1959 Kenmore 800 Water Valve

[jetaction]

My 59 has a 3 solenoid water valve, but the cold solenoid is not working. It is not plugged or need cleaning as there is not even the hum or buzz and there is electricity going to it.

Anyone with an idea to fix, or a part to sell?

 

[Unimatic1140]

Hi Don, if it is simply the solenoid isn't working I can surely find you a spare here. You'll have to bring it over and we can fix it with a replacement, they are easy to swap out.

 

[kenmore71]

Robert, it's definitely the solenoid. I was up there tonight and there is power to the solenoid from the timer but there is no hum or any kind of action from the solenoid. With the ohm meter I was getting continuity through the solenoid coil of the hot and warm solenoids but nothing through the cold. I'm pretty sure it's a Dole valve.

As an aside...would a Maytag 3 solenoid valve work on this machine? What happens with a Maytag 3 solenoid thermostatic valve if BOTH the hot AND the warm solenoids are engaged at the same time. Would you get medium water or would the thermostatic element take over and only give you warm water?

 

[jetaction]

A fix....

would suit me just great Robert, got that King size box of cold power I told you about ready and waiting to wash on letter "J." That's the cold water wash cycle you asked about Mark!

 

[swestoyz]

What happens with a Maytag 3 solenoid

<a name="start_43705.642197">I believe you would get medium with both warm and hot open, and cool with warm and cold open.  The flow 'circuits' are independent to each solenoid, and the water would merge at the output.  </a>

 

<a name="start_43705.642197">Certainly could be used as a replacement in Don's Kenmo'. 

</a>

 

[Unimatic1140]

That is correct, the '57 Lady Kenmore has a 3-solenoid valve one for cold, one for warm and one for hot, so you can get five water temps...

Cold (Cold solenoid only)
Cool (Cold and Warm solenoids energized)
Warm (Warm solenoid energized)
Medium (Warm and Hot solenoids energized)
Hot (Hot solenoid energized only)

 

[combo52]

Three Coil Inlet Valves

An old MT three coil valve could be fitted on Dons KM but you would want to remove the flow restrictor from the outlet of the MT valve, older belt drive WP-KM washers fill at about twice the rate of a MT and you would not get as good a rinse during the 8 spray rinses if you leave the restrictive flow washer in place.

 

[jetcone]

So the three coil

inlet valve is not a thermostatic valve??

 

[kenmore71]

To my knowledge, the original valve on the 1959 Kenmore 800 was NOT thermostatic. It was, however, a 3 solenoid valve. The timer was wired for 4 possible temps: Hot, Medium, Warm and Cold. Theoretically "Cool" would also have been possible but it was not provided for on the timer.

 

[jetaction]

The alphabet Kenmore's

Thanks guys for the suggestions and information. I love this machine so much, it seems to me when I was researching the cycles a few years back, "H" and "K" had the same cycle sequence with the same temps and speeds. If only one of those letters were a rinse or pre-wash cycle this would have been completely featured! I don't know of another alphabet Kenmore washer that went as far as "J" and "K" in their lettering, didn't it usually stop at "H"? And isn't it interesting that they skipped the letter "I" and went right from "H" to "J"? Any ideas as to why that is? It would be fun to compare these alphabet Kenmore's to see how the cycles changed over years. "A" and "B" stayed consistent for Hot/Medium water for cottons and linens, but after that it varies. In my 65 LK, ""C" is pre wash or rinse and "D" is cold water wash, very different this this '59.

 

[combo52]

Three Coil Inlet Valves

Jon,  they can be either thermostatically controlled or just preset mixing valves, same goes for two coil valves.

 

Mark, you are likely correct that Don's washer would have come with a non-thermostatic mixing valve originally, by the late 1950s only LKMs got the more expensive thermostatically controlled valve, the two types of valves are interchangeable however if Don would like to have a more constant warm wash in those cold Minnesota winters. I think we saw the last of the three coil thermostatic mixing valves in the 1966 LKMs and the last of the three coil valves by 1971 in KM washers, MT dropped this feature with the introduction of the 06 washer line in 1966.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

3 coil valves

Maytag did keep using the standard, non thermostatic, 3 coil water valve thru the LAT series at least like the LAT9804AAE which uses the 22001138 3 coil valve. That washer has a "energy saver" switch on the console which triggers the third coil. That third coil, I believe, lets in a separate reduced flow of cold water in addition to the normal hot/cold valves to dilute the hot or warm fill...

RCD

 

[combo52]

Interesting 3 Coil Inlet Valve used in 1990s MT Washers

Drew that was an interesting way to reduce hot water consumption, this valve that MT used in these models was not the same as to older 3 coil valves and MT did not keep using 3 coil valves, they only started using this new style valve in the 90s on only a few models and not for very long. This approach to reducing hot water use was expensive and complicated, it is obviously much better to use automatic temperature control which is what everybody does now.

 

[mickeyd]

Don, would you show your control panel?

The 63 has A & B exactly as you say; C is delicate, a most interesting cycle with alternating slow wash & soak in two minute intervals; D is washable woolens with a 6 minute alternation; E & F are wash n' wear with F having the medium temperature for coloreds just like B; G is the pre-wash or rinse missing in your line-up; and H is the cold water wash.

Perhaps they skipped the " I " because it looks like so much like " 1 " and that might be confusing; also, it detracts from the overall consistency in artful design--all nice squiggles except for the straight I.

I love this machine too, Don, especially the musical sounds of the Delicate Cycle with all the solenoid clicks and dispenser engagements in slow motion--everything except the drain, which is at full speed. You can't miss the sound of quickening from the kitchen--YUP, the wash cycle's over, full steam ahead.....well for two minutes anyway. It's a great cycle for favorite clothing you want to keep forever. These machines are beautiful, heavy, powerful mechanical beings with nothing not to love about them--even the slow spin is perfect for line drying. More water weight reduces wrinkling and gives a clean finish.

I've had mine up here a million times but I'd love to see yours. Thanks. Excuse the glare, must get a better pic to show the extravagant detailing in the letters.

 

[jetcone]

So John

does that mean I could replace the 2 coil thermo valve in my Easy with a 2 coil mixing valve?

because the thermo has quit and now it only shoots hot water on the warm setting and spray rinses.

Because of this I only use the machine for heavy cottons and whites.

 

[combo52]

Replacing Early Two Coil Valves

Early two coil thermostatic valves [ TCTVs ] gave you either hot or warm water or medium if both coils were energized, there were also non thermostatic versions [ NTVs ] of these valves but they were rare. If you install a regular NT2CV in say an old MT AMP washer that only provided H or W water you would only get C for the warm wash and rinse setting. On machines like early 50s WP&KM where they offered a Med wash temp installing the newer style NT2CV gives you a HW or C wash with a C rinse, and the chance to get an Energy Star rebate, LOL.

 

I you want to keep your Easy more original in operation you can install a 3CTV or a 3CNTV and just use the W and H coils only [ you can install a hidden switch [ SPDT ] on the back of the console so you can switch the power from the W coil to the C coil so the machine will give a cold overflow and all cold rinsing so you can wash permanent press clothing.

 

Larry @ Modern Parts may still have a few new 3CVs and maybe even the T2CVs.