold control, part# SC1002.

Designed for freezer installation, the SC1002 is good for a range of -6°F to 39°F (-21°C to 4°C). It is intended for temporary usage and can be mounted via suction cup, Velcro or screw mounts.

URCO410 & URCO810

A hard start is a device that helps the compressor out with a surge of power to increase the starting torque. Some technicians love these as they can help extend the life span of a refrigerator that may be on its last legs. Others feel that it does not do enough to address the root problem, and have fears of detrimental impact on the compressor. Regardless of opinion, we sure get a lot of demand for them.

The long standing favorite hard start was the 3-in-1 RCO series from Supco. As newer refrigerators do not always have a start capacitor, Supco introduced a new line of starters that can be used on machine with AND without start capacitors. For 1/4-1/3 HP compressors use URCO410. Smaller compressors in the 1/12th-1/5th HP range can use the URCO810.

SM999

Like the cold controls mentioned earlier, evaporator motors tend to stay in production for longer than many other refrigerator parts. Sometimes, though, the manufacturer discontinues even these common motors. When that happens, most refrigerators can be brought back online using the Supco SM999 universal motor kit. With an assortment of fittings this motor can be configured to mount in many ways.

UET120

Defrost timers are a part that is becoming less and less common. New designs of refrigerators often will incorporate the defrost timer into a "mother board" or they will provide a board specifically dedicated to defrost, called an adaptive defrost control or ADC for short.

Still, a lot of older refrigerators have timer failures. When you just can't get the original timer, the Supco UET120 universal defrost timer is a good fit. It is an electronic timer that can be programmed for the most common defrost settings and plugs in like a traditional manual timer. This is an item every servicer should keep on hand.

SL249

While we are on the subject of defrost system parts, here is another item you might not have considered. Defrost thermostats are frequently pretty cookie cutter in size. It is merely the temperature rating that can make the difference. That's what makes Supco# SL249 so handy. That part number gives you a 3-pack of clips used to secure defrost thermostats of a variety of temperatures.

84042

Water fittings can be a tricky item to look up. They can often be fairly well hidden in a parts breakdown. So keeping a few of these fittings on hand can be a real time saver. The part number is 84042 and it is a 1/4" OD fitting.

SH250

The last item this week is usually asked for with a request along the lines of "you know, that little t-shaped heater for the drain line." Yes, we do know. That is you part SH250, we keep it in stock for you-along with whole lot of other parts. If you have a need for a part for your appliance, just let us know. We are here to help and serve you!

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Wednesday Weekly Stock: Washer and Dryer Maintenance

Every week at W.L. may we have several items we feature as good parts to consider adding to your stock. These parts also have special pricing available. For pricing details, ask your account representative for more information. This week we send the kids back to school and get started on some washer and dryer maintenance.

20752

This blog advocates using hoses with a stainless steel mesh wrap to avoid burst hoses and laundry room flooding. There are also hoses inside the machine. These do not usually have a wrapped version available. Due to lower water pressures involved, these hoses are not prone to bursting. Still, things happen, so it is wise to stay prepared.

A leak in the interior of you washer could cause a pool to collect, unseen under under the machine. This can lead to damage to your home. An easy preventative solution for that scenario is the use of a washing machine drip pan. Camco's part number 20752 is a 30"x32" pan that can be placed under most washing machines.

This drip pan can not only be used to contain any water spillage, but it also has "blank out" holes of 1-1 1/2" side or bottom outlet and a fitting allowing this pan to be connected to already existing floor drains if the laundry room has them. Being a made of white polypropylene plastic, it will not rust, corrode or crack.

VA1

While we are under the washing machine we can also address an issue that many front load washer users experience. Due the high speeds involved in running a High Efficiency Washing Machine intense vibrations have been known to occur. Stable flooring and a well balanced machine can do a lot to minimize that problem. Even after balancing, some machines still vibrate excessively and on occasion the machine actually shimmies across the floor.

A solution is offered for this problem with the Vibe Away pads, part VA1. These are basically foam pads that fit under the legs of the washing machine that act as a damper, absorbing the excessive vibrations.

70143

Here is another simple solution to a problem that is not uncommon. In many water supplies, small debris can get into the pipes. When that debris gets into the valve, it can cause problems. If you know you have a water supply that is less than pristine, don't wait for the problems to come up. Be proactive and catch that debris where the inlet hose hooks up, by using Laloo/EZFlow screened hose washers. We stock part 70143, which has a 20x20 mesh and comes in a package of 100, making it a great item to keep in truck stock.

4392065

Jumping over to the other appliance in the laundry room, we have some dryer maintenance kits for you to consider. Any of these kits make a great truck stock item. Our first is from Whirlpool for 29" dryers. Part 4392065 comes with support wheels (349241T), idler pulley (691366) and belt (341241).

4392067

Another dryer kit is for Whirlpool 27" models manufactured since 1965, and Twin Thin models. The kit, number 4392067 includes a belt (661570), 4 support rollers  (8536974), an idler pulley (279640), washer (233520) and 9 tri-rings for the rollers(90997).

5304457724

Frigidaire, or Electrolux, also has a few kits for dryer maintenance. Newer dryers from 2002-present use kit number 5304457724. This kit includes a drive belt (134503600), rear drum bearing kit (5303281153),  idler pulley/bracket assy (131863000), front drum support/seal (5303937182), lower front felt seal (5303937183), high temp adhesive, the high temp grease, and photo instructions.

5304461262

For older dryers, Frigidaire has not forgotten about you. Machines built before 2002 camn generally use kit number 5304461262. This kit includes a drive belt (134503600), rear drum bearing kit (5303281153), idler pulley/bracket assy (131863007),  upper felt (5303937139), and lower felt (5303283286).

DVC101

No matter what brand of dryer you have, we cannot urge you strongly enough to keep those ducts as clean as possible, Duct fires are a very real thing and we do not want it to happen to anyone-especially people that we could have warned! There are a variety of solutions to duct cleaning, but the best bang for your buck that we have found is the LintEater vent cleaning system.

The kit, part DVC101 includes four 36 inch long flexible rods, self-feeding 4 inch diameter auger brush, blockage removal tool, 2 1/2 inch diameter lint trap brush, vacuum adapter, dryer adapter, operator's manual with detailed instructions, illustrations and tips for dryer safety and maintenance.

TB123A

The last featured item this week is not a maintenance kit of any type. It is a tool that any repair person should have, yet few know the part to ask for. TB123A is the spanner wrench used to remove the tub nut on many Whirlpool, Maytag, and GE washing machines. If you are doing maintenance and find other needed parts (such as cosmetic or trim pieces), call us with your model number and we will be happy to help get you what you need.