Christmas came early this year:
GE WA-1250A
- Thread starter bajaespuma
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I've always wanted to have one of these. The last and only time I saw a model like this in person was in the rectory basement of St. Luke's School sometime in the late Sixties. I think some kind and generous member of the flock donated a TOL to the Sisters for their laundry. It lasted one year and then was replaced by another Filter-Flo, older and much, much more BOL. Wouldn't have blamed the nuns one bit if they had looked at this control panel and said, "Are you kidding me?"
GE must have heard John LeFevre and replaced the complicated cabinet-mounted reservoir Bleach dispenser with this one-shot design. It's still injected late in the cycle but doesn't hold more than 1 large dose, so there's no pump, no gauge and no stored chlorine bleach fumes to corrode the steel of the cabinet front .
She needs a lot of cleaning, my favorite part of collecting, but I've never seen a black bakelite Activator with this much shine on it (thank you, universe, she popped off the spline with one pull). Could it be Poly this early in the game? Some of you will know. I've taken a shot of the underneath with the part number, maybe that will help. Came with a beautiful OE white filter pan that looked like it had never been used but will have to donate one of my collected mini-tubs and a white "Jet-Swirl" dispenser to the washer. Two years ago I found a white mini-tub from this very model year in someone's Grandparents' basement and bought it just for such occasion.
Haven't unwrapped the matching dryer yet but when I get this machine cleaned up I'll take more pictures and maybe a video of a first wash if it's in working order. These machines were such a good deal that I won't be surprised if there are some issues, but I'm very glad to have one of these beautifully designed 1964-1966 TOL machines in my collection.
GE must have heard John LeFevre and replaced the complicated cabinet-mounted reservoir Bleach dispenser with this one-shot design. It's still injected late in the cycle but doesn't hold more than 1 large dose, so there's no pump, no gauge and no stored chlorine bleach fumes to corrode the steel of the cabinet front .
She needs a lot of cleaning, my favorite part of collecting, but I've never seen a black bakelite Activator with this much shine on it (thank you, universe, she popped off the spline with one pull). Could it be Poly this early in the game? Some of you will know. I've taken a shot of the underneath with the part number, maybe that will help. Came with a beautiful OE white filter pan that looked like it had never been used but will have to donate one of my collected mini-tubs and a white "Jet-Swirl" dispenser to the washer. Two years ago I found a white mini-tub from this very model year in someone's Grandparents' basement and bought it just for such occasion.
Haven't unwrapped the matching dryer yet but when I get this machine cleaned up I'll take more pictures and maybe a video of a first wash if it's in working order. These machines were such a good deal that I won't be surprised if there are some issues, but I'm very glad to have one of these beautifully designed 1964-1966 TOL machines in my collection.
toploader55
Well-known member
OMG Ken !!!
Let me be the first to congratulate you on such a Gorgeous Machine.
That machine has always been my Favorite GE because of the Control Panel.
Just Beautiful. Happy Activating.
Let me be the first to congratulate you on such a Gorgeous Machine.
That machine has always been my Favorite GE because of the Control Panel.
Just Beautiful. Happy Activating.
Give your Santa my number 
Congratulations, Ken, this is truly a wonderful machine. I can't wait to see the dryer.
It looks like by the fibers in your picture that the Activator is bakelite or some derivation of. The shine is blinding. Someone must have done very little washing in these - Low Use for sure.
Congratulations, Ken, this is truly a wonderful machine. I can't wait to see the dryer.
It looks like by the fibers in your picture that the Activator is bakelite or some derivation of. The shine is blinding. Someone must have done very little washing in these - Low Use for sure.
I love the style and flexibility of this machine. It's a shame later on they reduced the number of programmed buttons back to the original 5 from this. Tis was about as perfect a machine with programmed cycle buttons as ever existed. Oh, and congratulations!! You got both the washer and matching dryer? I'd love to see closeups of the panels. Thank you.
Ho! Ho! Ho!
What a GREAT Christmas present, Ken. We will all be anxiously awaiting more photographs and more story.
lawrence
What a GREAT Christmas present, Ken. We will all be anxiously awaiting more photographs and more story.
lawrence
That machine is KILLER.....congrats....keep us posted...
cycle programs and 100 OPM
What cycle types does this washer have? When did GE go to 100 OPM?
