Interrupted Spin

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bajaespuma

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Does anyone remember the number of the thread from one or two years ago about GE solid tub washers and something about the spin cycle being interrupted in the middle for some reason. Can you direct me to this thread if you do?
 
This was kind of a suds kill step on those GE washers (we had a 1955 or 1956 verssion). The machine would partially spin out the water, pause and tub would coast to a stop, and then after a while it would start spinning again and complete the spin going into the rinse.
 
The GE timer was controlled by the water level switch in the collector sump some of the time. During fill, water dribbled out of the bottom of the tub through the sediment ejector and finally slightly ran out the tub overflow holes. When the pressure switch was satisfied, activation began, or if you wanted less than a full tub of water, the water saver button or key was pressed to stop fill and start the activation. The water pressure switch provided continuity through the timer while it was satisfied. Once all of the water was spun out, this switch tripped and stopped the motor. Because GE timer rotated continuously, there had to be pauses between various stages of the cycle so that there would not be arcing between the timer contacts. So, the timer continued, at this stage not controlled by the water pressure switch in the sump and advanced into the second stage of spin. When the spin stopped, the timer kept advancing into the rinse phase where the water pressure switch allowed the fill valve to open and cut off current to the timer until the washer had filled for the rinse. Then rinse activation began. Yes, the pause served as a suds break, but the way the machine was engineered, with the spin/drain under the control of the water level presure switch in the sump, assured that the drain would not stop until all of the water was pumped out, because it is the pressure switch opening that stops the spin drain.
 
Thanks but I'm missing something...

If the pressure switch allows the timer motor to run, how can it run continuously? and, if I'm missing something here, and I am, what advances the timer once all the water has been pumped out and the pressure switch opens?

Also, what were those two or three holes in the middle of the tub(sort of corresponding to the ring on the activator)for ?
 
OK Tom, if the spin pause was all due to what you have described, then why didn't it do the same sequence for the spin after the rinse. That spin was one continuous spin.
 
Only my 2 cents guys

My guess would be because of a change in the timer, that would over ride the pressure valve for the rinse cycle. There should be no reason for the machine to pause for suds on a rinse cycle anyway.

I do not know anything about the 1950's GE's, but I do know that Tom knows the old machines very well. If he said this were the way this machine was designed, I would take that as fact.
 
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