Keyplate Washing!!!

[chestermikeuk]

In response to an excellent question that Venus posed on another thread, I thought its own thread was in order , particularly as I was very surprised to find out that other companies such as Bosch & Miele also had Keyplate machines..

Hoover UK where the first to bring the Keyplate Technology to market, producing in 1961 the "Automated Hoover Keymatic", the Keyplate was a burgundy coloured bakelite plate with four progs on each side giving eight in all, simply insert the card in and press start....

It was marketed as "Any Fabric Yet To Be Developed" could be washed in this machine, "Simply By Buying A New Keyplate", but as newer machines where made and newer fabrics introduced it didnt quite work out like that....You couldnt use a Keyplate from the first or second series on any other machine or vice versa!!!

Version 1, Hoover 3224, Produced 1961

 

[chestermikeuk]

Version 2

Hoover 3226, produced 1963,credit to Louis & Chris,

 

[chestermikeuk]

Keyplate Version 2

Very different than the first, and two other plates where produced for this machine with different progs depending on Hot & Cold or Cold Fill Only....

 

[chestermikeuk]

Version 3 Machines

The wide bodied, 27inch wide, Hoover 3223, produced late 60`s

 

[chestermikeuk]

Version 3 Keyplate

These changed to the shape and style as we know them, up until the last Hoover produced...

 

[chestermikeuk]

Keyplates

Lots of new fabrics and corresponding keyplates...notice the size differences....

 

[chestermikeuk]

Assuming

That later keplates offered the same programme, could we assume that they would be the same, apparently not so... The following plates are all blanket or woolens washes, the programme is "Read From The Back" of the keyplate, notice how the notches are all different, so...

What does this prove?? does it complete the same programme in a different machine timer, or has the programme been "Improved & More Efficient"...

 

[chestermikeuk]

Later Plates

Look at these "Whites" programmes, all wash at 95d but offer slightly different drum rythms & spins etc....

We can also determine that the whites programme offers the max that the machine will run for, in terms of time/temp/rinse & spin....see how LESS GROOVES there are on the max Heavy Soil programme...

 

[retromom]

Wow! That is so cool Mike! I never really paid attention to the keys before. So, all you have to do is rotate them to change washing programs. How exactly does the key work. i.e. does touch something like a circuit or push something that then makes contact with wires? What does the underside of the key look like?

From what was discussed on the other thread, the Hoover key was not interchangeable with all Hoover Keymatic washers. What about your friendly Hoover repairman...did he have a "skeleton" type key that he would use to assist in servicing the washers? Sorry to be so cheeky, but you've piqued my curiousity!! LOL

 

[chestermikeuk]

So, Less Is More

I`m tempted to use other keyplates on my A3008 machine, to see if the programmes differ or offer advancements for the same material, I think I`ll check it out with a Repairman who trained on these machines first, dont want my 740rpm machine errupting into an 1100 spin ...lol

 

[chestermikeuk]

Programmers..

Hi Venus

I can understand why the new machines now use a standard timer, these things look hughly complicated, ask Jon Jetcone, I gave him the Hoover Data manual for some bedtime reading , and we didnt see him for two days...LOl, the above machine has the simplist timer mechanism, the top slot is the card reader, the lower the "SPARE", eight progs to a card, simply turn the cards over for another 4 programmes...

Simply press the ON button and THEN insert the Keplate

 

[retromom]

Mike,

I see that there are two keyplates in the Hoover pictured above. How does that work?

 

[chestermikeuk]

Keyplate Programmer

Front RHS of machine,

 

[chestermikeuk]

Inside

You can just see the orange Keyplate in the top slot as it engages with the cogs of the programmer...from this point on I`m still learning, I`m gonna get a lesson from the old engineer, cos I`m totally intreagued as to how it works out the different permutations....if anyone else knows, please feel free to build this thread, AND to post all about the other Keyplate machines as well...

 

[frontaloadotmy]

Venus

I think it is just a storage slot for the key not in use.

 

[retromom]

Sorry, I can't read English! LOL

Thanks Darrel! Actually, I think my post got stuck between Mike's posts; just a timing problem. LOL Now that I see the labeling on the slots and the internal pic showing the "slot to nowhere", it makes sense!