What cycle types does this washer have? When did GE go to 100 OPM?
Nice machine!
oo Luscious !
Ken, I am happy for you !!
Those are a nice set, my evil aunt had them new in Canada where they were called 'Talisman'.
Must come down and wash in them !!!!
jonny
Ken, I am happy for you !!
Those are a nice set, my evil aunt had them new in Canada where they were called 'Talisman'.
Must come down and wash in them !!!!
jonny
WOW! Ken, the washer looks great! Can't wait to see more pictures and the 'maiden wash' videos!
Was the mini-basket still with this one when you got it??
Was the mini-basket still with this one when you got it??
TOL GE FF Washer
Congratulations Ken, Your model is probably the first of these beautiful machines, these are my favorite GE washers of all time.
My GE WA1250D at our ware house is the later D model that has the four speed clutch, [ you probably will be glad yours only has the two speed clutch as the multi-speed clutch is a bear to repair these days ].
The two speed clutch allows a fast agitation of 100 strokes per minute like all GE FF washers and a lower speed of 60 SPM on low speed.
Our WA1250D gives you 100, 80, 60 or 50 SPM depending on which of the 7 cycle buttons you select.
Yes a 100 SPM seems fast compared to a lethargic MT DC washer with the older style transmission, but GE washers were always better performers that MTs. GE has always used a shorter faster stroke more like a WP DD washer, and a shorted faster stroke always does a better job with less chance of clothing damage and wear.
Congratulations Ken, Your model is probably the first of these beautiful machines, these are my favorite GE washers of all time.
My GE WA1250D at our ware house is the later D model that has the four speed clutch, [ you probably will be glad yours only has the two speed clutch as the multi-speed clutch is a bear to repair these days ].
The two speed clutch allows a fast agitation of 100 strokes per minute like all GE FF washers and a lower speed of 60 SPM on low speed.
Our WA1250D gives you 100, 80, 60 or 50 SPM depending on which of the 7 cycle buttons you select.
Yes a 100 SPM seems fast compared to a lethargic MT DC washer with the older style transmission, but GE washers were always better performers that MTs. GE has always used a shorter faster stroke more like a WP DD washer, and a shorted faster stroke always does a better job with less chance of clothing damage and wear.
Thanks for the kind words
Bob, this machine, as wonderful as it is, has the same flaw that all of the GE TOL's did up to this point: only one cycle instead of the useful "NORMAL" and "SHORT" cycles they offered on most of the other washing machines. Furthermore, that cycle was dead simple with no modifiers like a pre-wash and an extra rinse. GE's "Activated Soak" was pure marketing snake oil and it wasn't until 1967 that they changed the groovy control dial display to a more conventional design so they could include and add to the flexibility of the more MOL machines. From 1958 to 1964 the TOL's only offered 5 selections on the control panel. Then, with this machine they upped it to 7(which really do cover most of the bases) and, with the exception of 1967 and a few model years in the '70's and '80's, kept it there. The inflexible cycle control alone would stop me from using this machine as a daily driver, but never say never.
Jon, I'd much rather load the machines onto a U-haul and drive them up to your splendid house, in your fabulous town and have coffee and Bennies with you at Cuchara. And maybe we could scam Eddie into showing up with that fabulous seafood All-I-Could-Eat. How much Rosalie's should I put in the filter-pan here?
Paul, no the machines came with no mini-basket, FSD, or Air Freshener charger; I'll post more pictures soon, but the dryer, which was in slightly worse shape than the washer, had a lousy later lint filter (say that 3 times) and had some rust in the drum. I think these machines were given to somebody in the Sixties, and were used once, connected to incredibly hard water, if at all, and then were stored in a leaky basement for 40 years before the new owners of the house decided to sell them instead of sending them to the crusher. A big thank you to them.
I'm dying to connect the washer but I've been distracted for the last couple of weeks with a significant death in the extended family, the death of a close friend's cat and, best of all, a $91,000 income tax bill from the State of New York, where I neither work nor live. The older I get, the more I realize that the creators of Monopoly, with its "Chance" and "Community Chest" cards, hit the nail on the head.
