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screen printing => Equipment => Topic started by: Maff on May 17, 2017, 12:38:46 PM
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I'm on the hunt for a used gas dryer, our budget is small since were putting everything we can to a new Auto and getting our new shop ready.
I recently came across a Precision for only $1k. after the cost of moving it, and installing it, converting to Propane, maybe it's worth it???
I have NO experience with gas dryers, so I'm hoping someone can chime in with any experience or references I can follow up with.
Here are the details that I know from speaking with the owner and seeing a few pictures.
60" belt, 5' in, 10' heat, 5' out. 1 IR bump panel going in.
230v 3p 150,000 BTU
The pictures are only the outside, all around it, but the dryer looks pretty clean, very little rust showing and the belt is in good shape.
The owner bought it refurbished about 15 years ago.
He was running a single auto shop part time for about 10 years, then got rid of his auto and just manually printing for the past 5 years part time.
Now he's done printing and selling all of his stuff and just wants it gone.
He said it has never given him a problem, always just runs.
The only repairs he has made was replacing the thermo couple about 5 years ago.
He said the flame is blue when running.
Are there any other questions I could ask him now that could give me a better idea if this is worth it?
The immediate issue is, I'm in NY and this is in Ohio, 8 hour drive. I would really prefer to hire a tech to go take a look at it and let me know if it's about to crap out or has some life left in it, without any major or costly headaches.
Does anyone know of a dryer tech in the Cleveland area?
Honestly, if my grand plan works out, I'll just need this to work for another 3 years or so before we can buy a new/newish dryer.
Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks!!!!
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Good bet the IR bum doesn't work but not really an issue and you don't have to repair
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That's a great deal on a workhorse gas dryer. They are very simple and converting to propane is a orfice and regulator change. Theres a person named Winston that's a absolute expert on those older dryers. I think he posts under californiadreamin.
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Yeah good deal for 1k. I paid a little more for mine and it has been a great dryer. I have had a few hiccups here and there but Winston will always help and others here as well will chime in. I disconnected all the bump panels in mine and converted it to single phase. If the seller says it runs and only wants 1k for it, is it really worth it to have a tech go take a look? That could eat up 50% of the purchase price haha.
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Agreed in this case and Bill Foust still carries parts
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Good bet the IR bum doesn't work but not really an issue and you don't have to repair
Yeah I wouldn't mind if the IR panel was disconnected, the gas heat should be enough and would save money on electric.
If Bill Foust still has parts that's even better.
I'm going to reach out to Winston and see if he has any other advice.
Thanks guys !
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my bump panels never worked, don't need them anyway. If you need a new belt, the best deal I found was from CGS in jersey. Not much to these dryers, it gets the job done. I think I have enough spare parts here to build another one. When it runs, it runs. when it doesn't you want to kick it to the curb. I have a full set of blueprints and specs, I sent a bunch out to a few guys here that have these dryers...it'll be ok for a few years
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my bump panels never worked, don't need them anyway. If you need a new belt, the best deal I found was from CGS in jersey. Not much to these dryers, it gets the job done. I think I have enough spare parts here to build another one. When it runs, it runs. when it doesn't you want to kick it to the curb. I have a full set of blueprints and specs, I sent a bunch out to a few guys here that have these dryers...it'll be ok for a few years
I actually just read your old posts on these. If we get it, I'll pm you for a copy, that would be handy thanks!
Im going to get a few more pictures from him of inside the control panel and also start figuring out how the hell to move it and what that would cost.
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make sure you stop by and see us, we are in Cleveland!
pierre
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That is the EXACT dryer we have. We never use the IR bumps so you are not missing much. Added 3-4" of insulation on the outside of it, it aint going to win a beauty pageant, but that son-of-a-bitch costs us $4/day to run!!!
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make sure you stop by and see us, we are in Cleveland!
pierre
For sure! If we go for it, I'll get in touch
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That is the EXACT dryer we have. We never use the IR bumps so you are not missing much. Added 3-4" of insulation on the outside of it, it aint going to win a beauty pageant, but that son-of-a-bitch costs us $4/day to run!!!
