A Dutch newspaper ad with a 1957 Frigidaire Unimatic in it

[foraloysius]

Robert’s thread about the introduction of automatic washers in the newspapers made me have a look again at the Dutch archives. I have posted a few threads with Dutch ads in the past. The first ads are from 1953. I looked a bit furder and much to my amazement I found a 1958 advertisement with a 1957 Frigidaire Unimatic in it. Apparently this model was sold in the Netherlands.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Wow I had no idea that the Unimatic was sold there, although they did make a 50hz/220 volt motor for the mechanism so it isn't surprising.

Okay Louis you know what that means, it's time for you to go out and find one .

 

[foraloysius]

I have no idea how many Unimatics were sold here. This is the first time I have seen an ad with this machine. Actually the same ad turned up a few times more, also in 1959.

Westinghouse frontloaders are the most advertised American washers. But GE and Bendix were sold here too in the fifties. I never saw those on auction sites so finding a Unimatic here would be a real miracle.

 

[Chetlaham]

I bet that 50Hz Unimatic would dry even faster if run on a 240 volt 60Hz supply.

I wish the US would had gone to 220 volts at some point. If not 60Hz, 50Hz would have worked too but as long as it was somewhere between 220-240 volts. Preferably derived via two hot conductors but thats just me.

220-240 volts would have allowed for high powered heaters in front load washers and dishwashers making for faster, more efficient front load washers. Including the possibility of cold only hook ups. Appliances like dryers, stoves and ranges would be simpler by not having 120 volt components. And of course none of that grounding through the neutral stuff would ever have been likely.

FWIW, this is how I imagine an electrical panel in the US if everything was all 240 volts. 20 glorious double pole breakers

(Click to enlarge the pic)

 

[foraloysius]

Amazing Chet how you always know how to go off topic.

 

[maytag85]

I bet that 50Hz Unimatic would dry even faster if run on a 240 volt 60Hz supply.

I wish the US would had gone to 220 volts at some point. If not 60Hz, 50Hz would have worked too but as long as it was somewhere between 220-240 volts. Preferably derived via two hot conductors but thats just me.

220-240 volts would have allowed for high powered heaters in front load washers and dishwashers making for faster, more efficient front load washers. Including the possibility of cold only hook ups. Appliances like dryers, stoves and ranges would be simpler by not having 120 volt components. And of course none of that grounding through the neutral stuff would ever have been likely.

FWIW, this is how I imagine an electrical panel in the US if everything was all 240 volts. 20 glorious double pole breakers

(Click to enlarge the pic)

The North American electrical system and grid is a lot more flexible, can have 120v in your home and have 240v at your disposal when extra power is needed.

Certainly a lot safer since higher voltages carry more current which is no good in regards to safety and so forth.

Oh, most homes in the US have 200 amp service which leaves one with a lot of power at your disposal, pun intended.

Not to mention, higher powered appliances encourages one to be wasteful since there’s more power available. When you only have 120v available with 15 amps available, forced to be mindful in regards to power consumption.

 

[Marky_Mark]

Louis, you might want to edit the thread title to "Unimatic in NL / Electrical musing hijack".