Frig "multimatic" whats this ?

[gregm]

I know that the black, round thing is the capacitor, but what is the square black thing some type of transformer ? and also what is that green skinny thing ? It gets VERY hot when the solenoid engages for the high speed spin.

 

[captainmoody]

Well, the green thing is a power resistor. Not sure about the box..

 

[nasadowsk]

Tha'ts a power resistor. They can get pretty hot, though if it glows, there's something wrong

If it has a rating in watts, that'll give you an idea, though it looks to be on the order of 25 - 50 watts.

 

[gansky1]

It's the Rapidry delay resistor. The black box is the relay switch. On the "Normal" speed selections, the washer will empty the tub and start to spin at low speed, after a 60 second (approx.) delay, the resistor gives power to the high speed solenoid and shifts the mechanism into 850 rpm spin.

Rapidry was removed from all multitragic washers by late 62. The whole shifting mechanism was just a disaster that they never could make reliably.

 

[gregm]

aaahhhhh, I see ............

so what did they replace that with ? or what was the spin like in 63 and 64 before the rollermatics ? I noticed the solenoid and what appears to be a clutch that lifts and engages a very thin disc/pad for the "higher spin", that pad has a crack in it. Don't know if that is normal or not but it seems to work fine so far.

 

[appnut]

Greg, I think the spin speed ended up being somethinhg like 710 or 740 rpms.

 

[pturo]

Green Skinny Thing

Perhaps the Jolly Green Giant's appendix? It is a strange set up to be sure.

 

[spinout]

I think that the reality is that spins of around 700+ RPM are generally adequate for most users--even in a solid tub. (And that given that fact, rapid dry probably wasn't deemed as adding much value, or at least the cost-benefit wasn't there.)

 

[gyrafoam]

Rapidry was a VERY important selling point back in the day.

MANY families did not yet own a clothes dryer, and less time on a clothes line made a BIG difference---especially because families used to be much larger than they are today.

The people who used clothes lines and traded in a Unimatic for, say, a '63 Multimatic were quite vocal in their dissapointment.

Frigidaire got the message and when the Rollermatics came out the option was back.
By the time the 1-18's hit the market, Frigidaire must have figured out that most folks now had dryers or it was just easier to sell them by then. AND a 1-18 dryer is a GREAT dryer.