If This Person Isn't A Member, He Should Be.

[toggleswitch]

IIRC, Mom's mid-60s HOH Maytag had a heat input of 22,000 BTU/h. My current GE has a heat input of 22,000 BTU/h.

So I'm confused. Other than a late 60's WP that had a 25,000 BTU/h input I have not seen too many variations.

Can anyone shed some light.

Methinks the compacts have a 10,500 BTU/h heat input
BTW=> anyone recall the vintage of 24"wide (60cm) "regular" dryers (not compacts) that Sears had out for about 5 minutes?

 

[agiflow]

Numbers, my friend, sheer numbers.

...also because they were great machines.

 

[gansky1]

The first of the gassy Hotpoint-built GE big mouth, super-sized dryers had 27,000 btu input.

HOH dryers from the mid-60's had an 18,000 btu rating, I think there was a WP/KM model that went up to 27,000 (maybe more?) as well.

The 24" dryers were around off-and-on from the 50's into the 70's. I saw a 24" black panel KM dryer from the 70's at a sale not long ago.

 

[foraloysius]

This f****** idiot had a good laugh!!

LOL in Europe!!

 

[gyrafoam]

I wonder where this guy's family originated from----Mars maybe?

In any event, except for the f**king idiotic remark about Europeans, a fun article.

 

[Cybrvanr]

As an American, I do hand it to you Europeans, you are definitely ahead of the Americans in some smart technology, especially when it comes to efficiency, that oddly enough Glowing Plate there chooses to ignore.

If he likes design simplicity, like he states is the reason he enjoys the Maytag design, he would certainly enjoy some of the front loading designs, which dispense with transmissions and belts entirely, and simply use an electronically controlled stepping motor. Of course, the front loaders use significantly less water to get the same job done! I haven't seen too many FL's with leaky door seals. Even my grandmother's old slant-front never leaked, and she had it for 50 years or so!
I don't think he realizes that the water in a FL does not submerge the door seals, and only fills up the bottom 1/4 of the washtub. One of the beauties of a FL washer is that it can hide under a countertop becaue the lid doesn't need to open. Perfect for tight kitchens in old craftsman style homes like mine, or to stack away in a closet.

Tankless water heaters? They're awesome! I just installed a Rinnai in my house over the summer. I can take longer showers, and they save a ton of energy, especially for a single guy like me that sometimes goes a few days without using hot water (showering at the gym...I'm not that filthy guys!)

50hz 240volts? Well, something can be said for higher voltage...it's called Ohm's law! Anyone who knows anything about electricity (and I'm suprised this guy doesn't know this considering he restores vintage TV's) When wattage remains the same and you double the voltage, you halve the current. This simly means smaller wires, more efficiency, among many things...higher voltage does work better, any thought into why American homes still have 240 volts to run "big ticket" things like ranges, the aforementioned water heaters, and yes DRYERS!

Renaults? Well, they aren't such bad cars, and you own a Nissan Versa, which I must say is a rather well designed car...it's guess what...a RENAULT! AMC did pretty good importing them back in the 80's too. Many people driving around Jeeps in the 80's (and even into the 90's) probably don't realize that they are driving them around with Renault 4 cylinders!

Foreskins? Well, If you're familiar with the aformentioned water heater, and the shower it's connected to, they aren't a problem. It's just that American parents can be too stupid to realize that they actually are a functional part of the male anatomy!

Sometimes though, smart people do lack common sense sometimes, and yes, I've had to be called out on some things too. I thought just like he did on front-loaders too til I was showed how they worked!

I am glad that he mentions that a glowing plate is in fact a malfunction! I could see him now tuning up all those televisions and other tube gear so the plates glow in the tubes because he likes the appearance...and then scratching his head wondering why is junk keeps failing so often!!!

 

[toggleswitch]

I am glad he enjoys his cultural norms. Perhaps our beloved Louis (HELLO GRONINGEN! *WAVES*) should teach this fella how to appreciate the different ways of others by observing and learning first, THEN if necessary by judging.

and as far as self-cleaning versus manual-cleaning, both have their advantages and drawbacks. Go Cavaliers Go Rou-- ---ds!

 

[seamusuk]

Voltage.....

Up until 10 odd years ago Europe had 220V and the UK had 240v. Nowadays its SUPPOSEDLY standardised to 230V in Europe and the UK. A friend of mine in the know told me its not the case-because 230 is within the -10/+5% tolerance of 240 its quoted as 230 but still likely to be 240-250.

