A New Interface for the Super Unimatic 2.0

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Unimatic1140

Unimatic1140

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Apr 26, 2001
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I can never figure out which forum to post this subject in as it really can fit in all three forums here. I've made some improvements/updates to my Super Unimatic washer that I wanted to share with everyone. As many of you all know over the past couple of years I've slowly built and improved upon a home made washer from scratch using parts from washers of all kinds and built a computer interface to run the machine <br
In assembling the machine I've used parts as early as 1950 all the way through modern washer parts of 2007, as well as some dishwasher parts. It is run by an older computer via my home made relay boards with software I've written in Visual Basic. The main new features I’ve added this year are <br
- a water flow sensor to measure the amount of water the washer is using at any point in the cycle as well as to tell me the total water usage
- I changed the recirculation nozzle to one from an old 60's/70's Kenmore combo spray nozzle, it produces a nice fan style spray during the spinning prewash
- I’ve completely rebuilt the Computer/Washer interface making it completely enclosed and water tight by using a Rubbermaid container <br
Here are some pictures of the machine and its components, over the weekend I will take some more shots of the machine running as well as screen captures or the updated software

http://automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/...gi?dir=/COLLECTIONS/_SUPER_UNIMATIC_2_point_0
 
Amazing!!!!

Absolutely Amazing
Robert , did you decide that you were going to d
2.0 all in one "Big Bang" event? Do you think o
one thing to add at a time? How soon before you will nee
a "newer" computer? The water proofing with switch is m
favorite part!
 
What a genious! That sure is an interesting project! Are you going to make the unit completely self contained?
 
Drooling here <br
Samantha- you one talented broad. :- <br
So perhaps for another thread:
Since your wash cycles are custom programmable, what would your ideal whiter-than-white "WHITES" cycle be?
Can the on-board heater raise the water temp (significantly)as well as maintain it?
 
Robert, that is just fantastic!! You have really made some changes since I last saw that wonderful machine. Looking forward to seeing some pictures of it running.
 
Thanks everyone, I'll take more pictures soon. And yes I'm going to bring this machine to the Omaha wash in

