GE washer dryer installed and running...well, kinda

[turquoisedude]

Somehow over the last week, I managed to get the GE washer/dryer unit water-tested and installed in the Kitchen Centre. My vacation plans got scrapped by an illness in the family, but I was still determined to make that WD562N1G of mine at least operating as a washer.
Here's how it looked on Sunday afternoon before we left the house in Ogden.
Can you guess who the proud owner is??

 

[turquoisedude]

It holds water!

The water tests went fine - the leak at the bottom of the tub is good and plugged and the new hoses and connections are dry as a bone. I took a short movie of it, but here's a peek at the water/steam splash on the door window.
I cannot believe how lucky I am that the door boot is still good and does not leak even a drip!!

 

[turquoisedude]

Creative plumbing 101

It may look bad, but by jingo, it works! Hubby and I were cursing the fact that we didn't leave more access behind the Kitchen Centre unit.

 

[turquoisedude]

This just doesn't look right somehow

Ok, so we decided to use the original air gap drain hookup for the washer; when I ran the first test with the washer in place, check out the waterfall from the air gap! What the ????
I have no idea how this type of air gap was supposed to work and I suspect the tube may be blocked with something (the washer had a number of termite tubes on the frame).
Yet despite the 'leak' most of the drain water went into the new drain and not on the floor. Most bizarre...

 

[turquoisedude]

And I chickened out of the 240V test...

I decided to leave well enough alone after having run the machine through a full wash cycle successfully. I rigged the timer to feed from the main motor so that when the motor shuts off, the timer would also shut off. Shot myself in the foot here because now the washer stops prematurely during the 'purge' part of the final spin cycle. However, a click of the timer gets it running again and the cycle will complete.
I was just so anxious to complete the Kitchen Centre that I have back-burnered the idea of getting the dry function to work properly. I am still convinced that I may have mis-wired something and that the control thermostat I have is shot. I am going to continue looking for the exact wiring diagram and a replacement thermostat and when I do find them I'll finish the job.
But, for a beginner, I am pretty damn proud of myself and owe a huge debt of gratitude to everyone here on the board who has helped me out with wiring diagrams and suggestions on what might resolve the timer and dry function problems!
So, I think I may need to host a wash-in or at least a kitchen-warming party this spring or summer (when the roads in Ogden are all open again!). Stay tuned...

 

[gansky1]

Congrats on the job well done!! Isn't that GE wash action a blast? Does your model have the six huge vanes in the drum?

Enjoy your Kitchen Center - washed clothes!

 

[turquoisedude]

Does your model have the six huge vanes in the drum?

You know, I thought it had 4, but it turns out there are only 3. Does that make it a fairly early model??

Thanks for the good wishes and your help and advice - I could have sat there all day watching the water churning in the tub! It was like taking a cruise on the cheap! lol
Seriously, I am just DYING to get some clothes in there!

What would the capacity of a machine like this be? I would guess it's 8 - 10 pounds. I figure I'll be doing some serious under-loading!!

 

[gansky1]

Pretty early if it has three vanes and the transmission instead of belt and pulley controlled speeds as in later models.

Try lots of different loads - capacity is about 8 lbs. but a good rule of thumb for washing and drying combo loads (when the dryer is up and running) is loading the drum 1/2 full. For washing only, you can get a bit more in.

 

[gyrafoam]

Congratulations! You are positively BEAMING!
I am so glad for your success!

 

[qsd-dan]

Congrats!!

Lucky you! I keep taking machines apart and run into problems, causing the whole process to halt and remain stagnant.

 

[tlee618]

Paul, you should feel very proud of what you had done here. That was a big undertaking and you just never gave up on it!! I bet that in person it looks even better than it does in the picture.

 

[toploader55]

Yay Paul.

It's a great feeling isn't it ? I was just reading some of the threads from last year when I replaced the drain valve in my KD2-P.
Congratulations. Eddie

 

[christfr]

wow congrats.. how cool is that

 

[pdub]

Paul

I've enjoyed your frequent posts and enthusiasm in working on your GE kitchen center and your overall kitchen remodel.

You've done some beautiful work. Congratulations on getting the washer running and I'm sure you'll have it drying in no time.

Patrick

 

[swestoyz]

Oh gosh Paul, this is great news! It has been quite the adventure for you and I'm very happy to see you've made it this far. Thanks for allowing us to enjoy the trek!

Ben

 

[northwesty]

Yes congratulations that is really a big project that you have seen through to the end.

 

[turquoisedude]

Thank you, everyone!!

And I stand by my previous promise, there will be some sort of launch event (probably in late spring or early summer).
Of course, if anyone is planning on being in the area (the house in Ogden is about 3 minutes from the Quebec-Vermont border at the end of I-91), please contact me - I'd love to show off the machine in person!!
But beware, you may wind up taking home a vintage mixer or coffeemaker from my way-too-big collection....