I am putting the finishing touches on my thesis for my MFA degree in historic preservation. I have this community to thank for the inspiration behind it all (Thanks y'all!). The topic of my thesis is: Learning Sustainable Building Design From Historic Buildings. Basically, my thoughts are that historic buildings (and appliances) can be a great deal more energy efficient than we give them credit for, especially when considering the energy and resources used to dispose of an old one, create a new one, and the service life of old vs. new. A water/energy thrifty appliance is great, but if it only lasts a short while it's kind of a waste.
One device I have learned about on AW.org that I have never seen in person is a Suds Saver. I am including the Maytag suds saver as an example of old water saving technology that is no longer available, but still viable. My question is, when did Maytag stop offering suds savers? I'm certain they were available into the 1980s, or even 1990s, but I could really use an exact year.
Also, the tank in Robert's GE AW6 that saves the water from the second rinse is something I would like to cite. Does anyone out there in Washerland know what years the rinse-saving tank was component of the machines? Did any other washers use a rinse-saving tank?
I am proposing that these two items can be brought back, resulting in a new generation of washing machines that use more water per cycle than the way-too-dry front loaders of today. Hopefully this would result in cleaner, better-rinsed laundry with shorter cycles while using less water over the course of laundry day than a conventional top-loader.
My thoughts on the new stuff are that a new, energy-efficient appliance is worthless if it cannot do the job implied by its name. I have a Maytag A208, and my mother has a GE front-loader (not the FriGEMore, the bigger one, I just can't remember its name). My A208 washes a load in about 30 minutes, rinses clean and the laundry coming out is always clean. My mother's GE can filter neither lint nor hair. It is very good, however, at knotting up the laundry and forming a giant knotted ball. It also likes to rip holes in my new bedsheets. (Quiet Toggleswitch!). It does all this in up to 2 hours per cycle! The new GE has taught me that new is not always better.
If y'all have answers to my questions about vintage energy-saving appliance designs, please let me know. I am also citing AW.org in my paper, but not citing specific posts or people in order to protect people's privacy. Also, some items have been discussed numerous times by lots of people and trying to determine who first brought it up years ago is virtually impossible. Besides, lots of the information I'm looking for is available from the companies that made the products. It's just that the people here are a lot nicer, better-organized, more accurate, and actually give a darn.
Thank you all for your input, both now and for the last several years. Without you, my thesis couldn't exist.
Dave
One device I have learned about on AW.org that I have never seen in person is a Suds Saver. I am including the Maytag suds saver as an example of old water saving technology that is no longer available, but still viable. My question is, when did Maytag stop offering suds savers? I'm certain they were available into the 1980s, or even 1990s, but I could really use an exact year.
Also, the tank in Robert's GE AW6 that saves the water from the second rinse is something I would like to cite. Does anyone out there in Washerland know what years the rinse-saving tank was component of the machines? Did any other washers use a rinse-saving tank?
I am proposing that these two items can be brought back, resulting in a new generation of washing machines that use more water per cycle than the way-too-dry front loaders of today. Hopefully this would result in cleaner, better-rinsed laundry with shorter cycles while using less water over the course of laundry day than a conventional top-loader.
My thoughts on the new stuff are that a new, energy-efficient appliance is worthless if it cannot do the job implied by its name. I have a Maytag A208, and my mother has a GE front-loader (not the FriGEMore, the bigger one, I just can't remember its name). My A208 washes a load in about 30 minutes, rinses clean and the laundry coming out is always clean. My mother's GE can filter neither lint nor hair. It is very good, however, at knotting up the laundry and forming a giant knotted ball. It also likes to rip holes in my new bedsheets. (Quiet Toggleswitch!). It does all this in up to 2 hours per cycle! The new GE has taught me that new is not always better.
If y'all have answers to my questions about vintage energy-saving appliance designs, please let me know. I am also citing AW.org in my paper, but not citing specific posts or people in order to protect people's privacy. Also, some items have been discussed numerous times by lots of people and trying to determine who first brought it up years ago is virtually impossible. Besides, lots of the information I'm looking for is available from the companies that made the products. It's just that the people here are a lot nicer, better-organized, more accurate, and actually give a darn.
Thank you all for your input, both now and for the last several years. Without you, my thesis couldn't exist.
Dave
