An idea for the Super Unimatic machine

[revvinkevin]

“Super Unimaticized” Front Loader....

I would have to agree with "gizmo" on what I would love to see in a front load washer. Though I don't know how the "stop and re-tumble halfway through final spin..." would benifit anything. However having a 40 - 50 rpm tumble for 30 sec, after the final spin to loosten and fluff the cloths from the drum would be great!

ROBERT: (You may already know this...) Quickly ramping up to a 1200 RPM spin speed would be great to see and hear, but with heavy, water logged items (like towels) you will need to have a 5 - 10 second "pulse spin" to remove a good portion of the water prior to your high RPM spin. REASON: the distance or air gap between the outer tub and inner drum is minimal and water will become "trapped" between the two, not draining quickly enough and will cause undue strain on the motor as it tries to get the drum up to max RPM.

I have a 10 year old Frigidaire FL with a mechanical timer and if it did not have the "pulse spin" it would have serious difficulty obtaining it's 650 RPM (max) spin speed, except for maybe the last minute (or so) of the final spin.

 

[funguy10]

Also with a load like that it is important to have some form of self-balancing. Do you want a smooth-spinning washer, or an earthquake factory?

 

[pulsator]

Honestly, I think washers are a lot more fun when they are off balance! Of course, not so much that they are banging around, but just enough to really shake! I QUITE often load mom's Fisher Paykel with a load from one of my slower spinning machines completely on one side! The machines seems to be able to handle it and it makes for a lot of fun! Our old DD Kenmore washer used to jiggle and shake all over the place! YAY!!!

 

[volvoguy87]

A few thoughts...

Most of mt FL experience is with a GE Adora (POS model).
1. A detergent dispenser drawr with enough compartments. One for detergent, one for real chlorine bleach, one for fabric softener, one for bluing. Also, compartments for grated Fels Naptha, washing soda, borax, and STPP.
2. Tanks or hoppers for the aforementioned products, like that nice Norge machine someone in the club has.
3. A Fels Naptha grinder, just drop in the bar, and it grinds a dose, wash another load, grind another dose until the bar's gone.
4. Interior light, able to be switched on at any time whether the machine's running or off.
5. Fan-forced drying. I hate leaving the door and dispenser drawr open after I finish, have a fan to blow air through the machine to prevent mold and mildew.
6. Is a F/L suds saver possible?
7. A recirculating lint filter that I have to clean, none of this "self cleaning" nonsense.
8. A clock on the front.
9. A backlit emblem that lights up when the machine is on. Hopefully in a cool green or red, none of this electric blue that has become so popular.
10. Make it a bolt-down just to be sure it won't move when off balence.
11. Weigh-to-Save door.
12. Handles to make moving the machine easier.
13. A metal cabinet, not plastic.
14. A screen and internet connection so we can read the forums without having to leave the laundry room.

Now if only someone could invent an automatic folder,
Dave

 

[spankomatic]

adding to the list... This is fun!

A. Heated glass window that defogs for better visiblity.
B. Hydrolic lift kit so you don't have to bend over to get the
clothes in and out. The entire machine would rise to a
variable level for ease.
C. I like user friendly,good funtionality machines. Doors that
are easy to open.Soap dispensers that are easy to open and
fill. Knobs that are easy to turn and have a good smooth
feel to them. Easy cleaning lids,doors,buttons,filters,soap
dispensors.
D. Very smooth running,very quiet machine
E. Energy monitor that monitors,electricity,water usage,with
a water temp gauge,actual wash and spin speeds,actual weight
F. Really cool lighted control panel. Perhaps fiber optics type
lighting.
G. Really good inside basket lighting that can be used when
the machine is running.
H. Good sound effects. Wide selection of tones to choose from.
I. It should be a handsom machine. Great sleek lines. Ya just
can't stop looking at it looks.

 

[lederstiefel1]

Interesting to read all your wishes!
I'd love to get a "super twinnie" that can fill to the required level with the correct temperature and does a post-heating if the required temperature is not available from the tab directely. Then the machine should have the oportunity to use it with an agitator as well as with a second, very gentle or very quick drive like jet-streams or big pulsator plate to choose what ever you like! It must be of mostly stainless steel - I hate plastic! And also must have two transparent lids to watch the washing as well as the spin-rinse action with multi-jets and automatic switch to final spin when suds have disappeared. Final spinning should be choosable for different fabrics: short fast, short slow, and long fast.
The machine should have a convenient hight, very silent running motors and gears and should be easy to connect and move arround on smooth running wheels.
A must is the fluff filter-tray in the washing cabinet and all processes should be switchable undependendly from each other.
Have I forgotten something??
Ah, yes! A superfast spinner is essential when a dryer is used afterwards!

