Blue box mod1

[supremewhirlpol]

The first part of this mod is finished.

 

[tolivac]

Now there is a solution for those hard to find flourescent appliance bulbs-replace them with a metal halide bulb!I may have to do that for my WP and KN washers that need the new flourescent appliance bulbs-NO ONE has them here!But the metal halide bulbs and ballasts are EASIER to find!And the MH bulb should last longer,too.Like the vapor tight fixture maounted in the control panel.NEAT!!And the washer chassis serves as a heat sink for the ballast!It will last longer,too!If only light fixtures had better heat sinks for the ballast and igniter.Stay tuned-you may be able to get Digital electronic ballasts for such bulbs,Venture,Advance,are working on them.The photocell is interesting,too.Many fixtures have them so you could use the cell from a fixture.

 

[supremewhirlpol]

Hi Rex!
That's interesting, Florescent lamps hard to find? The 25W Incandescent bulb that this machine used cost me $3.50. Feit Electric brand, too bad this bulb isn't going to last 3 months. The MH lamps and ballasts are still widely available. Depending on where you get them the ballast kits can be expensive. Now I have seen MH lamps as small as 20W that use electronic ballasts. Even the electronic ones are costly.

 

[supremewhirlpol]

part 2

Now its time for mod1, part 2.

 

[supremewhirlpol]

Here is the underside of the top

 

[supremewhirlpol]

MOD1, part 2 is the modification of the splash guard. I have an extra just in case I mess up. The other is slightly different, but will work.

 

[supremewhirlpol]

The plan is to cut out different areas around the splash guard, place plexiglass over them so the light from the MH fixture can shine through. I marked areas around the splash guard to cut out, keeping in mind where the seal meets with the underside of the splash guard. The I've marked boundary areas around the cut-out in the center, as I don't want to weaken this area too much.

 

[supremewhirlpol]

Here is a picture of the amount of light in the machine from cutting out places on the splash guard. The plexiglass has not been put in.

 

[supremewhirlpol]

The areas have been cut out.

 

[supremewhirlpol]

Splash guard drying from being cleaned in preparation for the plexiglass.

 

[supremewhirlpol]

Plexiglass placement

 

[supremewhirlpol]

Sealer applied to areas. Time for plexiglass and sealer to cure

 

[tolivac]

the "Appliance flourescent bulbs just don't exist in my area.Tried all sources-even Grainger didn't carry them anymore-same with any of the appliance parts stores.Yet the MH ballasts and bulbs are available.I have two 400W MH,HP sodium digital ballasts-got them from Growers Supply.They work well with 400W Sodium bulbs,400W probe start MH and pulse start MH 400W bulbs.you cannot use the Philips "retro White" 400W MH conversion bulbs on these-it will blow the bulb.(Retro-White is a ceramic arc tube MH conversion bulb for 400W HP sodium-Philips also makes them in 250W.)I use the Philips bulbs on conventional HP ballasts only.The bulbs are available online.Will have to order some more-they are very nice bulbs-you can get WHITE light from a HP sodium fixture!I have several portable 35W and one 50W portable battery powered lights that use the "Xenide" bulbs.Like HID car headlights.you can get car headlight kits and adapt them to work on portable halogen spotlights.You get more light,longer bulb life,cooler operation and less power draw-the battery will run the light longer.I suppose one could use a car HID bulb for a washer lamp conversion-there are many types of power supplies about that can step the 120VAC down to 12VDC for the car HID bulbs ballast primary voltage.and the car ballasts can withstand heat and moisture.the car and portable HID bulbs ballasts are digital.Like the regular HID bulb the xenide ones would have to be protected from splashing.

 

[combo52]

REPLACEMENT FLORESCENT LIGHT BULBS

Rex and others WP still sells the 26" florescent bulb used in many WP & KM washer & dryers for the full width console light. You can also get them from Graingers but I recently found they were cheaper from WP.

 

[tolivac]

Graingers in my area was the first thing I tried-the store here didn't have the bulbs.Same with D&M appliance parts-and the lighting stores here-so my flourscent lights on my two washers that use them are dark.

 

[mrb627]

Sweet

Now there's a couple of neat modifications.  I was gonna suggest some type of rope lighting around the underside of the D shaped lip.  But this looks like it will work just fine.

 

Malcolm

 

[yogitunes]

One question.......How are you cutting into this porcelain without chipping it?......this is opening a whole world of possibilities......

Thanks Melvin

I also like Malcolm's idea of rope lights too!

 

[supremewhirlpol]

Malcolm, I'm one step ahead of you. Yes, a good idea that I've been planning for 3 weeks now. It's MOD1, part3, Without revealing what it is yet.

Martin, I use a Craftsman Rotary Tool and cut-off disks for MOD1, part2. When you cut the porcelain it does still chip, so wear safety glasses (of coarse). Just cut the metal very slowly. The side you do the cutting on will be the most chipped. I should have cut from the bottom of the splash guard instead of the top. Look at the the edges of where I cut. There are small chips taken out, this is the side I applied the cutting wheel to.

 

[supremewhirlpol]

Now look at the underside. Hardly no chipping. Lesson: If you want to keep the top porcelain finish looking good(the edges), cut from the bottom side.

 

[yogitunes]

we all live and learn..........but loving these ideas.........

got me thinking about the rope lights, and hooking them up to the lid switch for activation......

Thanks for the pics