<i>Robert , did you decide that you were going to do
2.0 all in one "Big Bang" event? Do you think of
one thing to add at a time? How soon before you will need
a "newer" computer?</i
Hi Darrel, no I sort of think of things I want to add slowly, like in when I'm on the Freeway or in Business Meetings (it's the Attention Deficit Disorder you know :) . Then I have to research how I'm going to do it and I collect the parts. Sometimes I find a part and think, cool I can use this in the machine. The computer I have works just fine, and I can't ever imagine it not being able to do what ever I throw at it. I do want to get a flat screen monitor for it, just to make more room <br
<i>Do you have any ideas for a softener dispenser yet? </i
I do have two possibilities Greg, the only thing I haven't decided yet is where on the outside of the machine to add it so it's least in the way <br
<i>Are you going to make the unit completely self contained?</i
Nope, I love having it attached to a PC, it's the ultimate in "Dial Pushing" or flexibility <br
<i>Any changes in the cycle?</i
Hi Louis, yes I've changed the cycles constantly, I'm always thinking of things I want to try and its real easy with the software to try anything with any length of time. The biggest change to the cycles has been using the sensors to detect when it's time to move to the next step over using a specific time period. All fills now are metered either by the recirculation pump pressure or by actual amount of water that has entered the machine <br
<i>Can the on-board heater raise the water temp (significantly)as well as maintain it? </i
Hi Toggs, since the water heater is only 120 volts it's not that powerful. It does rise the water temperature maybe 6 degrees in 20 minutes, but what it's really there for is it keep the water temperature from dropping. <br
<font color=red>Here is my Whitest-Whites Cycle for white towels or as I call it "Hot Suds Towels", it's my longest cycle, I have lotsof cycles...</font <br
VARI - Means the time is variable, a sensor determines when it's time to move on <br
00:30 - "Hot Water Line Flush" (Runs hot water into outer tub and pumps it down the drain to clear the hot water line of cold water) <br
VARI - "1 Gallon Fill" Fills Outer Cabinet with exactly 1 Gallon of Hot Wate <br
00:04 - "Rotate" Spin Wash Tub to approximately 100 rp <br
00:20 - "Clothes Guard Spray" Pumps the 1 gallon of hot water up through the recirculation pump onto top of dry clothes so dry lightweight items like socks wont go over the top of the tub during the Spinning Pre-Wash <br
00:25 - "Gain Speed" Spin wash tub up to full speed at 1140rp <br
BEGIN Pre-Wash (4 Minutes of Magic
04:00 - With the tub spinning at 1140rpm the motor is turned off and the tub is allowed to simply coast down slowly downward from 1140rpm. The recirculation pump going and now the heater is turned on, hot water is filled through the detergent dispenser pushing the detergent and hot water into the outer cabinet which is pumped up into the spinning tub. When the recirculation pump comes up to full pressure (usually takes about another 1.25 gallons), the computer stops filling. Since there is only about 2.25 or so gallons of water mixed in with the full strength of detergent the concentration is very high. As the tub slows down to about 350rpm, the motor is pulsed back on for a few seconds to keep the wash tub spinning from 650rpm to 350rpm during the rest of the Pre-wash <br
VARI-Brake is applied and recirculation pump pushes all the water from the outer cabinet back into the wash tub, when the outer cabinet is empty the pump pressure switch opens telling the computer to move on <br
VARI-The washer fills through the detergent dispenser with hot and it is pumped into the wash tub. When the pump pressure comes up to full again the computer knows that the wash tub is full and overflowing and its time to move on. Usually takes about 10 gallons <br
20:00 "Wash, Heat and Soak" - The washer Agitates for 168 seconds, then soaks for 58 seconds and it repeats those intervals for the next 20 minutes. The recirculation is going as well as the heat during both the washing and soaking <br
01:00 "Drain Cabinet" the washer pumps out water and suds from the outer cabinet down the drain <br
02:00 "Spin-Rinse", the tub spins and throws out its water into the outer cabinet, when the tub is up to full speed there are four 7-second Jet-Circle Spray Rinses added <br
VARI-Rinse Fill, Exactly 10.5 gallons of cool or cold water is filled directly into the wash tub via the Jet-Circle Spray for the rinse. The computer analyzes today's date to determine if it should use cool or cold water. May-October it's cold, November thru April it's cool <br
02:00-"Overflow Rinse" the washer agitates and water is added to the wash tub and it is overflowed into the outer tub and down the drain <br
01:00="Softening Rinse" - The overflow part of the rinse is stopped but agitation continues in case I want to add softener so it will not overflow the softener away. (This is where the dispenser will come in once I've added it) <br
07:00-"Imperial Rapidry" - 1140rpm for 7 Minutes gets those towels really dry! At the beginning two 7-second spray rinses are added.
 
IMPRESSIVE !!

Incredible the amount of detail. And it looks good too <br
So, is the computer going to be connected to the internet with a web cam and people can pay to give it commands and watch it in action? lol, we can over fill it... and put in too much detergent... lol. No, we wouldn't do that
But online washer access, wow, that would be "the next step" to
"the digital evolution of the Unimatic".
 
Oy!

All of that wiring <br
That's amazing that you're able to decipher all of that <br
I'm lost after the power cord. <br
~Fred
 
I LOVE IT!

When did you decide the onboard relays couldn't handle the juice? I would suspect they can handle most of the 120V stuff but not about say anything over 400 Watts of power. So you would need the heavy relays for the spin up and the heater but the water valves?? They should draw no more than 1.5 amps tops! <br
So do you have the onboard relays trip the 16 Amp relays? That would be a relay within a relay within a relay!! <br
And all those hoses my my they are carrying alot of water to and fro! I need to build a Bendix SuperMatic with electronic shock dampers!!!
 
