A Filter-Flo goes back into service

[bajaespuma]

I don't think that's the suds kill

The suds kill function is built into the fill flume, an elegant, angular affair molded out of bakelite although later ones were made out of Lexan. Some of the fill water is diverted through a passage inside the bakelite flume downward directly into the massive outer tub. When Louisville dumbed-down the flume for the perf-tub FF's, the new rubber flume was aimed so some of the water got sprayed into the outer tub. From personal experience, their aim was "hit or miss". Where the fill spray for the solid-tub machines is a strong and healthy straight stream, the fill spray on the perf models is the messy scattered spritz of a syphillitic.

 

I think it was Tom Stiyer who explained that the pause in the middle of the first spin only was only there for a circuit-workaround for the first spin when the fill sensor fails to detect any more water in the outer tub (because it has been pumped out) it cuts power to the motor. The cam then proceeds to the next timer interval where the motor power lead gets switched to another hot lead. You can see this in the electrical schematics. I'll try to dig one up.

 

Thanks for the picture of the model number. As I suspected, this was the very first iteration of this 1960 "T"855 model and was most likely manufactured late 1959 (I need to go to my books to figure out the exact date) before GE execs decided to declare 1960 their "Golden Anniversary" year. Later versions of this model featured metallic gold paint on the control panel. Interesting also is the omission of the "OFF" word from the Suds Return selection. If collectible appliances were priced like most other collectibles, this model would be worth a fortune. Thank you for all the pictures and videos of this machine; it is one of my favorites. As I've mentioned in many other posts, we had the BOL model pictured above, the WA-632 with the same turquoise filter pan which I picked out from the used appliance store in 1964. I'm still kicking myself for not taking the filter-pan with me when they sold the house in 1970. I think that was my all-time favorite washer. Look for 1960 Filter-Flo cut sheets in Ephemera soon.

 

[turquoisedude]

Wow! Jon that is just beautiful! I love that turquoise activator cap and clothes guard! I am sure you are having a ball with this one. Will you be able to deploy it as a suds-saver?

Excellent job on the restoration and congratulations!!

Hmmm... Now that I am unemployed again, I just might be able to swing by for a visit...

 

[joefuss1984]

suds kill

An interesting note on the suds kill. I had a new GE washing machine around 2005ish. It was a neutral drain model and was not a Filter Flo (of course). After all of the water drained and the machine would begin to spin, It would start and stop 3 times before starting and completing the spin. According to the owners manual this was to help reduce suds that would interfere with spin.

 

[alr2903]

Very nice machine & photography

The white washload with the aqua trim of the Filterflo are a pleasant thing to see. Congratulations, its a beauty. arthur

 

[jetcone]

Paul

Now that I am unemployed again, I just might be able to swing by for a visit... "You know you are welcome anytime - BUT YOU WILL BE PRESSED INTO SERVICE!!

Ken, thank you for  your efforts on valuing my machine, I thought that turquoise agitator cap was factory despite the 1960 line having black ones like 1956 did. You can come play too. My 1956 thanks to Coldspot preserving it for me is now half way rebuilt and soon to come online as well. By summer we should all be FilterFlowing everywhere!

You maybe right about that swtiching off the fill circuit, although I think Doctrine does refer to it as Sudskill, it maybe there due to the circuitry as well!! Good detective work!

 

[jetcone]

But Ken & Tom

on thinking again on the suds kill. That washer has such a powerful pump that the outer tub is well drained long before the pause for suds kill. So if it was circuit dependent then the motor should stop just as the outer tub was drained, but it doesn't.

 

I am thinking that whole suds kill cycle is timer controlled.

 

 

 

[this post was last edited: 2/13/2013-05:05]

 

[jetcone]

Love how

the clothes dissappear into the depths of the solid tubness under the water!!

 

It's that tension in the pause before RINSE and SPIN. You know it won't last long- but it still feels like forever!!

 

 

[this post was last edited: 2/13/2013-13:32]

 

[bajaespuma]

Just to belabor the point

IIRC just as the outer tub is emptying, the spray rinse starts and ends with the spin pause; so there is still a little bit of water coming into that tub and keeping the fill sensor closed. I forget: does the "WATER SAVER" switch work on the rinse fill?

