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DADoES

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Who would hazard to run a load of that size in any toploader?   ;-)

1 tablecloth
2 twin sheets
2 standard pillowcases
1 apron
3 nighties
5 shorts
8 t-shirts
2 sweatshirts
4 pr socks
3 towels (presumably smaller than bath size)
2 bath towels
2 washcloths
4 hankies
 
 
It should be everything in all their baskets.  I typed the three lists separately, then combined the counts of repeating items.

I'm pondering on trying it.  I don't have a few of those items but reasonable substitutions can be done.  Size of the tablecloth is an unknown.
 
Extra large load 1970s dual action agitator Kenmore

This is a very realistic load, however, most users never filled their machines this full but the machine would handle it just fine, if people would wash large loads like this more often. Their machines with last a lot longer as they wouldn’t be running so many needless loads.

twin sheets aren’t very common anymore and as mentioned bath towels used to be a lot smaller.

I regularly put huge loads in my direct drive resource saver, which is only a 22 gallon tub not the 25 gallon tub that was in this washer.

John
 
Take the larger items out and it would be a perfect load for this style of washer in my opinion. I'm thinking the two sweatshirts and two bath towels might push it over the edge.
 
Those items are all mixed water temperatures IMO.

 

Sheets, pillow cases, socks (white), t-shirts (if white), bath towels and wash cloths are hot items. Maybe tablecloth, apron, and hankies if white. If not, warm (120f)....maybe cold (85f) if dark colors.

 

Nighties are warm (120f) if lightly colored, cold (85f) if not. Same with shorts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and hankies.

 

This is why I don't need massive capacity machines. Proper sorting results in smaller loads.
 
These washers were originally very large at an 18 pound capacity using +&#92- 26 gallons per fill on the highest water level. When they reduced the water usage by several gallons by shrinking the tub and wash basket in mid 1981 for the new 1982 models it made a very noticeable difference to me. I prefer the 1967 and 1974-1981 large capacity models but I have a lot of both. The agitation is greater in the 1982-1986 models as only the tub, basket, and baseplate changed. The drive system remained the same. And although that does sound like a lot of laundry these washers were definitely stout enough to handle it on a regular basis. One of these days I’ll have to try their test load.

repairguy-2023080716180209143_1.jpg

repairguy-2023080716180209143_2.jpg
 
 
I have a twin bed and of course sheets (and a spare twin bed saved from granny).  Majority of my bath towels are "standard," none are those uber-size bath sheets.  I don't have a BD 18-lb LK but other machines can be tested ... some day whenever.
 
That's an awesome avocado pair Melvin. These are 76 or 77...or are they 82 with that black hood?

I had a 1978 TOL electronic pair in that same color. Fun toys.

When I had my previous profile (which I found the password to about a year ago but don't use it).


bradfordwhite-2023080721434601741_1.jpg
 
My Lady Kenmores are 1976 models built in 1977. The beautiful set you posted are the 1st rendition of the electronic washers from 1978. I’ve always wondered what happened to this 1978 set as you can see in the thread I asked about them a couple of years ago with no response.
 
Reply #7

I didn't know the early 80's machines were smaller capacity, or was that strictly in the Kenmore versions? Did they shrink the tub in the Whirlpool line-up as well?

My aunt had an early 80's BD Whirlpool, she said it was large capacity but I didn't know much about the variations back then so I'm not actually sure. I can attest to what John says about about how washing larger loads less often lengthens the life of the machine. My aunt sorted properly (darks, lights, jeans, etc) but she had a family of five so the washer was always stuffed to the gills. But she was able to get the family's weekly laundry done in about five or six very large loads. Her BD lasted around 20 years. Near the end it began locking up unless she severely underloaded the machine, not sure what was causing that problem but she finally got rid of it and bought a DD in 2003 or so.

My mom on the other hand had this over-zealous sorting habit that created about 11 or 12 small loads and we were a family of six. She did weird things like wash a small load of only black socks, a small load of four or five shirtts of exactly the same color and construction, you get the drill. She went through washers about every ten years or so, but that could also be contributed to her junking the machines every time something minor went wrong.

In my DD I tend to aim towards the larger loads myself but I'm sure there's a middle between the two extremes.

Ryne
 
Yes whirlpool changed at the same time as kenmore. They were still large machines just a little smaller than they were originally. Kenmore abandoned the standard capacity machines in the early eighties while whirlpool continued to build them under the whirlpool name.
 
#11

Sadly, that set was damaged about 4 months after the pics were taken. They were in a storage unit against the back wall, another tenant backed a boat into the wall and damaged these two plus another washer and a desk. I parted them out saving the consoles, all the parts having to do with the triple dispenser system, all the wiring, tops and model # tags and sold them on Ebay. I was surprised. Somebody was anxious to buy them. I assume it was someone from AW land.

I also was not aware that WP down sized the tubs. If it was only a few inches in diameter it would go unnoticed but would no doubt cut on gallons used.
 

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