Ha! That's awesome! I spoke with someone who was comparing newer dryers that are better insulated.
That's a great idea though, does it help keep the the temps in the dryer more consistent? Or is it just to keep the shop from getting hot?
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Both
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Stupid simple dryer. If it was referbished more then likely it has a good fire eye system. Other then cleaning the lint trap really nothing more to do. Bump panel issues usually broken wires at the panel. Yes they do throw off some heat but it keeps the shop warm in the winter.
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With our experience with them...they are OK, but wiggling around relays to to try to get it to fire in the morning got old fast. I would try for at least an M&R where parts may be readily available.
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I believe my dryer was manufactured in 1989. I had a contactor for the blower motor start to get clicky and weird. Looked up the part number online and they only existed used or new REALLY OLD stock. Took a pic to a local electrical supply and they had matching newer parts for it in a matter of minutes. Parts are still available, they're just newer and probably a different company that makes them. The honeywell "computer" thingies can even be purchased refurbished or used on ebay. I have an extra one of those on hand as well as flame rods and spark ignitors. These dryers are relatively easy to trace problems down with a multimeter or just by learning their quirks. If it kicks off, first thing I check is the lint screen, then the flame rod. That has only happened about 3 times in the 6-7 years I've had the dryer.
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ok here is a pic of inside the control panel. Are these the original parts?
Also a few pics of the outside. How's this look? decent?
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what's up with that loose fuse block resting in the door? that's doesn't look right....
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Yeah looks like the fuse block on the floor of the panel is for the IR heater panels. That should probably be mounted where that shiny bright white contactor is right above it. They rewired the darker contactor to the left with only two legs and then put in a new contactor and ran one leg of power through it. Why they didn't just replace the whole thing and wire it through all three legs, I dunno.
Also on the far right that's a solid state relay wired up sitting on the bottom of the panel. Those are supposed to be solid mounted to a heat sink to dissipate heat. Wonder what that's running?
That's REALLY CLEAN though on the outside. I wish mine looked that nice and new. Belt looks great.
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1K is a good deal on a vortex you can witness functioning.
We've been running an old(er) dirty(er) one than this for 9 months. Once we got it working, it has been great (took a long time to diagnose why it wouldn't start up initially - we thought our electrician who was losing his mind may have mis-wired it (the control panel had to come off to fit in the building) which led down some rabbit holes of diagnosis error with hours on the phone with Winston - eventually just found it was a shorted solenoid on the gas train.
I really suck with a multi-meter, winston was patient, and once that was sorted it's had zero issues.
speaking of which, hey Winston, you ever going to ship me that solenoid so i can put it back in??
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Ok well, he said it's still hooked up and running, so I may make the trip and get look for myself. He also has all the original manuals and schematics, too. I'm going to reach out to Winston and see if he has any advice here as well.
Thanks again for all the input guys!
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Hey Maff,
Last October I bought a used 72" wide 20' long precision. paid around 7k for it, long story I got ripped off but was able to get the dryer from the landowner of the building it was in.
anyhow, when the shipping company picked it up they cut all the wiring and disassembled it to go inside of a semi trailer, it was suppose to come on a flatbed. it was in horrible shape. Took me about 15 hours of troubleshooting and re-wiring, plus a new thermocouple to get it going, but, it is going and working like a champ, last month for a full 10 hours a day of use it consumed 115 therms at a cost of $156.
For a price of 1K that thing is a steal, I would drive there personally if you have to and get it, especially if it is running.
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Excellent Plastisol dryer, and yes we sell parts for these at aero-inc.com
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Thanks for all the input here guys!
And a big thanks to Winston for working with us to get the dryer transported and installed in our new shop. The guy is super nice and wealth of knowledge. I learned so much just by working at his side for a few days.
Here is a quick pic of Winston at the helm bring the dryer into our shop.(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170702/aa3d195414a70f64248334423dd668d3.jpg)