BOL Wards!

[norgeman]

Re: Norge washer

Thank you Swestoyz for a most enjoyable video. The Norge/Wards washers were and have been my favorite for years. I think that they are the best washers by far. I had a
Wards washer and it was the best one me and my wife have ever owned. We used to yards sales and people always asked us how we got the kids'clothes so clean with no stains on any of the peices. I used to tell them it was because of the washer being so heavy duty with a 3/4hp. motor and a commerically proven transmission. It would move the clothes through the hot sudsy water very vigorously. Thanks again for the video. Norgeman, Danf.

 

[toggleswitch]

BANG- you're dead!

Another thing about the wiring of the water-level /pressure switch.

The thee wires most likely tells us tha power comes in and is shot back out under both "full" and "empty" condtions.

When "empty" the power allows for fill or spin, depending on the timer's postion. When "full" it allows for agitation!

It was always fun to move the water level up to to the "reset" position and to hear the tub-brake clunk in "early" to get a premature spin-drain as opposed to a more neutral drain and spin!

 

[toggleswitch]

oooh I had forgotten about that brief indexing until locked!

~This machine does not have an indexing tub during agitation - but does something very crafty when agitation starts (after)a spin. I noticed ............ it will spin and lock into place with a nice clunk.

The brake is so effective that the tub actually bounces back (in the reverse direcion) from where it is instantly stopped by the brake.

 

[swestoyz]

Thanks to Kenny I was able to find the clips that held the top panel down. For those who are interested - here are some shots of the clutch.

 

[swestoyz]

In this shot you can see my finger is holding the solenoid in the spin position. It has released the swing arm which allows the power assembly to spin freely.

 

[swestoyz]

In the next shot the solenoid is released to a non-energized state - preparing for a brake. The little tab is about to hit the portion of what I will call the ring that will force the assembly to stop.

 

[swestoyz]

Here you can see the swing arm has been pulled in far enough that the tang has it the brake ring. This is where the famous shot gun sound comes from. Can you imagine this spinning at 600+ RPM and BAM!

 

[swestoyz]

To start agitation the power assembly would spin counter clockwise. This will cause the swing arm to ride along the outside of the brake ring until it hits the opposite side of the tang. This is where the visible spin of the drum comes from once the machine engages into agitation.

Cool stuff!

I know this may be old hat for some, but hopefully some new insight for others. Enjoy!

Ben

 

[tuthill]

So the whole force of the spinning tub just slams into the metal swing arm and stops instantly? seems like that would break something pretty quickly. Or is there some sort of mechanism that allows it to slow the tub down over a period of time... I'm kinda confused.

I've always wondered why Frigidaire thumpers have their tubs spin when agitation starts... I assume it is for similar reasons/mechanisms as shown above?

 

[bobbins]

I notice the design concept is very similar to a Maytag. Does the whole tranny spin - like the Maytay?

Bob

 

[cvillewasherbo]

video

did I miss something, I only see still life pics. Where's the video. I'm sure I missed it somewhere.
Courtney in waynesboro

 

[swestoyz]

Here is a shot of the power assembly in spin - sorry for the poor quality. This machine is very similar to a Helical Maytag - minus the solenoid brake. It seems to do the job just fine - material wise, and I wouldn't imagine that it would break anytime soon.

Ben

 

[fltcoils]

Or

alternate pic

 

[bpetersxx]

noege washer

vote if u want to see my pics and video

 

[seeitrun2006]

Norge washer spin brake sound like shot gun

My Dad retired from delivering propane gas to rural customers in the late 80's. Their customers normally did not have access to city natural gas. The company also serviced space heaters, gas hot waters heaters, furnaces and gas dryers in the homes.

A customer wanted my Dad to come in and check the pilot light on a space heater in their bathroom. The customer was not home at the time but told him when they ordered gas to go in (sign of the times in the late sixties-early Seventies in rural GA)and service the heater. Dad went to the bathroom where the space heater was and noticed the washing machine next to the heater was still running. He was down working on the heater and heard the washer turn off and it was coasting down to a stop so he thought. As my Dad put it "the damn thing souned like a shot gun went off "F-LING, F-LING, F-LING! Then it stopped! My dad said it like to have scared him to death as he has always been a little gun shy!

He knew my fascination with washers and told me about it I replied to him it was a norge washer and the spin brake had kicked in. He just stood there looking at me shaking his head saying to my Mom how can a 11 year old kid know this!

There use to be a 1-hour Martinizing dry cleaner with a laundromat next with norge washer. You can imagine the sound in that place when all the washer was stopping the spin cycle. Sounded like a shot gun firing range at times.

 

[combo52]

Basic Norge Built Wards Washer

The reason that the water level control was inside the control panel was that this was a basic model that was not intended to be sold in any number, they built very few basic models like this.

 

They used an off the shelf adjustable WLC because it was cheaper than making a non-adjustable just for a cheap low volume machine.

 

If a salesman actually sold this machine they got zero commission [ sometimes they were even docked commission for selling these models ] It would not have cost the manufacturer one cent to have this washer built with the WLC extending through the panel so the user could adjust the WL.

 

Problem is if they make the $179 washer look too attractive to buyers they will insist on buying this model and Wards will not make any money, the $179 price was just intended to get you in the store so the salesperson could explain why you really needed a nicer model that cost $259.

 

Thats one of the things that makes these BOL models so fun as they are much more rare than any other model including expensive TOL models.

 

John L.

 

[tomturbomatic]

The ultra low water level the switch provided enabled Norge to sell their more deluxe models as 2 to 14 pound washers that did 2 pound loads without any attachments--a dig at GE's mini basket.

OT: GE really expanded the concept of the mini basket even going so far as to add a mini basket in some of their percolators for perking 2-4 cups of coffee. It was orange plastic and narrower than the metal basket for the ground coffee. It held the bed of grounds at a greater depth than they would be if spread out in the larger metal basket. The top of the plastic basket flared out to make a seal against the metal basket so that water did not run past it.

 

[appnut]

Reply #15 "load limit agitator guide"

The Norge Cleaning Village we went to (use the Dry Cleaning machines) and when the 55 GE or the Norge15 had "issues", replaced their TimeLine coin-op washers with 1965-1967 Norge coin-ops that sounded just like our Norge15.  These new coin-ops had the same load "skirt" barrier/max load line device on their agitators too.  In fact those machines had th4e very same features as this one.  But temps back then were  H/W, W/C, and C/C wash/rinse temps.  Fabric selector switch was regular (Normal/Normal) and Durable Press (N/S).  They also had an OOB switch with buzzer.  When it went OOB, there was a little red light that lit up that was on top of the backsplash (like a little cop car light).  _