 

I had never heard the terms "Suds Kill" or "Suds Lock" until I came to this site. Probably because no Filter-Flo we ever had  stalled because of oversudsing. I remember people making mistakes with detergent and suds pouring out of the lid onto the floor, but it never stopped the machine. I think that's because that outer tub is so large that it held the suds until the rinse fill.

 

...and just for the record, I think that Turquoise cap looks so rad! I remember that on our machine, the plastic filter-pan went on to and came off of the activator with some difficulty. Is that true with this one?

 

[jetcone]

Ken

in the solid tub machines there is no water flowing into the tub. The last time the water was coming in was at the fill period. These machines start out "dry" spin "dry" and then fill for rinse and thats the last time water enters the machine.

 

I just timed it at spin start the machine spins out all the water, the outer tub is empty and the pause kicks in for 20 seconds.

 

 

 

[ovrphil]

Not related

...but I want to design and install a spray that emerges out of the clothes guard...always loved water and sprays, fountains...and innovative ideas of delivering water to a container...FF's are becoming more interesting the more I look at them. Thanks for posting, Jetcone.

 

[mrb627]

Agitation Stoke?

What is the agitation stroke on this machine? It is very difficult to tell from the videos. Is it similar to a perf-tub filter-flo machine?

Is there a way to film a 'dry agitate' and post?

Malcolm

 

[swestoyz]

Good question Malcom. Robert had his '58 next to his '61 GE a couple of years ago during a visit, and I noticed the difference in agitation right away when we ran wash through both at the same time. The solid tubs have a slightly longer and slower stroke than the perf tubs. Here's Robert's 61 for example:



John - I'm lovin' this thread! This is one FINE looking GE.[this post was last edited: 2/13/2013-13:39]

 

[jetcone]

Wow Ben

That is a faster stroke for sure. And I did not know the first pert tubs had the center flume! 

 

[mrb627]

61 Agitation

That is the agitation speed that I would expect.

Malcolm

 

[bajaespuma]

The first 2 versions of the V-12's used the center position flume; they weren't very well built even compared to the Solid-tub flumes. They were kind of flimsy and the one on the V-12 that Robert gave me broke off and then he told me that the one on his Rotary Fabric Dial model also needed to be replaced. And they are very hard to find. Later on during that model year, the flumes were improved and moved to the 1:00 position where they stayed for 30+ years.

 

Jon, our WA-632T and my WA-850P had/have a spray rinse during the first spin.

 

I have an explanation somewhere of the 160-degree stroke for the new V-12 spiral ramped activators and why it's a good thing. Also, the first "V" models had a steel-capped filter pan which I have never seen in real life. I think the bosses kaboshed them after they produced the literature but before they put them on the market.

 

Will look for documentation.

 

[bajaespuma]

The spray rinse(s):

 

[jetcone]

Cool Ken

So your research is saying GE produced a solid tub machine in 1960 WA-632T that had a spray rinse in spin?? WOW Never have I seen a solid tub with spray rinse , now that is one rare bird. Gonna have to take a closer look at the 1960 line.

I too have never seen a SS capped filter pan out in the field! Only in commercial lit!

 

 

 

[tgm8000]

SS capted filter pan

My Moms 1960 TOL programmed GE washer had that turquise filter pan with the SS cap. I remember the cap would never stay on the top of the filter pan.

 

[jetcone]

Oh Ken


"Probably because no Filter-Flo we ever had  stalled because of oversudsing." I remember in the 1960's our '56 FF sudslocking when and only when the one time Mom bought Tide. It went into spin and the suds were flopping back over the tub ring,the tub could hardly turn, I went and told her and she threw the box out. Back to Cheer right away.

 

Whats all that suds on campus in your picture, meant to ask earlier? Is  that from Fringe??

 

 

[bigalsf]

Congrats Jon & thank you for sharing. That is a very cool machine; I've never seen a solid tub working in person. Your video is excellent! The agitation is very smooth & surprisingly powerful. I didn't think that agitator could move that much water. Boy was I wrong! Thanks again!