Hoover Ecologic A3954

[mikeymatic]

Hi there.

I'm new to this site. Been interested in washing machines - especially Hoover - since I was a nipper and always wanted to tinker about with them but never got round to it - until now.

I've just bought this machine - very pleased with it and looking forward to working on it.

It's working - but I'd be grateful for any information or advice - I know there is loads of quality information out there having read through lots of great threads on this site.

So .... Picked this lovely machine up today - along with its dryer sister D6722.

I bought them as fully working - although I knew some work would be needed.

So decided to do a test wash tonight - Whites Programme A.

Machine filled, heated, tumbled using gentle action, then continued the wash only using 'gentle action' after temperature had been reached, for the remainder of the wash, and on rinses.

When pumping out the machine seemed to be trying distribution but it didn't happen.

Distribution kicked in after the final rinse - great to see !

Pump also seems to be emptying at a slower than normal rate as all the water had not been emptied before the washer progressed to the next step.

Lots of limescale was pumped out after the wash cycle.

Spin worked fine - final spin started around 800rpm ( I think ) then increased to maximum 1200rpm - seemed to roar a bit more than I remember Hoovers doing.

I've got a good understanding of the steps in Hoover cycles,having sat in front of a few machines
(Keymatic de luxe and Electron 1100 de luxe ) for many hours while I was a kid and memorised the phases !

If anyone has any information or tips, and what you think is up with this machine, it would be really appreciated.

Thanks

Mike.

 

[mikeymatic]

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[chestermikeuk]

Hoover - Who Better..

Hi Mike and welcome to the club, a fine pair of vintage machines, where these the ones on Gumtree, North Yorkshire by any chance?
many parts can still be obtained for these and the models where the culmination of Hoovers finest years before the takover... sounds like a few soak washes may be beneficial to swish out the tub and pump, do you think the wash action is slow on the cottons programmes then? could be worth checking the brushes, we have a few resident hoover technicians on here who will be along shortly to offer further technical advice!!

Nowthen you mentioned Hoover Keymatic De-Luxe, which model do you remember sitting in front of, any of these?

 

[servischris]

Wait a sec

Werent these 2 listed for like £70? Glad they went to a good home.

Either way...well done. My nan had the 1300 version and as I kid, I loved it, no wonder its the machine I really want to find. Up one end of the kitchen was the washer and at the other end was a D6722, again another machine I really want to find! Every time I went I was allowed to use them, and I always insisted on reading the manual and drawing the machine pictures in there! Nan used to use programme D, with Speed and Economy wash enabled. The washer packed up in 2005, I broke it by trying to open the door too early I was 5 then but I remember it vividly. It was replaced by a Hotpoint WT960...I remember getting a call from my grandpa saying they had orderd this washing machine and when it arrived they rung again and said it had a blue display and was a Hotpoint etc, and I had no idea Hotpoint had brought out a new range either. I loved it, but nowhere near as much as the Ecologic. The dryer went on and on, and again it was my duty to empty the filter after each load when I was up there. I'd also flick the lights off when we were all through the house watching telly, I thought they looked so cool in the dark!!

Sadly, grandad died in 2008, and so nan moved down south closer to us. The dryer was left behind. May 2012, around now, nan passsed away and I felt like I needed something really sentimental to remember her by, so I started serching deeper than ever to try and find one. I found the Logic version, it brought back so many memories and it was just unreal. Dryer is still outstanding however.

I think your machine dates to June 1992. So glad these went to a collector! I love mine, and I'm sure you'll love yours!

Sorry for a long message, but the Ecologics mean an awful lot to me!

Chris

 

[mikeymatic]

Hi Mike and thanks for the welcome.

I'm really pleased with both machines - they are in really good condition and have been well looked after. Yes, they were the ones in Yorkshire.

Thanks for the info. I've got the washing machine on a soak wash now. Hopefully that will clear things.

