Can we just buy a heating element and plug it in? Or is it more complicated than that?
Thanks for your help!
"Frosty in Forest Hills"
Hi, Frosty!
We looked into your proposal and also spoke with the Excel Dryers engineering department to confirm our findings.
The first thing to know is that there is no kit or accessory that you can purchase from Excel to do this conversion. What this means is that you would (at least) be voiding the manufacturer's warranty if you proceed (which we really don't recommend - see below).
When we first opened the cover and investigated, it did seem like all you would have to do is remove the cap covering the hole where the heating element goes, insert a new one, screw it down and then re-route some wires to connect it.
What we found out, after speaking with Excel, is that a standard Xlerator (and the wiring & circuit boards) are manufactured and tested to a different UL standard than the non-heated ones. This means that after modification, they would not be UL approved, and potentially even dangerous to operate.
In addition, if the dryer were ever serviced by an electrician in the future, the labeling and diagrams on the dryer (and the manual) would be misleading and, again, could cause a hazardous situation.
If you absolutely need to have heat, you can order a new dryer chassis (without the cover) for significantly less than the cost of the whole dryer.
The first thing to check would be to confirm that you have enough extra capacity on the circuit where the dryer is installed. Remember, the new version will draw up to 3 times the amount of electricity that the ECO did.
You would also need to remove the sticker(s) on the outside of the dryer (or amend them with the correct information). The "insides" would already be correctly labeled.
Good Luck and keep warm!