Frigidaire 1-18 Washes Live

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Unimatic1140

Unimatic1140

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Hi everyone, I gave the Frigidaire 1-18 washer that I found last week a good going over. The drive belt was very loose causing a slow spin, but after tightening the belt everything seems to work just fine. The washer is nosier and rumbles a bit more than I believe it should be, but the 1/18 were the nosiest of all Frigidaire washers by far. The spin bearings could also be replaced, but I’ve heard worse. Otherwise its seems water tight and up for the job of washing clothes and the brake still works, which isn’t that common in a 1-18 of its age.

Here is a sneak preview of that wonderful Frigidaire Jet-Action turnover with a huge towel load--
6.0mb Right click here and save target as

Here is another view of the wonderful Jet-Circle Spray Rinse and Rinse Fill--
2.5mb Right click here and save target as
 
Excellent work!

YAY!!! Very dramatic washing and excellent turnover! I've seen better (and more fun) recirculating filter action, but 1-18s were not known for their lint filtering ability by CR anyway.

If I do get this machine (after the "washer shed" is finished and all of the machines are fixed up, repainted, etc. before the Convention), it will be used, but used lightly for "light" items such as sheets, and of course not as often as my 1982 Kenmore, 1998 DD Kenmore, and 1993 Westinghouse FL, once everything is in place and hooked up. I want to make the bellows assemblies (and other key parts) last as long as possible!!!

The continuous spin-spray going directly into the rinse fill is my favorite by far. My 2003 Maytag does that on the Permanent Press cycle; after the spin gets up to speed, a spray rinse begins as the tub spins in the 600 RPM range (not sure of the actual speed), continues for about 30-40 seconds spraying water everywhere (I guess that's why the lidswitch is stuck in the back ;-)), then it brakes and continues to fill. I thought that was the coolest thing when I washed the maiden Power-Fin load with the lid up...no other washer I had did that.

--Austin
 
The spray rinses, both before and after the deep rinse on the 1-18 create the best rinsing washer I've ever used. Mine appears to be the same vintage and model (Crown) as this one, although mine is white. In addition to all the other "normal" noises it makes, with a full load it now makes an occasional moaning kind of whining noise at full spin speed. The consesus at my little wash-in was that the/a bearing is beginning to go bad. Will have to deal with that as this machine is almost like brand new inside and out. LOTS of fun to use. Can wash a HUGE load and BULK such as comforters---NO PROBLEM! Must use low sudsing or no-sudsing (such as FAB) as a 1-18 WILL suds lock on you. What a shame these are no longer in production-------------.
 
WOW

I use to have this machine. Boy could it wash, and wash and wash. I wish my mom would have gotten it fixed instead of replacing it with a KA.
Have a nice weekend!!
 
No; solid-tub coin-ops with the Deep-Action agitator were still being produced in the 70's.

That would have been cool if a coin-op 1-18 was produced, however.
 
I am loving that 1-18!!!

I am just loving the live action shots of the 1-18. I am becoming a 1-18 fan here. Thank You, Robert. That jet-circle spray seems to pump a lot of water into the tub. I bet that drain hose is pumping a ton of water out into the tub during the spray rinse. Hoping for a shot of the 1-18 during the spin-drain :)

Neal
 
Very cool!

Thanks Robert.
That 1-18 does not mess around! Get the job done!
What is your impression on it's cleaning ability?
Everytime I look in one, I just can't get over how big the drum is. It is shocking!
Thanks again!
Brent
 
Hi Brent, the 1-18 I think would be an excellent washer for cleaning, when not completely stuffed the turnover is great! It sure does have a large tub, that's for sure.
 
I always liked the 1-18 commercials that showed the turnover in it against the Kenmore they would throw the colored sock in both washers and show how the 1-18 always beat the kenmore. This was right after Kenmore came out with the corkscrew agitator. One of my sisters had bought a kenmore right before they came out with the new agitator had a penta swirl and they sent a coupon for her to get a new one with the ratchet type she liked the penta swirl better.
 
