1968 Programmed 4 Speed GE Filter Flo And Versatronic Dryer

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Melvin, I'm speechless.  Not only are these quite possibly the best washer/dryer pair GE made, they are in impeccable condition.  I cannot believe how nice they are.   Thank you so much for the many photos and lit panel shots you've included.  By chance, could you post some more photos that show each of the neon indicator positions on the timer dial?  Does the dryer have any neon indicators, as well?

 

Ben
 
Congratulations!!

Wow, that is a nice set. They are really beautiful! A very cool console design; I love the lighted pointer! Does the dryer pointer light up as well?

I've never worked on/used a 3 or 4 speed machine (I've never seen a 4 speed version). I'll have to so some reading up on this design.

Enjoy using them!
 
Now I'm Confused!

My former neighbor Thelma had a GE set in Snow White, and I thought they were '68 models, but now I'm not sure. What I remember - dryer was a Versatronic, had the foot pedal, console light, and chrome trim on the front of the top; washer was Programmed model, console light, and chrome trim on front of the top. However, I think the buttons were vertical rather than horizontal as on Melvin's beautiful new set. I know they were bought not long before the youngest daughter Amy was born in January '69. Is it possible they were leftover '67 models, or possibly early production '69 models? I know where they were purchased, and that store was known for selling GE's overstock and oddball items.
 
buttons were vertical rather than horizontal

Yes! The vertical button arrangement was on the '67 models, with the button escutcheon lit from behind just like the horizontal arrangement. The '68 model appears to be the only year they had the neon indicators behind the timer dial.

Ben

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Hi Ben, As soon as I get a chance I’ll get the pictures of the dial in the various neon indicated positions. I had to get them tucked into a safer spot as the weather is humid and in the eighties here and I’m sure these machines have never seen that being in a home in Colorado.
 
Button Count

GE had a problem with their buttons - they couldn't "stack" any more than five on this backsplash.  If you look back, the 1964 TOL washer was programmed (first edition of the linear control) and offered 5 programs.  The buttons were arranged horizontally just  like the timeline timer.  But in 1965, and continuing with the 1966 models, the same backsplash/console offered 7 programs: again in a horizontal configuration.  But in 1967, they abandoned the linear control and went to the console like Melvin's 1968's, and the buttons were once again stacked, and space limitations would only allow 5 buttons (i.e., 5 programs).  In 1968, in order to offer 7 programs, the buttons had to be arranged horizontally, and we see the results with this pair.

 

It's been a while since I've seen a close-up of the 1966 controls, so I'm not certain of what the additional two programs were, and don't know how what they offered affected the type of clutch/controls, either.  But it must have been interesting from a sales point of view when trying to sell these machines to lose two cycles (programs) in 1967 and trying to "sell" the customer on the idea that less is better.

 

lawrence
 
Speaking as an appliance geek

All of the Filter-Flo TOL's  from the mid-'50s to the mid '70s featured horizontally oriented Program toggles/keys/buttons (the 1964 model had only 5 programs). I think it was a style choice, not an engineering necessity. The 2nd from top TOL's frequently had the 5 programs arranged vertically. GE never passed up an opportunity to have more models on the annual menu. The seven programs were eliminated after 1974, I think. CU declared, in one of the best and most comprehensive  '60s washing machine articles that, paradoxically, the fancy and more expensive TOL's of  most manufacturers were LESS versatile and/or flexible than their cheaper counterparts.

 

I think exceptions to the CU caveat were the Lady Kenmores with the keys (the array of dispensers and design of the cycles made it AFAIK the only washer at that time were the user could set the dial, fill all the dispensers and not have to return to the basement until it was time to unload the machine-worth the premium ). As I've said before, I think a lot of these complicated TOL's were purchased by tech-geeky husbands in the pre-Friedan years. Most of the women, including me own sainted Mother, couldn't have cared less for bells and whistles. The women I asked back in the day found these models unnecessarily complicated. I think the Maytag TOL's might have been exceptions too, because the user had to push only one button to operate the washer and dryer. No cascade of decisions to make and somehow the laundry got done.

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Ken, I have always been mindful of this "horizontal" arrangement since the inception of the 2-speed design and those 5 cycles weere pretty much the same but with different labels over the years. With the advent of my knowledge and understanding/appreciation of LK's as well as the WP Mark VII, those set the standard appropriate laundry practices for all old-fashioned top load TOL washers. And the 5-programmed F-Flos and our 1963/1964 Norge Dispensomat were in the same ball park, yet at compete opposite of the playing field in one glaring exception. The GEs "sturdy" W'n'W offered only warm wash whee as our Norge w'n'w Durabes only offered hot wash and both had Normal Wash/Slow Spin. GE's specials had a slow wash/normal spin, where as our Specials was slow/slow, both offering warm/warm. I would have preferred the Norge had warm rather than hot water programmed. I attempted to force a LK colors scenario with being warm wash rather than hot and I got away with until the mother caught me changing the cycle button after the warm fill to the W'n'W button and got told in no uncertain terms was I to change wash cycle button after I had started the machine, no exceptions. I remembr my dad got the first Perm Press garments in the house and it was some slacks. So, I washed those slacks on the W'n'W durables with theo hot wash. That load of slacks was never the same after being forced to wash in hot water, the fabric was kinda limp. And hence by this time I was doing my own laundry and I had to force my laundry to be washed on the delicate cycle, but I select4ed the longest wash time. Of course all this changed with arrival of the Kenmore 800 in 1970. When I would wear white long-sleeve dress shirts to work during the spring/summer months, I always washed those shirts h/c with N/S speed for both the Lady Shredmore as well as my 1978 F Flo. This all being said, when I encountered the TOL Norge VGQ washer in 1966/1967 at our local Foley's department store, you can imagine my being pissed that Norge had started including a perm press cycle with warm water wash also. That TOL VGQ was the model replacemtn for our Norge.
 
