frigidaire gallery washer needs a spider!!!!!

[pierreandreply4]

why repair your actual machine?

Why repair your actual machine? maybe you should consider more on buying a new washer i think even if you call a service tech all you risk is finding out that your better off buying a new washer if in this situation it was my duet washer me i would not hesitate to replace with a new washer.

 

[rollermatic]

thanks to all here!

the main reason i want to fix it is i like it's smaller capacity compared to the bigger front loaders!

seals and bearings are sold as a unit on e bay.

the bronze seal area is fine on my shaft. and i agree after looking at it the spider isn't cracked after all.

combo, thanks especially for your info as always! didn't know that about the motors. and i could have sworn when i had a westinghouse front loader and replaced bearings and seal in the 1990's that it's seal pressed up against the tub, not wrapping around the shaft like this one does. oh well.

i did try to remove spider from tub but bolts are frozen and i broke off first one trying so i stopped. hopefully one broken bolt won't matter when i rebuild it.

i was thinking of painting spider after i clean it up.

was going to get it running this month but now car issues are here and i have to work on it so this washer will have to wait awhile.

i should get it running for about 80 bucks in bearings and seal and 50 i paid for the machine.

still have not taken my old one apart yet so don't how spider is on it. tub turns very smoothly (motor was frozed, not bearings) and no excessive play in inner tub so i assume spider is ok too!

thanks again to all of you, i will keep looking to see if anyone else posts anything on this thread. and retropia, hope you get yours running too! these are great machines! what part of ohio are you in? i'm thinking columbus?

 

[retropia]

Peter, yes, I'm in Columbus. Alas, our worst fears were confirmed regarding the spider on ours. Fortunately, we did have a backup washing machine (doesn't everyone?) which I will post about in a separate thread.

 

[volvoguy87]

Parts!

Peter, come and see me, I work at the old Pearsol's store on Gilbert Ave. I can sell to AW.org members at less than retail pricing. Also, check on the inner tub's warranty, If I recall correctly, some of these had a 25 year warranty.

Best of luck,
Dave

 

[rollermatic]

thanks retropia and volvoguy

retropia, a bunch of my machines have come from the columbus area including my 1-18 washer and many kitchenaids. i scan the columbus craigslist often. used to live there myself when i was a student at O.S.U. and worked at cedar point in the 70's. sometimes wish i was still in columbus as it's only 2 hours from sandusky and lake erie and cedar point. not to mention my favorite haunt, the club columbus ha ha!

volvo, i used to go to pearsols all the time before computers and e bay for parts for washers and dishwashers i was working on. it was a hop skip and jump from norwood where i used to live. now here in goshen it's much further away but i will stop in and say hi sometime!

i have put this front loader on hold for awhile but my spider is ok. and i know bearings are out there so i'm not too concerned as to finishing it real soon. i am using a portable whirlpool washer that i got from supremewhirlpool here on the site a few years ago, and a rollermatic occasionally to do my laundry. but i do love that front loader and will get it running again for sure. just bought an old 1981 chevette i am working like mad on so appliances are on hold for a bit!

will post a thread of the gallery washer going back together when i do finsih it, probably this winter when it's too cold out to work on cars!

take care, both of you!

 

[capecodlaundry]

Why is there a DC motor in a 60hz AC world? That mskes no sense at all and only seems to increase the complexity and decrase the reliablity of the machine in that it would need a DC power supply and all its sensitive rectifiers diodes and capacitors...

It is very interesting; yes these manufacturers tote one GREEN GREEN GREEN paragraph after anohter in their MISSION STATEMENTS but all their products bio degrate just after the warranty ends, few parts are availalbe or affordable to replace; so the recycle bin keeps getting bigger anf fuller EVER CONSUMING MORE ENERGY for remanufacturing.

How about they make reliable products, which are easially servicable, and inexpensive to get repaired? The state of manufacturing and business affairs have exceedingly low standards and NOT A BIT OF PRIDE in anything they are produdcing these days.

