Frigidaire Unimatic Outer Tub...

[washer111]

Hi Guys,

After seeing a YouTube video about a "Super Unimatic" (computer controlled), where does the wash water drain?

Does it drain straight out of the main tub via some sort of dumping valve into the main cabinet or is there an outer tub whose top opens and allows the water to gush out?

After all, that might explain the super quick drain that machine had/has...

 

[tomturbomatic]

There is a ring of openings at the top of the inner tub. This allows both the overflow periods and the rapid dumping of the water. The rapid dumping of the water is made possible by the powerful motor which drops down into the start windings to get the tub going. If you listen to one, you can hear it come out of the start windings as the speed increases. The machine has a high amperage draw during these acceleration periods and had to have the circuit protected by what were called "slow blow" or thermal delay fuses in the days before circuit breakers. The shift from agitate to spin puts the motor & tub in a direct drive link so the tub turns at the same speed as the motor, 1140 rpm. It is very impressive how the motor can drop from regular running speed during agitation to an almost stall and have enough power to drive all of that weight back up to operating speed.

The water is thrown into the porcelain cabinet which serves as the water collector for the machine. The Unimatic mechanism lives under a center hump in the base.

Later models had a separate outer tub within the cabinet to catch the water.

 

[washer111]

Wouldn't this system cause issues with rust, or were Unimatics protected from the stuff with special building materials or applicants placed onto the surfaces exposed to water?

 

[joelippard]

That's easy, solid porcelain enamel inside and out!

 

[washer111]

Thanks for that!

Greatly apprectiated to see how older stuff worked!