Low Speed as Relevant to Filter Flo Washers

[Chetlaham]

Is the low speed useful or needed with GE FF washers? I remember that low speed did not work on nearly every FF washers by the scrap pile with no one noticing it was gone.

 

The relatively slow RPM on high speed spins would not break threads in delicate fabrics, the ramp agitator was gentle enough when paired with the poly knit cycle, the mini basket covered handwash items and Hotpoint had a smooth fin agitator under the regular agitator to be used with handwash items.

 

I feel like GE would in advance cover for the disappearing low speed and that FFs could have all gotten away with being single speed right out of the box instead of GE messing around with two or multi speed clutches. I feel like low speed wash/spin with its two speed clutch was over-rated.

 

How do others feel?

 

[appnut]

My FFlo had the straight vane activator, not ramp activator. I deemed high speed agitation for good clothes was too rough and had to use gentle. This rough, aggressive agitation in TLers is why I feel the way I do with regards to tlers and flers. I mean, the FFlo & the Lady Shredmore did me in for Tlers.

 

[jons1077]

Slow speed

I often use the slow speed wash on my filter flos. The fast speed is pretty aggressive for certain things so it’s a matter of really short wash time or slower speed agitation to get effective washing. I’ve never had a clutch fail or wear out due to its use. I did service the clutch of my 1970 FF and essentially it really needed a good cleaning and lubricating. It works beautifully now.

 

[Chetlaham]

@appnut- Perhaps a ramp or slim vane agitator would have suited your needs better? I find that washers with strong agitation also tended to have very immodest agitators in them compounding the aggressive agitation. A slim vane agitator, like a Maytag DC agi might have been a better option. TL washers can get quite soft with the right agitator. I personally like gentle agitators with a long wash time. I think that provides the best wash performance. GE FFs gave a 20 minute wash time on heavy soil.

[this post was last edited: 11/4/2023-20:50]

 

[ryner1988]

My dad and stepmom had a BOL filter flow that didn't have a separate speed control. I washed clothing on the regular setting all the time and never had a problem with fabric damage. I used that machine well into college, I believe it was around 2011 when it finally died and they bought a Maytag Bravos HE top loader.

Ryne

 

[Chetlaham]

I think nearly all one speed washer models with exception of large fin agis did well in terms of clothing wear and clean-ability.  

 

[combo52]

GE multispeed washer, clutches

It takes a very long time to wear out the low speed clutch in a GE Filter Flow washer. The only time I’ve ever seen a problem with the clutch completely wearing out was when people use nothing but low speed for 10 or 15 years, I would not be worried about using this very useful feature.

Multi Speed agitation on top load washers was a big breakthrough because it allowed you to wash more delicate things without damage.

While I agree, almost all normal clothing can be washed at high speed they’ve been very few machines that caused damage to clothing, and one notable exception Were Maytag dependable care machines with the powerfin agitator were proven to destroy fabrics and one washing in consumer report testing of one Speed automatic washers.

It is also probable that basic direct drive whirlpool washers can cause clothing damage but I’ve never seen any side-by-side testing to prove this but many customers have complained about it so I do believe I wouldn’t wash everything in a direct drive at high speed for extended periods of time.

John

 

[gyrafoam]

Original One-Speed Designs----------

We're developed when the majority of Americans had blue-collar jobs, and in some cases, got clothes filthy dirty with regularity. Kids played outside in the dirt. Housewives often tended their own gardens. Men did their own maintenance on their cars, houses, yards, etc. The clothing was often 100% cotton, denim, and heavy fabrics.
I was a different world.

The original wash systems, agitators, water temperatures, etc. we're geared to get the filthiest clothing clean. and they did.
The Maytag Gyratator and its various versions right on in to the Powerfinn, were very aggressive. The Whirlpool Surgilator and Super Surgilator were very aggressive.
The Ramped GE Activator and later iterations of the straight vaned Activator were, too.
The old Norge straight-vane with the skirt almost as wide as the circumference of the tub, is brutal. Even on Gentle Speed mine is pretty rough. The newer big-tub versions were too and the oscillation speed was faster.
I do not think a Unimatic is very gentle, either, so no wonder they recommended a very short wash time!
I can just imagine the crushed-in wrinkles of sheer fabrics, knotted into a rope!

Anyway, today's clothes collect office dust. And, most washer owners are fine with something that can dust things off with as little water and detergent as possible.

Personally, I'm glad to have a great collection of classic old brutes that can clean the dirtiest fabrics I put in them!

 

[bajaespuma]

My speed combo when I have a choice

...has always been SLOW agitation and NORMAL spin speed. I noticed that my Mother's Mother, who had a WA-730X (which was, essentially the same as our WA-750W minus a rinse temperature toggle) always kept the speed button on SLOW.

 

Filter-Flo machines do an excellent cleaning job on big loads and heavy fabrics, but it's a little intense for finer stuff and when using lower water levels. There's a lot of splashing on NORMAL as well.

 

I have found, unfortunately, with many of the Filter-Flo's I've used, the SLOW speed option disappears one way or another after many years of use.

 

I'm using a WA-950X that starts out with slow agitation, but always goes to fast no matter what speed I choose. On our WA-750 W the SLOW option disappeared after about 8 years and was hardly used at all; the machine started and ran on fast speed no matter what.