I did another Whites A programme today - the tumbling was normal today after the heat phase but then went back to gentle as the wash advanced - a bit odd ....

I thought the brushes may need some attention so will have to have a look into that in the next couple of weeks.

The Keymatics - what a fantastic collection you have there ! - they are my favourites - it was the 3224 (or 3226) I used to study !

Chris. I agree - they are great machines and really well built. They will be well cared for.

Thanks for responding - it's appreciated and good to know there are others out there like me !!

 

[ooversanwashers]

Ecologic

Great finds mike! Are they the ones from gumtree? I'd love to see more pictures of both the washer and dryer?

And I can't give any mechanical advice about how to fix it but with you saying about the limescale some of the problems could be to do with that? I'd descale it on a boil wash with a few rescaling sachets and then see if anything has improved?

 

[mikeymatic]

Some pics.

 

[aegokocarat]

I live not far from where these were made, a relative still works there too. Amazing machines
Tom

 

[mikeymatic]

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[mikeymatic]

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[servischris]

Hi Mikey

They look frigging amazing! no jokes! You must post more & post videos!

Chris

 

[mikeymatic]

Cheers Chris - more photos in a couple of days on my day off.

 

[ooversanwashers]

No fading!!!!
Thanks for the pics by the way

 

[nickuk]

Mikey, it's not necessarily a fault that the washer `doesn't quite distribute'. I remember these machines were often a bit unpredictable in this regard. A 1300 Ecologic I used to use used to distribute at `tumble' speed as it drained, then pause. The Timer would advance and then it would pick up to distribute before launching in to spin. This was on all stages except the final rinse /spin where it would properly distribute from tub full of water then, as you say, launch straight up to 800.

Lovely machines and is such good condition, well done for preserving these

Nick

 

[electron1100]

Hoover Programs

Hello Mikey

Welcome to dreamland

Well done on getting such an excellent set, Hoover mahcines up to this period were excellent machines all round.

The programs will vary from range to range so don't be surprised if you one does some things differently to another model.

At this age I would go for a overhaul, suspension kit, motor brushes and cleaning out the pipes and tub so you will need a tub seal aswell, avoid descaling cleaners as they can attack the enamel tub, also clean out the pressure bulb on the back of the tub as these can clog up with scale if used with hard water.

The fault you describe makes think of the programmer or one of the push on connector bloks has come loose, worth taking the lid off and having a look (obviously disconnect the machine from the mains first), I had a logic 1300 and one of the edge connectors on the switch circuit board had come loose.

The logic programmers whilst reliable generally only suffer with the contacts that switch on and off the heater but yours appears to be ok.

If you have a bit of mechanical experience you should have to many problems working on it.

There are those here who can help you out with information etc.

In the meantime enjoy your machines they are very good machines in all respects.

Gary

Ps if you do take the lid off take some pictures of the programmer so we can see which one it is.

 

[mikeymatic]

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[mikeymatic]

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[mikeymatic]

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[mikeymatic]

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[mikeymatic]

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[mikeymatic]

Thanks guys for all the info and support so far - really great.

Gary - appreciate your post today and thanks for the welcome. I'm a novice when it comes to a complete overhaul so it's all small steps at the moment.

I want to give the machine a good overhaul. I'll do all the things you mentioned .... It may take me a while. But will be worth it.

The programmes do vary a lot as you said - especially from the Electron1100 I grew up with.

There doesn't appear to be any loose connections on the programmer - pics posted.

The pump is a bit slow at emptying so I'll need to look at that too - probably needs a good clean out too.

Any comments on the pics posted are most welcome.

Mikey.

 

[mikeymatic]

Heating up on Whites programme A

Couple of mins heating with gentle tumble

 

[matchboxpaul]

Hi Mike.

Apologies for the delay in me offering congrats on the new old acquisitions. Playing catch up on a load of threads at the moment.

