Mini basket water level detection : how does it work ?

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Maybe you've written it thousand times - or it is so obvious-

I guess that VA toploaders have pressure switches just like frontloaders, I also guess that water overflows into the main tub while spinning

I can't figure out what happens during agitation : is there any water outside the minibasket too ? Otherwhise can't figure how the machine can sense the water level

Thanks in advance

Favorit
 
yes. water fills the outer (regular) tub to a very low level,(governed by the water level switch just like a regular load) then when agitation starts, it's pumped into the minibasket. there are some small holes in the minibasket bottom to have a certain amount of water drip through so there is at least a little filtering of the washwater going on. the spin is thrown out the sides of the minibasket (has slots near the top)
 
GE MINIBASKET OPERATION

The holes in the bottom o the Minibasket are there to let heavy soils such as sand leave the wash basket and be flushed away. The wash water is constantly being  filtered by the regular lint filter which forms the lid of the Minibasket, the filter-lid also keeps small light weight items from being thrown over the top of the Minibasket when the washer spins the water out of the Minibasket. It was a very clever feature and some users really liked them. Overall the filter flow washers were very crude washers that used an excessive amount of water. And to me any washer design that with the first off-balance load allows the inner tub to go crashing against the outer tub as it rubs the porcelain coating of both to me is pretty poorly designed. If I had bought a new one of these I would have made them change both damaged tubs every time it did this. This design flaw plus the way the top was sealed to the top of the outer tub caused many outer tubs and washer tops to rust through let alone all the stinky washer complaints. Mold & stinky washer complaints are not just a new FL washer problem.
 
Mini Basket

The other design, which I have is the SpotScrubber model, with is solid on the bottom. Don't wash anything with sediment/sand in these as it collect in the bottom. Identifiable by being a light blue shade and were made from what I gather from 86-93. A neat idea where the Filter-Flo turns off leaving a super-concentrated detergent solution in a half full mini-basket. Since there are no holes in the bottom, the solution stays in there. The cycle compensates for the holy soapy article by offering 2 rinses.

John is right, these machines are the most water hungry top-loader (as my water bill reflects) that walks the planet. The reason is the aforementioned suspension system. The outer-tub is the entire diameter of the cabinet and fixed to it, so the smaller tub swings around inside that area. This might be acceptable for a solid-tub machine, which I feel is a design that these machines were based on, but in a perforated tub machine, the machine has to fill that suspension clearance with water. It's not usable washing space to the washer so it's a waste. I also have several crash scars near the top of my outer tub, luckily not rusting through.

I enjoy these machines, I had one as a kid (my 1st automatic) and all of the coin laundries here had them when I was growing up. Sometimes you like something not for how good it is but how it makes you feel, and that's where I stand with the GE's. I also have sense enough admit a design flaw and these machines were riddled with them. It doesn't mean I'm going to toss out my washer, it simply is what it is.

-Tim
 
Tim -

Your comments above reminded me of a fun day with my washer buddy back when I was just getting started with repairing and rebuilding. I worked on washers for fun, however for him it was a business and career. He enjoyed what he did and enjoyed having someone around to share it. We had a standard capacity GE, I believe it was a late 1970s machine, that I had taken on trade for a re-done KM. He liked GEs so I gave it to him in trade for (one guess) a black panel Kenmore. He gave me so many machines over the years it really wasn't a trade....

Anyway, we were running the GE on a full-water test after he fixed the clutch, and we drained the water into a standard cap. Whirlpool. The water from the GE filled the WP, and there was water leftover, quite a bit if memory serves. Ever since then I have considered the GEs to be water hogs.

Each machine has it's drawbacks though, so we never really gave that a second look. I remember too the "battle scars" as he called them, that would wear into the sides of the outer tub in the GEs. Does this cause eventual rust through?

Gordon
 
I have a few I am playing with, and although they use a lot of water, I can't seem to create a suds lock with these machines, and the rinse is always clear, but none the less, they may have some flaws, what machine doesn't, but I love the minibasket/miniquick cycle option, the full speed pump, and during the spin how the water flows up an over to flush out the entire machine, I never had mold/mildew issues, of course Mom always washed/rinsed in warm water, and left the lid up while not in use......I just didn't know back then what great machines they were for the most part, but having a BOL wasn't much fun, always hoped for one with a few more options growing up....but live and learn....not to mention how much better the roto-swirl agitator was than the straight vanes....go figure
 
GE's

Gordon:

The outer tub scars will eventually rust through and leak. My original SpotScrubber doner machine had suffered from that. My current machine doesn't have any bad marks, the tub in general is rusting evenly and nothing is bad yet. I will at some point grind it down a bit and epoxy it, but it seldom smacks the tub.

 

Martin:

You CAN sudslock a GE. Here's how: Get a mini-basket and set the water-level accordingly. Put in a half-scoop (red cup) of Kirkland's Institutional Detergent (Super Concentrated!). Let it rip and suds will come out of the lid. When spin starts the spin speed slows to a crawl and it takes all of the spray rinse to flush the machine enough to get up to a faster speed. Usually enough suds leftover to have a 2nd wash in the rinse. I didn't do this intentionally and I'm sure the clutch didn't like it, but it was neat in that "Ouch that has to hurt" kinda way. Perhaps I should make a video...