Good-bye, everyone ! Robert, you won my heart long ago; now

After reading the transcendental "Hot Suds Towels" cycle, I died and went to heaven.
 
When George Bush and God had their daily chat, they decided

"Inside the interface" is so intricate it made me think of what neurosurgery must be like. All those tiny items must be exactly matched to corresponding tiny items. How many years of practice does it take <br
All of your metal goosenecks looks like classic GE's. Nice <br
Tried to find the older Super Uni photos because the new turbo doesn't look so different. Guess it so dramatic in the Whirly Combo because it's shooting upward in a narrower frame. Can you link the older photos <br
Reading the Hot Sudsy Towels Cycle made me realize permanently that you really have the washing sickness/giftedness--as good or bad as it gets. I have it too. You've made all the dreams come true: spray rinsing in the unimatic, NOT getting any cold water contaminating the HOT, neutral draining without agitation even if it's only in the outer tub, a long wash with periodic soaks, recirculating water, a catalyst cycle, CIRCLE fills&sprays AND an overflow--indeed, these are the things that Frigidaire boys fantasized about, and many of you know exactly what I'm talking about, and that is why this club is so IRREPLACEABLE, and why Robert is such a gift for giving us a home. WHERE ELSE COULD WE GO <br
WE ARE WASHING MACHINE MEN AND WOMEN AND THIS IS OUR HOME. <br
 
<i>So you would need the heavy relays for the spin up and the heater but the water valves?? They should draw no more than 1.5 amps tops!! </i
Jon, I'm not using the extra 16AMP relays for the water valves, only the Motor, Heater, Drain Pump, Recirculation Pump and Spin Solenoid. While I really don't need the extra relays for the Pumps and Spin Solenoid, my original computer interface board had 5AMP relays so just to be sure I added the extra three Heavy Duty ones to keep them happy and cool. My new computer interface relay boards have 10Amp relays so they are even more durable <br
<i>So do you have the onboard relays trip the 16 Amp relays? That would be a relay within a relay within a relay!!! </i
Yes, you got it. I will keep the relays inside the Interface happy for years to come <br
<i>Reading the Hot Sudsy Towels Cycle made me realize permanently that you really have the washing sickness/giftedness--as good or bad as it gets. I have it too.</i
You got that right Mike. What thing fun about the Super Unimatic is I can experiment to my hearts content. Like what I tried this morning. OK here's a question for everyone, what do you think happens when YOU MOUNT TWO PULSATORS ON TOP OF EACH OTHER AS THE NEW AGITATOR?...

http://automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/...pg&dir=/COLLECTIONS/_SUPER_UNIMATIC_2_point_0
 
OK, now you've gone TOO FAR, Mister! I'm starting to fear for your emotional stability. If that monster-machine is found wandering the countryside looking for a mate, you'll have no one to blame but yourself when the torch-wielding villagers arrive at your doorstep.
 
I know the answer to two pulsators <br
Eventually, when the machine has completed it's assigned cycle, you will open the lid and the towels and/or clothes selected to wash in the machine will dissappear!!!!! Gone, shredded, out, down the drain. Wash em till they breakdown to nothing <br
Ducks and Runs...FAS <br
Steve
 
pure brilliance, amazing, inventive, and innovative the best of vintage meets modern technology go robert! we need mass distribution of such a unique solid washer! wheres the matching dryer? LOL ;P
 
Two pulsators - that is pretty funny, I was thinking about that earlier today! Robert - I tip my at at your - the hours of soldering looks awesome. Guys I must say - this machine is a treat to see in person - absolutely the best fun you an have with a 10 y/o PC and a few afternoons with some wire and relays. <br
Those beefy 16A relays are some nice insurance - that'd be a good way to save a timer on a Standard Unimatic - have the timer drive a relay that controls both the motor and the spin solenoid. Save a contact - replace a relay - Good idea <br
Be
y - Good idea <br
Be <br
 

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