 

[gyrafoam]

Oh Lawd-----

Thanks, Mike for the tutorial. What an education!
Now, if I'm looking for programming----- just let me get a good old 906.

 

[matchboxpaul]

you missed one mike

my favourite (i am biased though!)...

the 'matchbox' 3243H Keymatic de Luxe

UK version on left
German version - top right (also a UK version later on)
A3050 Electricity Board Special - bottom right

 

[jetcone]

All Right Mister

When did you get that Georgeous to Die for Keymatic Deluxe??
That wasn't in your stable two summers ago!!!!!!!!!

Aought! WOw!

The machine I used on the Isle of Wight was very simlar to that but the door and release were not chrome they were either white or black.

Mike is right he didn't see me for two days, that original timer box was much more complicated and bigger than that 80's deluxe machine.
But it is such a cool idea being able to update your wash programs as time goes by. Now it could be done with a thumbdrive.

Introducing the Hoover ThumbDrive-0-Matic!! HAHA!

I still like the heavy bakelite keyplates they clunk when they are together and they make a neat noise when you slide them against each other too!

 

[chestermikeuk]

Bakelite

Hi Steve, it is so simple to use, just one push button & a card, refresh my memory, the 906 is the TOL pushbutton Maytag??

Jon, cant think how you missed the video of this, its outrageous with all the Clunks, Clicks & Whirrs as it bypasses the sequences...Did the Isle of Wight machine have one keyplate or two?? and did it have a see through glass door??

Paul, soz for that, I`ve missed a few more besides, was just showing the 3 variations in Keplate Control, the black Keyplate is from the last one made the A3112...

AND of course no Keymatic machine is complete unless it has.....

 

[mickeyd]

Hi Mike, I got all excited because

the first two pix look like top-loaders.

Talk about Royal Dooltons-- wonder if Hyacinth Bouquet has Her Majesty's Deluxe slimline Keymatic in her periwinkle laundry?

Love keys madly but lose them sadly.

 

[gyrafoam]

Mike----

Nothing wrong with your memory!

 

[jeb]

Hyacinth laundry room

Mickeyd- I would hate to have to work on her Keymatic- Always having to "mind the wallpaper" in the laundry room and taking off my shoes just to walk to it. Are you sure if her China had the "hand painted periwinkles" she would use that color for a laundry? Might be sacrilegious to the Royal Doulton company.

 

[jetcone]

Wow Mike

I don't know how I could miss that vid!
What a noisy upstart of a machine I LOVE IT!

The Isle of Wight machine had one keymatic slot and one storage slot and a glass door but it was not near as upmarket as your machine, it had no indicator lights on the front, I only remember it had a gas gauge indicator to tell you where it was in the Cycle.

Nice addition to your collection!
Can't wait to come back and play with that and run the Bendix!

 

[foraloysius]

Here's a picture of the keyplates that came with my Keymatic. I think the right one with the Dutch text is supposed to be used when the machine is connected to cold water only. The right one with the English text is for hot and cold. Notice the different notches.

The link goes to my Keymatic photo album including the pages of the manual that came with it.

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/152326039vvWLvh

 

[jetcone]

Those are the keyplates I used

only they were red bakelite! They were heavy as I recall.

Nice speakers Louis they look like they'd ROCK the out house down!

 

[gansky1]

I love those keyplates, what a great way to program your washday - automatically!

Were the "readers" & timers much trouble for the machine? It's a good thing there's a storage slot for the extra key - I'll bet a lot of those ended up in toyboxes over the years!

 

[retromom]

Hey Louis:

Is "Witte Was" white wash? If that's the case, are we talking a cold water wash for whites with that key?

Greg: How true!! I'd love to go to a few European garage sales and find some of those keys in the "toys to go" bin! LOL

 

[fredriksam]

Hey chestermikeuk. I wanted to ask you if you could make some more videos of your keymatic machines and show it on youtube?

If i,m not wrong i think you had/have an Keymatic 3224.

Is it working? Can you do some clips of it?

I had one that was broken. I sold the machine to a collector here in Sweden. Then he sold it to someone in Norway. Maybe Timonspub know the person in norway?

 

[timon90]

Hmm...

No, I dont know anyone else here in Norway who are intrested in machines at all! Sorry..