Ralf

 

[launderess]

Now if only someone could invent an automatic folder,

They have been around for ages,though mainly in commercial laundries and OPL (on premise laundry. There are machines that fold flatwork (sheets, towels, etc), and others that will fold shirts. You did't think large commercial laundries folded thousands of towels processed daily by hand, did you? *LOL*

Machine folding is one reason many commercial laundries do not like fitted sheets, as they are a pain to get through the automatic ironing and folding equipment.

L.

 

[revvinkevin]

Hydrolic lift... the entire machine would rise... so you don

This feature, like the automatic folders, are also available for large commercial/industrial laundries. The very large (read: really HUGE) capacity machines have tilt back / tilt forward to aid the loading / unloading.

Check out the specs in the link below, this thing could wash a years worth(?) of laundry in one load (OK, maybe only 6 months worth...)

Hey, does anyone have any connections to get a tour of a commercial / industrial laundry facility??

http://www.milnor.com/product.asp?retid=157&categoryID=38&productID=4534

 

[funguy10]

May I ask: What is bluing and what is suds saver?

 

[funguy10]

May I ask: What is bluing and what is suds saver?

 

[DADoES]

This is bluing. It's a blue dye used to whiten whites by ever-so-faintly tinting them blue to counteract yellowing. Proper dosing is crucial, too much bluing turns whites BLUE instead of optically making them appear whiter. Bluing typically is used either in the rinse or at least as a separate water change from the wash phase. Ross, however, has a special recipe that involves bluing in the wash.

Suds saver is a method to retain the soapy/sudsy wash water in a storage tub via a separate drain hose and diversion valve. Rinse water goes down the drain normally. Then a special setting on the machine sucks the saved wash water back in for use with another load of clothes. Of course, one has to plan ahead, as bleach wash water from a load of whites could not be reused for a load of colors.

 

[volvoguy87]

To clarify...

Bluing is great. It is fast, cheap, easy, and effective. Pick up a bottle of Mrs. Stewart's Bluing and give it a try.
A suds saver is as described above (thanks DADoES!). In old fashioned basements equipped with double wash tubs, the regular drain hose would dump the water into one sink, and the suds saver hose would dump into the other. To use the suds saver, plug the drain of the storage sink, and the machine will drain the wash water into the plugged sink (the suds saver hose is longer than the drain hose and comes down to the bottom of the sink). The machine will then function and drain normally for the rest of the cycle. To use the saved suds (wash water from the first load, now in the sink) the machine must be set to return suds. The pump runs backward and sucks the wash water from the sink back into the machine. While the water is in the sink, the gross stuff either floats to the top or sinks to the bottom. The suds return function leaves some water behind in the sink so as to avoid sucking the nasty stuff back into the machine. After returning the suds, the machine must be topped off with a little additional water and detergent. A suds saver saves water, detergent, and fuel for heating the water, when compared to conventional draining.

The GE AW6 dates from a time when soap was used instead of detergent. Soap is harder to rinse out than detergent, and usually requires 2 hot or warm rinses. The AW6 saved the water from the second rinse to be used for the first rinse in the next load. Kind of like a suds saver for the rinse water. Combine a suds saver and a rinse saver and see how much more water we can use in our machines to get our clothes clean, and yet still use little water from the tap.

Seriously, how much water can we save? Can we even approach modern front-loader water thrift with the benefits of traditional top-loading reliability and performance?

I want to see some numbers here, people!
Dave

 

[mattl]

Suds saver tubs, newer

I have a newer version of the suds saver tub. It is a plastic/vinyl design 18" wide with a dual drain spigot in the back to discharge water. The lower one is set up to have a hose attached to recycle the wash water and the upper discharge potion is designed to drain into a stand tube. The hoses come out of the side of the metal cabinet for easy attachment.

I originally had the avocado green cabint with this unit, only one available, but when I went to the almond Sears electronic 90 about 10 years ago I installed the tub it in a modern kitchen cabinet. I designed a Formica top for the unit so when it is in place it adds counter space.