Great that they both stayed together and found a home where they will be appreciated.
Both look in good condition and have stayed very white in the fascia department too! Generally they have a tendency to 'go off' a bit - nice that yours haven't.

We have an A3960 up here, but she isn't well at the moment and awaits investigation. Years of dormancy are not kind to machines.
The A3960 is seen alongside Gary's (electron1100) Computer Logic A3794.

Enjoy the A3954 and D6722.
Paul

 

[mikeymatic]

A3960 -

Hi Paul and thanks for the message.

Your A3960 looks great - I hope you get her sorted and back to full strength soon.

I'm just getting bits for the A3954 - new brushes and going to give the tub a good clean out and see how it's running from then on. Really pleased with how it looks.

I'm on the hunt for more logics .... And always hold out hope for a Keymatic !

Mike.

 

[hooverzanmiele]

EcoLogic A3954/D6722

Hi Mikey,

Welcome to the club.

Great find there! I grew up with an identical set, Dad bought our set in 1991, they replaced an underwear eating round door Logic, the washer lasted from 1991 until Oct 2001 when the speed control unit packed up, the bearings (not sure whether it was drum, or motor), went, within the first year of Dad getting them, but it carried on going.

When it finally packed up, Dad shifted it to a wedged position between our then, Zanussi fridge freezer, & our sink unit, where I was able to play with it for a while, until Dad dismantled it.

We've still got the D6722 dryer, currently sitting on top of my Bosch Logixx WFT2800 washer dryer.

I have an EcoLogic in amongst my collection, I finally got my childhood machines, combined, in the form of the 1300RPM washer dryer A8582.

But I've been brought into the Servis-First century, I bought a Servis washer dryer on a whim, back in Oct 2011, I've now currently got three Servis Sapphire washer dryers, secured & saved over time (one with a friend), all identical, except for colours & model number codes, & the EcoLogic in the vintage category, & in the modern category (X02 Bosch, a Zanussi XC6, a Maytag/Asko & a Míele NaviTronic).

I've previously had a Hoover Logic Premier A8576, Servis Quartz 6036G, Hotpoint MicroProfile 9566 too.

My YT username(s) are WD860, & a linked account BoschLogixx.

I'll post pics of my "crew" below for you.

If you're on FB, add me & I'll add you to a group I've set up, where I keep a stock of pics of past/present crew members, my FB is CJ Bennett.

CJ

 

[mikeymatic]

New brushes

Put new brushes in the Ecologic, ran it through Whites programme A and it worked a treat.

Tumbling and distributing where it should. Spin seemed a bit noisy but I guess that will calm down when the brushes bed in.

A more thorough overhaul will happen once I've completed work on my A3670.

Mike.

 

[mikeymatic]

Overhaul done

Finally got round to overhauling the Ecologic.

All has gone well - new brushes, tub gasket and anti-twist kit. Also cleared the pump which was partly blocked by a 1p coin which explained the slow draining.

There is a lot of hardened on build up behind the back plate but taking that apart is a bit adventurous for me so I will try and clear it with a few hot washes.

I've done a couple of cycles - Whites & Fast Coloureds. Noticed that the whole programme was done with 'gentle action' and the only distribution was after the final rinse. I've checked the connectors on the timer nothing is loose. Anyone got any thoughts ?

Very happy to have another Hoover Logic up and running.

Mike.

 

[mikeymatic]

Any thoughts ?

Does anyone have any ideas about why the machine only does a 'gentle action' for the whole cycle ?

Mike.

 

[superelectronic]

Sounds as though it's running the Wool programme wash rhythm. What happens if you press the Wool button? Is it possible to get the wiring for that option the wrong way around, or have some wiring fault cause it? I think Wool also limits the final spin to 800rpm - does it seem slower than expected?

Just a guess!

 

[fido]

If it worked OK last year there is probably not much wrong. You could try unplugging the timer and switch connection blocks and spraying the contacts with Servisol switch cleaner. It could just be a bit of dirt or corrosion on a contact.