Could have knocked me over with a feather...

I consider myself something of an expert on Filter-flo washers, but I never knew that there was a 4 speed model out there!

 

Thank you all for the explanations of the 4 agitation speeds and how they worked ( I guess the Versatronic models used a Governor on the motor like the 1967 Hotpoints ?). From the lid instructions it looks like there were 4 agitation speeds but still only 2 spin speeds? I knew they offered 3-speed machines in a couple of model years but 4 was news to me. Was 1968 the only year for 4 speeds? Looks like it.

 

I think this machine was one of the best TOL'S GE ever offered, from a collector's point of view. Backlit controls, timed single-shot bleach dispenser, expandable cycles, turquoise porcelain tub and those speeds; this machine's a winner and now I want one more than ever. Great find.

 

Now, go out and get yourself a Spiral-Ramped Activator that will fit on that post. No contest, I've used both extensively and when it comes to rollover, the Spiral Activator blows the doors of the Straight-6 which was designed primarily to accommodate a bigger mini-basket and <span style="font-size: 14pt;">maybe </span>to displace less water so they could claim that the same washbaskets used on the V-12's were now able to hold 16 pounds (the nerve). Remember that the Perforated Tub transmissions were designed specifically to compliment the Spiral Activator with the shorter, faster stroke. There's no reason you can't keep and use the Straight-6 for gentler washing and the basket. Nothing succeeds like excess.

 

 

 

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Hi Ken, in reply 17 Charlie gives an excellent explanation of how the clutch operates. Yes there are 4 agitation speeds and 2 spin speeds.

I still need to get pictures of the neon lit washer dial set in the different programs and also some pictures of the clutch. I don’t believe the dryer dial designates the programs as the washer does.
 
1968 Programmed 4 Speed GE Filter Flo and Versatronic Dryer

One of the best cleaning machines I ever used. So many memeries but a short time I had it for only 9 months a tenant my Aunt had left it in the basement and moved It had sit in the basement with soapy water in it for a year My father KNEW i had a thing for washers and it was his sisters apartment building so we took drained it and and all the lighted controls worked it ran great. We brought it home and got 9 months out of it and it went bad and stopped pumping water my dad tossed it out and bought a 1990 NORGE washer from highland superstore appliances. That GE washer was great.
 
I don't have any of the service literature for the dryer that I have, but there must be some sort of cool down thermostat for the Permanent Press cycle. Twice now, I have dried loads of mixed weight fabrics and set the control to the maximum dryness and it dried everything well, but even with this load, the dryer cooled down to room temperature before shutting off. I was not there to remove items as soon as it shut off, but even the shirts in various portions of the drum were not wrinkled when I removed them.
 
Versatronic designation

Does anyone know which model year GE started using the name "Versatronic" on their dryers? I know there were more models than just the DE1220 designated as such, but did they have the full width backsplash light? The set pictured in reply #25 by Jon look like the set my neighbor Thelma had, except I'm nearly certain there were chrome trim strips on the front edges of tops.
 
In 1968

According to the Appliance Trade In Blue Book, there were three versatronic models:
DE8200 Versatronic
DG48200 Versatronic
DE12200 Versatronic
DG52200 2 stage Versatronic

I do not know if this is accurate or complete. After 1968, the model numbers changed, but Versatronic did not appear in the "Features" column any more.
 
Versatronic

IIRC GE used the term (and likely copywrited{<span style="font-size: 8pt;"> if that's a word</span>} it) "Versatronic" on some other appliance in the earlier Sixties.

 

If my right brain ever decides to release that information, I'll post it.

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Reply #47

Tom,

The earliest that I see a 'Versatronic' dryer is 1968; and it is a DE1220D.

 

The 1969 catalog has on page 32 the title 'High Speed Dryers, Featuring Versatronic Sensory Drying that Eliminates Overdrying or Underdrying' without any particular model being a 'Versatronic' dryer.

 

In 1970 the catalog shows 4 Versatronic models - DDE 9200L (31" wide with fluorescent lamp), DDE8200L (31" wide without fluorescent lamp), DDE7900L (27" wide with fluorescent lamp), and DDE7200L (27" wide without fluorescent lamp).  1970 also offers the overall statement regarding Versatronic dryers - "The Versatronic dryer not only establishes the correct drying conditions for the load selected - but automatically turns itself off the moment it "feels" the load is dry.  Clothes are soft and fluffy - fabrics treated right - ironing kept at a minimum".

 

I do not have access to a 1971 catalog.

 

The 1972 catalog includes the same description of the system as was in the 1970 catalog, and shows an Americana Model DDE/G9200N Versatronic dryer with fluorescent lamp and a DDE/G 7900N Versatronic dryer with fluorescent lamp.

 

1973 - no mention of Versatronic.

 

Keep in mind, I'm referencing Sweets inserts.

 

lawrence
 
Lawrence, thanks for the additional info. I looked at some 1967 GE ads for dryers, and didn't find any mention of them being Versatronic, but did in those for the 1968 models. Evidently the next model down was the DE920, which if designated as a Versatronic model, and if having a full width florescent light, may have been what the neighbors had.
 

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