Bob, this machine, as wonderful as it is, has the same flaw that all of the GE TOL's did up to this point: only one cycle instead of the useful "NORMAL" and "SHORT" cycles they offered on most of the other washing machines. Furthermore, that cycle was dead simple with no modifiers like a pre-wash and an extra rinse. GE's "Activated Soak" was pure marketing snake oil and it wasn't until 1967 that they changed the groovy control dial display to a more conventional design so they could include and add to the flexibility of the more MOL machines. From 1958 to 1964 the TOL's only offered 5 selections on the control panel. Then, with this machine they upped it to 7(which really do cover most of the bases) and, with the exception of 1967 and a few model years in the '70's and '80's, kept it there. The inflexible cycle control alone would stop me from using this machine as a daily driver, but never say never.
Jon, I'd much rather load the machines onto a U-haul and drive them up to your splendid house, in your fabulous town and have coffee and Bennies with you at Cuchara. And maybe we could scam Eddie into showing up with that fabulous seafood All-I-Could-Eat. How much Rosalie's should I put in the filter-pan here?
Paul, no the machines came with no mini-basket, FSD, or Air Freshener charger; I'll post more pictures soon, but the dryer, which was in slightly worse shape than the washer, had a lousy later lint filter (say that 3 times) and had some rust in the drum. I think these machines were given to somebody in the Sixties, and were used once, connected to incredibly hard water, if at all, and then were stored in a leaky basement for 40 years before the new owners of the house decided to sell them instead of sending them to the crusher. A big thank you to them.
I'm dying to connect the washer but I've been distracted for the last couple of weeks with a significant death in the extended family, the death of a close friend's cat and, best of all, a $91,000 income tax bill from the State of New York, where I neither work nor live. The older I get, the more I realize that the creators of Monopoly, with its "Chance" and "Community Chest" cards, hit the nail on the head.
mrb627
Well-known member
Panel Lights and Spinning
So, if my observations are correct, this machine will fill and agitate with the lid raised but not spin drain. And, the three panel lights over the wash bar indicate where the timer should be set for the type of load.
Am I right?
Malcolm
So, if my observations are correct, this machine will fill and agitate with the lid raised but not spin drain. And, the three panel lights over the wash bar indicate where the timer should be set for the type of load.
Am I right?
Malcolm
Yup, that's the way Filter-Flo's operated from 1960 until the mid-Seventies when the activation was interrupted as well. CU down-rated machines that only shut off during the spin and GE must have heard them.
The lights originally lit at 2 minute intervals for the wash cycle on the 1964 machine; unfortunately, on this machine only one of the lights still works and it looks like major excavation to get to the bulbs from behind. Very low on the list, I'm going to see what works first. That fluorescent panel light works and it shines right in your eyes when you move the cycle dial; hard to believe they didn't see that that was going to be a problem. I'm not complaining, just being objective.
The lights originally lit at 2 minute intervals for the wash cycle on the 1964 machine; unfortunately, on this machine only one of the lights still works and it looks like major excavation to get to the bulbs from behind. Very low on the list, I'm going to see what works first. That fluorescent panel light works and it shines right in your eyes when you move the cycle dial; hard to believe they didn't see that that was going to be a problem. I'm not complaining, just being objective.
Very Very nice!
Very nice indeed Ken!
Congratulations: its certainly a beautiful GE that's for sure.
Cheers
Leon
Very nice indeed Ken!
Congratulations: its certainly a beautiful GE that's for sure.
Cheers
Leon
angus
Well-known member
So is there a story behind these - as in where did you find them?
philr
Well-known member
Ken, I completely missed this thread! You got awesome machines, my favorite GE set! I'd like to see more pics of them!
Phil
Phil
Thanks Phil, I'm working on the washer now. I've already done 2, count them, 2 stupid things, but I just finished cleaning and repairing the dual fill valve and solenoids, so I may be able to start her up soon. I just discovered that the the clear plastic tube that connects to the water level valve has a serious kink in it and I'm wondering if it will interfere with the operation. We'll see; first things first. I've finished cleaning up the dryer and am going to plug it in and see if it's operational.
