Direct Drive Top Load Washers
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Whirlpool would be the other.
Whirlpool top load washers are direct drive in the sense that they do not use a belt to transfer motion from the motor to the tranny and pump. W/P uses a double shaft motor that has the pump keyed to one side and the tranny, through a motor coupling on the other. Uses a 110v ac washer motor. Hope this helps!
F&P vs. other direct-drive toploaders
Direct-drive only technically refers to whether or not a belt is involved. Different motor designs are used. Whirlpool/Roper/Kenmore/KitchenAid machines still use a transmission to translate the motor's rotation into agitator oscillation. Fisher & Paykel has the agitator (and spin basket) mounted directly on the motor shaft, and the motor is controlled by electronics so that IT oscillates (like a stepping motor for a diskette or hard drive head controller) or spins as needed.
I don't know if the LG drive-drive front-loaders have trannys, but I'm assuming they don't.
Direct-drive only technically refers to whether or not a belt is involved. Different motor designs are used. Whirlpool/Roper/Kenmore/KitchenAid machines still use a transmission to translate the motor's rotation into agitator oscillation. Fisher & Paykel has the agitator (and spin basket) mounted directly on the motor shaft, and the motor is controlled by electronics so that IT oscillates (like a stepping motor for a diskette or hard drive head controller) or spins as needed.
I don't know if the LG drive-drive front-loaders have trannys, but I'm assuming they don't.
Most modern frontloaders have no transmission, I think the Dyson is the only exception. The LG axis is directly on the motor shaft too. The motor is very flat and direct behind the drum.
Transmissionless TL Machines
Hi Guys,
This thread raises a question I've had for a while. Is the F&P the only machine machine in the US that is transmissionless and uses the motor to provide agitation?
In AU 80% of TL machines sold are Hoover or Simpson and the motor reverses to provide agitation.
Are there any other US Machines that do the same?
Nathan
Hi Guys,
This thread raises a question I've had for a while. Is the F&P the only machine machine in the US that is transmissionless and uses the motor to provide agitation?
In AU 80% of TL machines sold are Hoover or Simpson and the motor reverses to provide agitation.
Are there any other US Machines that do the same?
Nathan
compact whirlpools do
The little apartment size whirlpools are like this. They use a belt though to transfer power from the motor which is mounted shaft-down beside the washtub, to the agitator. The direction of the motor is reversed electronically back and forth to drive the agitator. An occasional problem I remember when working at Sears was that the ECU's in them would only agitate in one direction.
They are also sold as kenmores too.
Here's whirlpool's page on their compact washer. It's one of the ones in my "modern" collection. I bought it at a Scratch-n-dent shop a few years ago, and it's a great little machine
The little apartment size whirlpools are like this. They use a belt though to transfer power from the motor which is mounted shaft-down beside the washtub, to the agitator. The direction of the motor is reversed electronically back and forth to drive the agitator. An occasional problem I remember when working at Sears was that the ECU's in them would only agitate in one direction.
They are also sold as kenmores too.
Here's whirlpool's page on their compact washer. It's one of the ones in my "modern" collection. I bought it at a Scratch-n-dent shop a few years ago, and it's a great little machine
Designgeek
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Interesting. When you're talking about motors reversing direction back & forth to provide agitation, is there a slight pause between each direction of the agitator? How long does the motor run in each direction, how far does the agitator turn each way, and how long are the pauses between reversals of direction?
Whirlpool compact washer
It's a pretty interesting machine. It seems to rotate about 240 degrees or so CCL, and then about 180-200 degrees CL, so in effect, the agitator has a slight bit of net rotation during the washing phase. It seems to have about 60 SPM with about a 1/4 second pause between direction changes, and about 3/4 of the second in motion. The machine has a "whir, whir, whir, whir" noise to it during agitation with pauses during the direction changes. In delicates and hand washable cycles, the machine slows down the agitation speed to about 20 SPM giving the machine more of a "hummmm, hummmm, hummm, hummm"
From what I can tell from underneath, the machine really doesn't appear to have a transmission in it, just a clutch to lock the drum with the agitator for spin cycles and braking. the water pump is a separate shaded pole motor off to the side of the main drive hardware. I'll hafta take some picture of the mechanicals. Right now, I'm running a load so I can't really turn it over for a photo shoot right now!
It's a pretty interesting machine. It seems to rotate about 240 degrees or so CCL, and then about 180-200 degrees CL, so in effect, the agitator has a slight bit of net rotation during the washing phase. It seems to have about 60 SPM with about a 1/4 second pause between direction changes, and about 3/4 of the second in motion. The machine has a "whir, whir, whir, whir" noise to it during agitation with pauses during the direction changes. In delicates and hand washable cycles, the machine slows down the agitation speed to about 20 SPM giving the machine more of a "hummmm, hummmm, hummm, hummm"
From what I can tell from underneath, the machine really doesn't appear to have a transmission in it, just a clutch to lock the drum with the agitator for spin cycles and braking. the water pump is a separate shaded pole motor off to the side of the main drive hardware. I'll hafta take some picture of the mechanicals. Right now, I'm running a load so I can't really turn it over for a photo shoot right now!
Wow, very interesting. I would never have guessed these portable machines were so different from standard-size machines.
westytoploader
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My GE Portable is basically the same setup as this, except it's older and has an impeller instead of a "Pul-gitator". During wash, the impeller rotates rapidly for 15 seconds (I think), then reverses. Very effective and fun action. When it comes time for spin, a huge solenoid releases the spin clutch, causing the tub to rotate at the same speed as the impeller. Wouldn't want to get my hand caught in there, that's for sure...
Designgeek
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Very interesting!
So it looks to me that the Whirlpool's action is similar to the Danby twin tub (revolve, pause, reverse, pause, repeat), even including the whirr-pause-whirr sound
.
Does GE still make the impeller/pulsator model, and are those still sold in the USA?
Do y'all have any sense of what the spin speeds are on these? I'm keeping track of spin speeds and tub diameters as related to drying efficiencies.
So it looks to me that the Whirlpool's action is similar to the Danby twin tub (revolve, pause, reverse, pause, repeat), even including the whirr-pause-whirr sound
. Does GE still make the impeller/pulsator model, and are those still sold in the USA?
Do y'all have any sense of what the spin speeds are on these? I'm keeping track of spin speeds and tub diameters as related to drying efficiencies.
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