EXAMPLE...

One of our whirlpool refrigerators (basic top rreezer model) works perfectly and it is 19 years new....(we do clen the condenser, fan, and compressor every 6 months) Now going to Sears to look at new models for a slightly new kitchen look and the sales rep is like "better buy the extended warranty maintenance agreement because the new ones barely cool properly after 4 to 5 yeras" Thy also cost $2000 or more...our original was more like $630.

Items like spiders simply should not be failing at ALL. HELLO ENGINEERS and CEO's that is a basic structural component if you can't even build that correclty then how about you go get a more fitting job asking people "Would you like fries with that?"

 

[kb0nes]

"Why is there a DC motor in a 60hz AC world? That mskes no sense at all and only seems to increase the complexity and decrase the reliablity of the machine in that it would need a DC power supply and all its sensitive rectifiers diodes and capacitors... "

David,

The reason the engineers likely chose a DC motor on the earlier models is for reasons of speed, and directional control. A DC motor is easily controllable whereas a standard 60hz AC motor is much less so.

So now to discuss reliability. Assuming we do need speed and directional control we could achieve it via electrical or mechanical means. I can say that doing it electrically is very likely to be more reliable in the long run and cheaper and far more versatile then using a mechanical transmission system. Its very likely more efficient also. The electronics have since evolved and now they are using polyphase AC motors along with a variable frequency solid state inverter drive. This gives even greater control with higher motor torque and no brushes to wear out. Electronics nay-sayers will complain of yet more complexity though, but solid state electronics are amazingly reliable if designed correctly.

Looking at this problem in a similar but totally different light. The machine shop I manage just bought a new CNC lathe. It has NO mechanical transmission at all. Just a 25 horsepower motor and a belt to the spindle. The motor is driven by an huge variable frequency solid state inverter that allows it to run the spindle in either direction from a few hundred to a few thousand RPM with infinite control. It has full control of torque and braking also. All things a mechanical transmission can't do and in the long run we get better reliability and versatility, and I'd bet its cheaper and more efficient to boot!

The dynamics of modern appliance design are driven by a lot of factors. Consumers crave more features, even if they aren't useful, and demand lower costs. This puts the manufacturers in a tough position. Add in the (necessary) goal of reducing energy and water consumption and we all get what we get. It would be wonderful if a manufacturer would build a 20 year machine chock full of features that was class leading in water/energy consumption, but alas sales would be pitiful and the company would go bankrupt. American consumers don't buy for quality and reliability on the whole, and its a damn shame!

 

[tolivac]

KbOnes has some points here-generally for small motors-such as used in most appliances-the DC PM motor is more efficient-and more controllable.Single phase motors cannot be used on VFD drives-3 ph ones can.So for smaller applainces-the Dc motors are the answer-the block type bridge rectifier they use-some built into the motor-make it easy.Many power tools, portable battery powered or AC powered use PM DC motors.Have a new electric mower?-wether battery powered cordless one or line powered-it has a PM DC motor.The PM DC motor has more breakdown torque than an equivelant AC motor.The floor machines janitors use--have PM motors more and more.Esp the high speed floor burnisher-polishers.Yes,Perminent magnet DC motors have brushes-but their low speed often the same as AC motors make the brushes last a long time-often the life of the motor.I like the idea of an engine lathe with a VFD motor-yes,eliminates the transmission and back gears for reverse or very low high torque speeds.The VFD drive system has revolutionised machines of all types-and VFD's can be obtained for motors up to and including 6,000Hp!WEG makes this.They have all kinds of motors and VFD goodies shown on their website.Other companies make similar equipment.Modern rail locomotive built by GE and EMD use AC motors and VFD drives.They can give the locomotives higher drawbar pull than older DC locomotives.GE's AC locomotives have pulled ANY load they have coupled to them on their test tracks in Erie,Pa.