Dryer Door Switch - Disconnecting

Bob Vila would love this group, post #109,037
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 John Taylor
 2008-07-19 21:55:54
 Dryer Door Switch - Disconnecting
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!
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 Smarty
 2008-07-19 22:02:46
 Re: Dryer Door Switch - Disconnecting
"John Taylor" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:dZSdncQM8fOuBh_VnZ2dnUVZ_ozinZ2d@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?
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 John Taylor
 2008-07-19 22:08:08
 Re: Dryer Door Switch - Disconnecting
Smarty wrote:
> "John Taylor" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:dZSdncQM8fOuBh_VnZ2dnUVZ_ozinZ2d@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!
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 Smarty
 2008-07-19 22:12:54
 Re: Dryer Door Switch - Disconnecting
"John Taylor" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:WuWdndp834KNAx_VnZ2dnUVZ_j2dnZ2d@rcn.net...
> Smarty wrote:
>> "John Taylor" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:dZSdncQM8fOuBh_VnZ2dnUVZ_ozinZ2d@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.
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 Smarty
 2008-07-19 22:18:10
 Re: Dryer Door Switch - Disconnecting
"Smarty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:g5u6v7$abd$1@registered.motzarella.org...
> "John Taylor" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:WuWdndp834KNAx_VnZ2dnUVZ_j2dnZ2d@rcn.net...
>> Smarty wrote:
>>> "John Taylor" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>> news:dZSdncQM8fOuBh_VnZ2dnUVZ_ozinZ2d@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