Electra GL2 (uk members interest, maybe?)

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Bearpeter

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Jun 25, 2005
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Hi all,

The Electra GL2 was our first automatic washer. Attached is the Zanussi instructions for this as it was the electricity boards equivalent. The programmes were fab BUT 520rpm spin was appauling!!!!
Only now have I realised that Electra was back then what John Lewis machines are now!!!!!

Enjoy!

 
Electra/Hotpoint and Zanussi

Hi Peter

On the contrary I am very interested in your posting. Just a few weeks ago I got the GL2 instruction booklet. It was one of the first machines I saw when I was a child in the 70s.

What's interesting for me is that I hear they were really Zanussi machines. I also remember that one of Hotpoint's machines was made by Zanussi and looked very similar but with a Hotpoint fascia with one button and the glass was tinted purple. The drum, induction motor and door were quite different from other Hotties.

I attach a pic of the GL2. If anyone has any pics of the equivilent Hotpoint that would be great.

Rob

12-3-2006-03-30-38--RobM.jpg
 
Ahh i rember that machine. It was aviable here in sweden under the names Zanussi, Hoover and Electrolux. Dont remember the number but i recognise that machine. The spin speed was about 520 rpm. Here in Sweden it had only one inlet valve.

The Hoover model had strangely some balancing issues. This was their only machine Hoover didnt made by themself.
 
Electra L2

Hi Peter

The L2 was the first automatic machine I ever saw close and up front working, my mums friend bought one after using an English Electric Wash n Rinse Wringer Washer and a Creda Debonair spinner, (Blue n White trim)because the spin was poor she kept the Creda...best of both worlds, L2 very quiet, with a massive orange clickly dial and a very large heavy rubber grey ridged empty hose.

12-3-2006-04-54-52--chestermikeuk.jpg
 
i remember it too!

That was the washer my auntie had well in to the late 90's, she bought it after her 2nd hand auction win bendix finally dropped to bits in the 70's or early 80 s i think. It was extremely reliable and very quiet. She often ran it at night, on a hot wash i remember sitting on the stairs ( the stairs are in her kitchen and a washer is the only thing that will fit at the bottom ) and watching how it had low water level till the very end of wash then filled to high before rinsing,it was the time of big bottle ariel blue liquid and those big bauble things , if i were to smell it now it would remind me of school uniforms!. I serviced the machine a few times, once to find 4 pound coins and a mini screw driver in the sump hose. once removed and the feet levelled the family could not beileve how quiet it was. The door seal had sort of twisted allowing socks to get trapped between inner and outer drum, which made for noisy spins and in the end my auntie threw it away in full working order to get a hotpoint (last of 95 series but with the dodgy squeaky clanky suspension ) that has long gone and now on to a zanussi that takes ages!

i also had 2 relatives who owned the zanussi equivalent with chrome and orange dials , again these must have lasted nearly 20 yrs.!

One thing you may laugh at my aunties house is a small cornish cottage and after a heavy drinking party my mam missed the top step and slid down the stairs with her feet going practically in to the washer drum as door was open. Washer was fine mam had bruise shaped like Ireland on backside!

12-3-2006-05-19-42--chestermikeuk.jpg
 
Rob....

Hey mate

Snap - my auntie had one - I remember thinking the stain button was cool lol. The only other people I knew who had an automatic was my best friend at primary school(well his mum to be strictly correct obviously lol), that was an Indesit, I think it was a L10, it had the drawer as opposed to the flap on the top for the powder. Another friend had an Electrolux- It may well have been the WH31 in the above report lol!

We has a Hoover single tub and Electra (Frigidaire) spinner :(

Seamus
 
YES I do remeber all!!!

Obviuosly I wasn't born yet when those machine were taken out in the market but I indeed remeber them all!!!
Those fantastic machines I saw in my childhood...

Really good reliable machines!

Do you see, those were times when you could decide if your machine had to be cold only filled or hot and cold filled...

Then COLD FILL ONLY! What a shame!
Now some brand begins to merchandize models with the hot-cold fill again...

Bye
Diomede
 
What a surprise!!

Hey Rob.... THanks for the interest...It's great to see that people remember this little machine. It sadly didnt last long as the door seal got a ghole in it and the family decided to get a hoover 1100 instead. The best thing about this machine was the 5 high level rinses, half way up the door and after 10 seconds agitation, drained!!! Talk about water hogs!

Mike, thanks for the extra info, its always interesting to see reviews of the old machines!

Rob, can you remember what the intensivebutton did for the programmes? I've forgotten!
Cheers all!

Peter
 
i looooooooove these machines! if only they were reletively easy to get still i'd grab one! I love all the scans! I was always facinated by the Zanussi made hotpoint! It looked real nice! N those zanussi's had fantastic rinse levels!

Darren
 
Hi Peter (and everyone else)

Here is what the instruction book says about the vigorous wash button.

Where a vigorous wash action is selected or is automatically included (prgs 1-5) a short spin will be included after 2nd and 4th rinses.

I can't unfortunately find anything else on it.

Rob
 
a friend of mine used to have one of these, used to make me laugh because her neighbour downstairs said that when it was on spin it sounded like thunder coming through her ceilin. it was for ever leaking an flooded the flat downstairs on several occassions... good machine, very basic and easy to use though
 
NO WAY!!!! ORANGE DIALS.......

I remember when my Dads sister first got married to my Uncle (1985) they had a washer with a large orange dial and I could never remember what it was.
My Nanas Philco was from arund that time (1985) and Im guessing Nana gave my Aunt her old washer and got the Philco. This theory seems to fit into place well.
So my Nanas first Automatic was an Electra!
YAY!!!!

I has recently just put it down as being an late 70s Servis although that would have had meant it had a square door, of which I dont specifically remember it having..... Square doors have always been a novelty to me as all my mums washer doors have been round.
and if it had of been square surely I would have remembered.....

Anyway It was a very quiet machine so I just couldnt Imagine it as being a Servis.

Now I recognise it...... it was not the Servis. It was an ELectra L2.
It just must have been and Ive been spending years wondering.....LOL

Anyway, I also cant believe my Mums Kelvinator (very close to it as the dial was different) is pictured up there too!!!!! The first Washer she had, bought in 1979 and lasted 9 years. The most reliable washer she has had to date LOL

Mum has always said it was 600rpm but she is kinda forgetful and it could have been 500rpm or maybe they made a 600rpm model later.

Thanks guys for for helping a very youngish member *****ducks and runs**** remember yet more washers I grew up around but cant fully remember!

Nick
 
Hey RobM!!

Can I ask you a favour? I would love a photocopy of that manual... I would re-imburse your copying and postage expenses and anything you wish on top....(within reason, of course lol!) just for the memories! I remember our machine so well and would love a little paper reminder of my first childhood automatic washer instruction booklet. Don't worry if this is too much trouble...

All the best for the festive season!!

Peter
 

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