FINALLLY!!!

Now Robert you will finally have clean clothes! Nothing beats the dirt like a 1-18!........... Well maybe a 1958 Duomatic orrrr...a 1950 Streamliner 0ooorrrr..a 1949 Gyramatic..orr a 1952 ABC hmmmmm

Now if I can only get you interested in transistors!

Anywho I have a 1-18 coin op but it has the solid tub and deep action agitator. And BRUCE is SUPPOSED to come pick it up!! HEELLOOOOOOO BRUCE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 
" I have a 1-18 coin op"

Ummm, you have a Rollermatic coin-op, not a 1-18 coin-op mister, they made solid basket rollermatic coin-ops until '75 or '76.

I've seen a few laundromats with true 1-18 coin-ops, but they were relatively rare.

The 1-18 goes right after I film the second wash load, now what's a transistor?
 
On my high school senior trip to London, I saw 1-18 coin-op's in a small laundrette we used. It had solid tub Rollermatics in the front, and the 1-18's were in the back.

Robert, is there a bleach up in that 1-18? If not, the sound of the water being sucked in and out of the Jet Cone might be amplified without it. Otherwise, it sounds normal to me! Looks like you could fit several more towels in there too without compromising cleaning or turnover...
 
Sorry guys

I didn't realize that perforated-tub "16" coin-ops were actually produced. I read some literature from 1976 that showed the solid-tub Rollermatic coin-ops and not the "16"s.

My mistake.
 
You could say they were belt-driven Rollermatics, but the mechanism had been modified slightly to provide faster agitation, slower spin and the perforated tub.
 
Peter, the machines bleach cup and cap were no where to be found at the house I got the machine out of but I had an extra cup and cap so I put them on for the video. I guess I'm just not use to how much noiser a 1-18 in agitation is, with the lid closed its quieter, but a Unimatic or Pulsamatic is much more quite than a Rollermatic or 1-18.

Jerry, the 1-18 is of the Rollermatic design, but the tranny is belt driven and looks somewhat different than the older solid basket rollermatics.
 
Robert,
With the ongoing discussion about the KM PP cycle and the cooldown, why don't you run the PP cycle on the 1-18 and post your thoughts on it? Better try it tonight, because you don't want to use up your water rations for February!

The Knits cycle is the exact same as the PP cycle, only it soaks every other timer increment.
 
How does it wash?

Since becoming a member I have seen much talk about the Frigidaire 1-18's and have seen several pics and some action shots of it agitating. My question..how exactly does this machine wash? I assume no fins at the bottom like a dual-action?
 
I was sitting in here in awe watching the wash cycle when my little girl came in.

"You've finally lost it, haven't you dad?"

Dave
 
Well, I gues my apartmenht complex in fall 1974 had coin-op 16 pound "1-18"s. Had 5 water temps and 3 speed combos. Didn't last a year though.
 
Uni---- I had a 1-18 similar to yours (in harvest gold) for about a year. I dragged it home from the scrap pile outside the appliance dealership across the street from the warehouse apt. I was living in at the time. ANYWAY, it sounded exactly like yours. I think they're just really loud, punk-rock machines. Can you imagine a laundromat full of those? You'd have to hand out hearing protection at the door, LOL!

I was impressed with how large a load it held, and towels felt drier coming out of my 1-18 than they did coming from my '96 FrigiLux FL . I was surprised to find out it didn't have a 1000 rpm spin speed. Must have been the physics of tub diameter and all that (designgeek, where are you?!)

Congrats on your find!
 
1-18's

Dave, that's exactly what my daughter said!

They're great for turnover as long as you don't use the max water setting, or overload them. They take awhile to ramp up to full spin speed, but clothes come out pretty dry.
Watch the sanitize cycle, you'll get a bath!
Jerry
 

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