Amana "Touchmatic" W&D
- Thread starter launderess
- Start date
phillymatt53
Well-known member
Sorry, but any appliances or products with "Touch Controls" like that are prone to issues down the road - basically a "weak spot" in design.
They may work fine for years, but nevertheless in time they become intermittent, fail, and cannot handle abuse.
Designs like that are because of the widespread trend of "light touch" products like cellphones, microwave ovens, audio products, etc.
Nothing beats a "real" mechanical switch for long-term reliability.
They may work fine for years, but nevertheless in time they become intermittent, fail, and cannot handle abuse.
Designs like that are because of the widespread trend of "light touch" products like cellphones, microwave ovens, audio products, etc.
Nothing beats a "real" mechanical switch for long-term reliability.
Appliances didn't have capacitive- or membrane-touch control panels prior to the popularity of cellular telephones?
vacerator
Well-known member
How did the ones under glass touch controls work? Like the Litton and Radarange for example.
phillymatt53
Well-known member
They work on the same principal that cellphone screens and computer monitors work.
A form of capacitive coupling which I don't want to go into a long description of.
phillymatt53
Well-known member
They DID.
My 1985 GE clock radio on the bedside table uses a membrane strip across the front of "touch buttons" for all of it's clock and radio and power controls.
Years ago, the most used radio "power" button became intermittent, now I've got to hit it in just the right spot for it to work.
While it's a nice touch (no pun intended) it's a weak spot in design.
vacerator
Well-known member
I thought so. I think early car and cell phones had button micro switches. Like a traditional infrared remote for a TV, VCR, etc.
phillymatt53
Well-known member
Remote control "buttons" are silicone rubber with a conductive glazing on the underside of them.
When pressed, they contact the specific copper foil surfaces on the printed circuit board under them and "close" AKA act like a pushbutton switch.
Contamination, dirt, spills, etc., can eventually take its toll on the closing of the buttons.
That's why the remote should be occasionally be wiped clean of dust, finger grease, etc. if you want the remote to last.
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Some are made better than others. I had a pair of these years ago, the only problem was that the belt fried and the motor drew enough power to melt the board connector and char the board itself. I replaced the belt, bypassed the bad connections and used it for years with no issues -until the drum seal failed and I couldn't get the damn nut off. I still wish I'd have kept that machine. Yes, you can't do much once the proprietary control chip has eaten the biscuits, but SQ used good quality electronics and will still last a long time...
