Dryer Door Switch - Disconnecting
in [House]
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From: John Taylor on 19 Jul 2008 21:55 I am trying to open the front panel of my Kenmore / Whirlpool 29" dryer to service the rollers, idler pulley, and drive belt. I have the top open and am trying to disconnect the door switch before unscrewing the front panel. The door switch has two wires leading to it and there is a convenient connector (3 conductor, only 2 are used) a few inches away from the switch. I've tried pulling at that connector as hard as I dare to unplug it, but no luck. It looks like there may be two tiny tabs to press, but I have no way to press tabs that tiny while pulling and trying to prevent damaging the wires. Does anyone have any suggestions? The door switch connector part number is Whirlpool # 3936144. (Yes, I could remove the entire switch, but was trying to avoid that.) Thanks for any help!
From: Smarty on 19 Jul 2008 22:02 "John Taylor" <john_taylor(a)spam.free> wrote in message news:dZSdncQM8fOuBh_VnZ2dnUVZ_ozinZ2d(a)rcn.net... >I am trying to open the front panel of my Kenmore / Whirlpool 29" dryer to >service the rollers, idler pulley, and drive belt. > > I have the top open and am trying to disconnect the door switch before > unscrewing the front panel. The door switch has two wires leading to it > and there is a convenient connector (3 conductor, only 2 are used) a few > inches away from the switch. I've tried pulling at that connector as hard > as I dare to unplug it, but no luck. It looks like there may be two tiny > tabs to press, but I have no way to press tabs that tiny while pulling and > trying to prevent damaging the wires. Does anyone have any suggestions? > > The door switch connector part number is Whirlpool # 3936144. > > (Yes, I could remove the entire switch, but was trying to avoid that.) > > Thanks for any help! Can you compress the 2 tiny tabs with a pair of pliers / needle-nose pliers / vise grip so as to allow you then to gently unplug the plug?
From: John Taylor on 19 Jul 2008 22:08 Smarty wrote: > "John Taylor" <john_taylor(a)spam.free> wrote in message > news:dZSdncQM8fOuBh_VnZ2dnUVZ_ozinZ2d(a)rcn.net... >> I am trying to open the front panel of my Kenmore / Whirlpool 29" >> dryer to service the rollers, idler pulley, and drive belt. >> >> I have the top open and am trying to disconnect the door switch before >> unscrewing the front panel. The door switch has two wires leading to >> it and there is a convenient connector (3 conductor, only 2 are used) >> a few inches away from the switch. I've tried pulling at that >> connector as hard as I dare to unplug it, but no luck. It looks like >> there may be two tiny tabs to press, but I have no way to press tabs >> that tiny while pulling and trying to prevent damaging the wires. >> Does anyone have any suggestions? >> >> The door switch connector part number is Whirlpool # 3936144. >> >> (Yes, I could remove the entire switch, but was trying to avoid that.) >> >> Thanks for any help! > > > Can you compress the 2 tiny tabs with a pair of pliers / needle-nose > pliers / vise grip so as to allow you then to gently unplug the plug? I did try that but no luck. If I had small needle nose pliers that bent in at the end like tongs that might work, but I don't have such a tool, if one exists. Curse the clowns that designed this connector!
From: Smarty on 19 Jul 2008 22:12 "John Taylor" <john_taylor(a)spam.free> wrote in message news:WuWdndp834KNAx_VnZ2dnUVZ_j2dnZ2d(a)rcn.net... > Smarty wrote: >> "John Taylor" <john_taylor(a)spam.free> wrote in message >> news:dZSdncQM8fOuBh_VnZ2dnUVZ_ozinZ2d(a)rcn.net... >>> I am trying to open the front panel of my Kenmore / Whirlpool 29" dryer >>> to service the rollers, idler pulley, and drive belt. >>> >>> I have the top open and am trying to disconnect the door switch before >>> unscrewing the front panel. The door switch has two wires leading to it >>> and there is a convenient connector (3 conductor, only 2 are used) a few >>> inches away from the switch. I've tried pulling at that connector as >>> hard as I dare to unplug it, but no luck. It looks like there may be >>> two tiny tabs to press, but I have no way to press tabs that tiny while >>> pulling and trying to prevent damaging the wires. Does anyone have any >>> suggestions? >>> >>> The door switch connector part number is Whirlpool # 3936144. >>> >>> (Yes, I could remove the entire switch, but was trying to avoid that.) >>> >>> Thanks for any help! >> >> >> Can you compress the 2 tiny tabs with a pair of pliers / needle-nose >> pliers / vise grip so as to allow you then to gently unplug the plug? > > I did try that but no luck. If I had small needle nose pliers that bent > in at the end like tongs that might work, but I don't have such a tool, if > one exists. Curse the clowns that designed this connector! Radio Shack, among other places, sells hemostats which are tong-style needle nosed pliers which I have used to compress tabs on small and delicate connectors. You may want to get a pair and try them. Yanking on a connector which is still mated can easily lead to broken connector or wire problems.
From: Smarty on 19 Jul 2008 22:18
"Smarty" <nobody(a)nobody.com> wrote in message news:g5u6v7$abd$1(a)registered.motzarella.org... > "John Taylor" <john_taylor(a)spam.free> wrote in message > news:WuWdndp834KNAx_VnZ2dnUVZ_j2dnZ2d(a)rcn.net... >> Smarty wrote: >>> "John Taylor" <john_taylor(a)spam.free> wrote in message >>> news:dZSdncQM8fOuBh_VnZ2dnUVZ_ozinZ2d(a)rcn.net... >>>> I am trying to open the front panel of my Kenmore / Whirlpool 29" dryer >>>> to service the rollers, idler pulley, and drive belt. >>>> >>>> I have the top open and am trying to disconnect the door switch before >>>> unscrewing the front panel. The door switch has two wires leading to >>>> it and there is a convenient connector (3 conductor, only 2 are used) a >>>> few inches away from the switch. I've tried pulling at that connector >>>> as hard as I dare to unplug it, but no luck. It looks like there may >>>> be two tiny tabs to press, but I have no way to press tabs that tiny >>>> while pulling and trying to prevent damaging the wires. Does anyone >>>> have any suggestions? >>>> >>>> The door switch connector part number is Whirlpool # 3936144. >>>> >>>> (Yes, I could remove the entire switch, but was trying to avoid that.) >>>> >>>> Thanks for any help! >>> >>> >>> Can you compress the 2 tiny tabs with a pair of pliers / needle-nose >>> pliers / vise grip so as to allow you then to gently unplug the plug? >> >> I did try that but no luck. If I had small needle nose pliers that bent >> in at the end like tongs that might work, but I don't have such a tool, >> if one exists. Curse the clowns that designed this connector! > > > Radio Shack, among other places, sells hemostats which are tong-style > needle nosed pliers which I have used to compress tabs on small and > delicate connectors. You may want to get a pair and try them. Yanking on a > connector which is still mated can easily lead to broken connector or wire > problems. Could not find the Radio Shack item on their website but here is a cheap Harbor Freight alternative..... http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=38034 |