70's GE Filter Flo (Free)

[sudsmaster]

This looks to me like a mid-70's GE Filter-Flo. It looks to be in pretty good shape - the lack of a speed difference may mean that the clutch needs attention, though.

I already have a later model, a '78 "Programmed" version, otherwise I'd snap this one up myself... ;-)

One potential advantage of this one, over the one I have, is that it doesn't hide the temperature selections behind fabric options. Not sure if it allows hot wash - warm rinse combinations. Would be nice if it did!

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/zip/481943385.html

 

[appnut]

That's the exact GE washer I had, including the partial drain, fill, and agitate cooldown on the PP cycle instead of the spin and cointinuous sprayrinse.

 

[pturo]

Why is Hot Wash with warm rinse important? I have a Maytag that lets you choose the rinse temp on the hot wash, but I always use cold button for rinse, since rinse water does nothing but rinse and warm water would be a waste of energy. But I am open to reason on this one. Could it be the older detregents did not rinse well out of cold water? I dunno. Seems thesedays, all rinses are cold.

 

[qsd-dan]

Yeah, I never understood the advantage of a hot or warm rinse either. Anyone care to explain?

 

[appnut]

Warm water relaxes fibers and allows more deterent and soap to be released during a warm rinse than a cold rinse.

 

[pturo]

Relaxes which fibers? Synthetics or natural fibers? If washed in hot, they should have been relaxed enough during that hot ass jacuzzi to reduce the soil. Seems that when that happens and the tub drains, the next rinse is to get rid of the detergent remains. Hot does expand things and cold does contract them, but water rinses it all away and warm versus cold cant be that much more effective in "relaxing" the fibers to release any more soap than the hot wash provided before. It's just a waste of money to rinse in warm, with the new liquid detergents.

 

[sudsmaster]

I may be mistaken, but older, pre-70's washers rinsed at the same temp as the wash water. If you selected hot for the wash, they'd do hot for the rinse(s). Warm wash/warm rinse. Cold wash/cold rinse.

Warm or hot water will help relax natural fibers so that not only soil but also soap/detergent residues are more completely released. The Maytag Neptune "Stain Cycle" selection on their front loader forces the first rinse to be the same temp as the wash. I use this feature routinely, with very good results. There may be other reasons as well for an advantage for a warm rinse for a hot wash, such as for certain fibers like silk and wool, but these are what spring to mind.

There is also the not insignificant desire that if the machine is designed to prevent a certain wash/rinse temp combination, then it is limited in flexibility and an irritation to one's spirit of freedom of choice.

 

[tolivac]

I also thought on the older machines with the same wash-rinse temps-that the warmer rinse water was better at rinsing out bleach if it was used.And yes-for synthetic fibers-which is really woven plastic-it is more flexible in warmer water.Really cold "winter" tap water-could cause the fibers to crack or break-they lose flexibility when cold.Something like vinyl house siding cracking or breaking when impacted in really cold weather.I on occasion use the warmer rinse temps-esp when the tap water is really cold during the winter.

 

[bajaespuma]

Laundress, back me up here

Warm water allows more salts to go into solution. If any residue remains in the fabrics, they're likely to dissolve faster and more completely in warm water. One of the reasons that I began to doubt Consumers Union's reporting. When the energy crunch hit they reported that there's no difference between a cold and warm rinse. I don't have exact measurements, but warm water would always extract more residue.

 

[bajaespuma]

...and I have the matching dryer for this washer. Not in great condition, but if you're handy...

 

[retro-man]

warm water rinses

I have found this option very useful when washing plastic shower curtains, they will shred in our cold water. I also use a warm rinse when doing scatter rugs with rubber backing. It seems keep the rubber from cracking and breaking up.
Jon

 

[tolivac]

Yes-I had the same problem with vinyl shower curtains cracking and tearing when rinsed in cold water.You have to wash the curtains frequently around here because of the humid conditions-the curtain will mildew.In the summer around here though the cold water is really "warm" so I can rinse them in that without tearing.

 

[bobbyderegis]

Maytag provided warm rinses on all machines with hot or warm wash up until the 08 series in the late seventies. It seems to tie in with the energy crunch.
Bobby in Boston

 

[bpetersxx]

I wonder if my Maytag 606s was made in the energy crunch era as it will not rinse in warm water

 

[launderess]

Warm or even hot water rinse has several functions.

The first and perhaps several rinses following a wash where pure soap was used, must always be in hot or warm water. Using cold water will cause the textile fibers to clamp down, trapping soap and muck. This not only leads to poor rinsing, but tattle-tale grey laundry as well.

Warm water rinsing in general, when washing cottons and linens, does give a better results, even when using non-soap detergents. Again keeping the textile fibers open allows dirt and muck to flow freely out of the wash. The only problem with warm water rinsing is that it can cause more wrinkles can creases from spin cycles, than cold. This is quite true of man made fibers such as polyester which are themoplastic. That is to say heat can cause the textile fibers to reform (and even melt). This is why most permanent press cycles have "cool down care), and or do not spin and or spin at low rpms.

Back to the GE

The 1970's would have still seen some housewives laundering with soap. Ivory Snow was still a pure soap then, and very popular with mothers for laundering nappies and baby's things.

I tried rinsing some a few loads in the Miele in warm water (the hoses are linked by a "Y" connect from the single tap), and it gave very good results. Oh, forgot to mention warm rinsing causes items line dried to dry faster, and machine dried items to dry slighly faster. In the first case, it is the same as "flash" drying hot dishes, warm water evaporates much faster than cold. Same for the later, and it also means the dryer has less work to "heat up" cold laundry. Though many publications such as Consumers Reports state the energy used in hot or warm water rinsing, is greater than what is used by the dryer heating cold rinsed laundry.

L.