 

[combo52]

GE Filter Flow washers won’t stay on slow speed

Hi Ken, that’s just a simple adjustment to the shifter solenoid. The clutch is not worn out when they do that.

Sometimes the link on the shifter solenoid is broken. This will also cause that problem.

It was definitely a Mickey Mouse system and always amazes me that one of the worlds largest makers of electric Motors couldn’t put a two speed motor in their own washers instead put a very complicated clutch and shifting mechanism , every other machine including their sister brand Hotpoint had two speed motors.

John

 

[Chetlaham]

Is the Maytag 1970-1980 center dial agitator really that rough on clothes? I recall it being amongst the gentlest.  Not doubting, just wanting to learn more.

 

@bajaespuma: Perhaps its a local thing, but I've noticed the same. Every single GE filter Flo and Hotpoint Rim flo that was older than 10 years was missing its low speed for some reason or another. Low speed simply did not remain for any length of time. Most common cause was the entire shifter armature was just missing in the scrap pile no where to be found. I feel like GE was aware of that and designed their machines with the ability to wash delicate, knit, PP and delicate items on high speed.

 

 

[gyrafoam]

Is the Maytag 1970-1980 center dial agitator really that rou

Well, reach down into the bottom of the tub and feel for yourself. The earlier Gyratator without flexible fins is very aggressive, too.
If I put three or four pair of denim jeans in either my '64 Highlander or 806 there is a LOT of splashing going on as the agitator thrashes those fabrics around.
I am careful to use Gentle Speed anytime I am washing lightweight fabrics.
Remember, Maytag made their name washing clothes for farm workers, factory workers and the military out near the battlefield.

 

[Chetlaham]

Eh- Maytag has often been rated one of the lowest cleaning washers. Based on the limited Maytags I've used, service manuals, observations and remarks on here Maytag was too gentle relative to other washers hence why Whirlpool and GE sold more washers. Based on what Maytag wrote, the 1970-1980 agi were meant to be gentle and washed/moved clothes by forcing water through them. Clothes would not stay around the lower fins for long, most of the time they were being turned over through the force of water.   

 

[circlew]

Maytag mostly built their reputation with the customers Steve S. mentioned with their WRINGER washers.

 

[bajaespuma]

Reply #9; Good news

Thanks John, I'll look at the solenoid.

 

My understanding is that GE didn't use a 2 speed motor because it would slow down the Filtration system to a dribble and they already had had enough complaints about dribbling in the Solid Tub models from customers who used the WATER SAVER option on those machines (even though the lid instructions warned the user).

 

Personally, I agreed with CU when they wrote that Clothes Dryer lint filtration was more effective than in the washers. And I notice that almost no new washing machines seem to bother with them.

 

[combo52]

Multi speed, GE Filter Flow washers

Hi Ken and others, yes, GE design criteria was to have the pump operating at full speed so there would be no drop off of pumping efficiency when the machine was operating on low speed.

Because of having to throw the water at distance into the filter pan, they felt that this was necessary every other brand of washing machine with a two speed motor managed to get the Ge Filter to work on low speed.

In retrospect, it would’ve been much easier to design the pump to operate at low speed and then when the motor was running on high speed, they could’ve had a tiny restrictor valve so that it didn’t overwhelm the filter pan when it was on high speed, and it would’ve been a lot less cost and trouble , but this was 1950s engineering that should’ve been trashed long ago.

It’s interesting when you look at belt, drive whirlpool products, Maytag, washing machines, GE washing machines, etc., they all had major design flaws which should’ve been dropped years ago and they kept building the machines without fixing basic problems.

I’m often critical of Maytag but I’m just as critical of whirlpool belt, drive machines, whirlpool belt drive machines had a terrible snubber system, they should’ve had a belt tensioner, so they didn’t burn up belts when they got a little bit loose, they should’ve had a better water pump, they should’ve had better materials used on the spin tube and agitator shaft so the seal didn’t fail so soon the machines would’ve lasted far longer . But they weren’t trying to build a machine that would last 30 years they wanted you to buy a new machine every 10 to 20 years.

John

 

[launderess]

"Personally, I agreed with CU when they wrote that Clothes Dryer lint filtration was more effective than in the washers. And I notice that almost no new washing machines seem to bother with them."

What you say is largely true, but remember early on many households only had an automatic washing machine, for which they were grateful. Since laundry was line dried any help from washer in removing lint was welcomed.

Even homes with a dryer welcomed lint filter in washer for various reasons.

 

[launderess]

Maytag and others who make top loading washers must see a need in market for some type of filtration system. Proving everything once old is new again.





Then you have this...





Now Maytag of old had in agitator lint filters for both wringer washers and automatics. Have to say using said filter in my Maytag wringer does catch lots of lint.

https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?36591

https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?55450

 

[ryner1988]

Reply #7

Good explanation for why gentleness on clothing has become so much the main focus in the modern day, it's something I've off and on wondered about. Even as late as my childhood in the 90's cleanliness took top notch and gentleness to fabrics was somewhere below that. Now they've mostly switched places because Americans sit in air-conditioned/heated offices hunched over their computers day after day and meanwhile children get an iPad as early as like six years of age so that's literally all they do with their free time. Ugh.

Ryne