The higher voltage is better from several respects. We can have a loading of up to 3200W from a standard 13A outlet and things like Kettles, coffee makers, irons, vacuums etc can have much higher wattages than they can on 120V. 99% of current Euro washers and all dishwashers are designed for cold fill only- because the heater is usually round 2400W heating times are acceptable. Dryers dont need a special outlet as all euro models have heaters of 2000-2500W(Yes US ones are quicker, but would need dedicated 20-30A circuits.)

However the lower voltage US system does have one BIG advantage its safer!. Its a legal requirement that any power tools/other equipment used on building sites are of the 110-120V type supplied through a transformer (I have a small version for my US cleaners).

Theres advantages to both I guess.....

As for the other lets just say the Dr that gave my mum advice was a tw@t grrr

Seamus

 

[rickr]

Belt drives rock!

I second that... KM/WP were great machines. And talk about numbers.... Maytag kept the same cabinet/control panel design on the center timer design forever. They only changed it once from 1958 to 1979. No wonder there are so many still around.

Maytags are great machines, but they are not without their faults. A couple things I do not like about mine:
If one does not have a full load of clothes, the machine tries to go off balance on spin.

Another thing is the lint filter. It's only one step from worthless.

The center timer Maytag is a classic design and I love them, however they are far from a perfect design.

 

[foraloysius]

Oh Toggles, (HELLO LONG ISLAND! *WAVES BACK*) I'd rather let him enjoy his own cultural norms and let him be happy than educate him and take away his happiness.

We are all cherishing our own memories rather than learning about new things that we don't know.

 

[lederstiefel1]

Voltage

Yes, Seamus, you're right! We had, until a few years ago, 220V in Germany and now should have 230V but ofcourse it varies between 200 and 240 depending on the time of the day...
Best kettles, I found out, come from the UK as they have usually a more powerful heater element with 3000W or even more (Russel Hobbs has even 3600W instead of the 1800W or 2000W German kettles usually have!) which makes appliances do their jobs much quicker!
Also MIELE appliances usually have 3000W heater elements built in; like in dryers, washers, mangels and dishwashers!
So, none of the machines need a special outlet but a normal socket with a normal plug.
Some brands (f.e. MIELE) offer higher heating power with 4500W or even 6500W heater elements in washers and dryers which can be connested to 230V AC by using a three-phase current outlet then or are connected to 400V AC instead, like continious water-heaters.
These are as quick as the americans then and usually always are installed in laundretts or big laundries in Germany like those of hotels or professional launders but you can have them at home, too, for a little extra cost.
On the other hand normally washers and dishwashers are not connected to hot water pipes and do not have a second inlet for that purpose; but also available on some brands as a special feature for a little extra money.

Ralf

 

[tomturbomatic]

Gas Dryer BTU input

The Lady Kenmore Combination Washer-Dryer had a 37,000 BTU modulating burner as did the early Kenmore "Match All" Soft Heat Dryer with the perforated drum back which was a less efficient design than the solid bulkhead in use in WP, Maytag and other dryers today. The control system for the combination used a slightly higher drying temperature than the control for the perforated drum back since the air flow was less direct and because the combo was drying stuff that was spun at 400 rpm. I have one of the match all gas dryers in coppertone and a very ordinary looking black control panel KitchenAid gas dryer that matches my washer and electric dryer that are kept inside, except it has one of the 37,000 BTU modulating burners. Within 8 to 10 minutes of starting, its vent pumps out clouds of visible water vapor unless it is a very hot day. Between these two, I have a WP dryer with the round window in the door. It has a cycling 37,000 burner. The burner cycles for the first time within 10 minutes of starting a full load on the high heat setting. In still damp weather, 2 or 3 of the dryers can fill the area under the deck with enough vapor to block vision from one end to the other. The modulating burners make drying faster because once the operating temperature of around 160F is reached, the gas valve begins slowly reducing the input to hold the temperature steady unlike a cycling burner which cycles off at the desired temperature then has to cool anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees before firing again.

 

[sudsmaster]

I ran across this guy's website last year after I acquired a couple of A606's. All that he says about older Maytags seems to be spot-on. I won't comment on his other remarks about wig-wags and Europeans.

 

[toggleswitch]

Its a legal requirement that any power tools/other equipment used on building sites are of the 110-120V type supplied through a transformer (I have a small version for my US cleaners).

Hmmm. Must recheck my book. for some reason I believe an ancient DIY manual refer to 55vac, IIRC in such circumstances.

 

[toggleswitch]

British manual purchased in London..