 

-Tim
 
Tim

under extremes like that it probably would suds lock, but under normal load conditions, wether 1/2 or full load, I have doubled and tripled the amount of detergent, even added a half bottle of dawn, got loads of dense suds, and it pulled thru every time........

but in a Maytag or Whirlpool, even a half cup too much of detergent will make it sudslock, and you need at least 2 rinses to get it all out.....at least thats the way it works for me....so for these machines, I stick with Sears Ultra Plus, fortunately you can add four, five or 10 scoops, and never get suds during the wash or rinse....which is also great for FL's......

but thanks for your input just the same.......
 
Luke, I am Your Father (GASP, GASP...)

 

I should have worn my respirator mask! ha!

 

Yes Martin, I know what you're saying about the "normal" water level washes, a whole scoop of the same detergent doesn't even phase the wash-water on 3/4 - full levels. I was very surprised nonetheless about the suds-lock situation as I have NEVER experienced that even with Gain, with is very sudsy. With the machine in SpotScrubber mode, I put a whole scoop in the basket and it doesn't sudslock because the Filter-Flo shuts off and that frothy concoction stays in the mini-basket. I see now just why the SS machine has a solid mini-basket and cuts the filtering. The agitator with that little bit of water is ridiculously aggressive and could whip suds from anything.

 

-Tim
 
I used to SpotScrub all the time for grimy work clothes and stains that wouldn't come out in the regular wash.....

my formula: 1/2 load of water, and 2 cups detergent, and 1 cup of color safe bleach....the agitation was aggressive.....no stain had a chance.......

but I would always have a suds lock condition in a MT and WP.....the GE FF never did.....but maybe I never over powered the detergent enough to kill it

but thats also like my SQ ST, I use a high suds detergent, and watch the overflo rinse wash away the suds before the first spin, and then take off spinning with nothing in its way, I'm probably slowly killing it, but just amazed at how nothing gets in its way, it handles any load with ease....this is what we miss in these new machines......
 
Lots of fun and great info here

Finally understand how the Spot Scrubber works. Thanks, had been dying to know.

 

In the older GE I have, the old motor (now replaced) did a trick I'd love to see again and share with fellow water drama lovers. What happened was that it would ramp up to full speed very fast, and even with GE's sensational pump power, the water would be whirling back into the tub in great arcs from the outer tub. In a very sudsy wash, it was quite a spectacle. And the GE would get it all out without a blink.

 

Always wondered if anyone else had this experience. The new motor has a slower ramp up and the water works are no where near as dramatic.

 

Here's what's on the to-do list: the GE has a long generous spray rinse, but most of the water shoots into the outer tub. have studied this many times with the hood up. Worse, during mini-basket loads, which is what I most often do in the GE, none of the spray rinse water hits the load.
smiley-yell.gif
Is there a way to cut a notch in the nozzle and maybe a small loop out of the rim shield to allow the spray to come forth? Been thinking about how cool a spray rinsing mini-basket would be. Any of you whizzes have any ideas?
 
Mike

I had the same issues of water spraying into the outter tub, simple 5 second fix that can be reversed, pop the top, and take the water flume, and flip it back on itself, it will stay that way and cause the water to spray on the load as it hits the splash shield.....caution: don't turn on the water with the top up....if needed, with the top up, use a cable tie and strap the lid switch so the machine will run with the lid open.....

but no water will ever hit inside of the minibasket, its supply of wateronly comes from the filter flo during agitation only!....do you have the seperate mini-quick cycle option?....this has a long spin/spray to flush out any suds from the outter tub.....

now as far as the water splash over during the spin, it has nothing to do with the new motor, your clutches may be wearing down or not engaging quick enough to spin the tub faster with a full tub of water.....I have 2 that do this with ease, also agitation kicks in high by the second stroke...and I have 2 machines that are slower to react so to speak....

2 models I have offer the "extra rinse" switch added to the Regular cycle, but theres also the "ExtraCleaning" cycle, which still has 2 rinses automatically, but spin/sprays in the first 2 spins, which is nice for towels, theres no suds to be found at the end...

show us some pics of your machine......any other help needed, just ask

yogitunes++2-15-2011-14-18-54.jpg
 
Mike

Any help I can be.....just ask or email me....were always here......

not all pumps are created equal....theres a few that are somewhat normal...and a few that are very powerful, during filtering it can throw the water out of the pan, and during spin it can jet propel the hose up and out of the drain or sink...been there...

one thing I miss about newer style tubs with lesser rows of holes, during spin with an empty tub, at top speed the holes would whistle........but yet with the high water pressure I have, during fill the air gap whistles at high pitch, anoying as all hell, removing it and replacing it with plastic pipe keeps it quiet....nothing we can rig up to solve a problem.....
 
Pump runs at all times, same speed as the motor......

The SS feature works by shutting off the filter flo by way of a unique solenoid valve in-line from the pump to the spout....
 
SpotScrubber vs. Mini-Wash

Did the SpotScrubber models come with two mini baskets, one for each intended purpose and the control panel had a setting for mini wash and one for SS? 
 

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