My first Norge!!!! Well, sorta...

[appnut]

Gass burner extra solenoid

John thanks for the explanation. I rememberr a slight click on our 1964 Wrinkle-Out dryer that paired with the TOL 8 push-button washer--dispensomat. My mom used timed dry on that dryer all the time and the max time limit for her was 45 minutes whether the load was dry or not. When I did the laundry every load was dried on either automatic regular or automatic wash and wear. I noticed that click moreso on the w'n'w than the regular auto dry. But it could have done that for both auto cycles. when I'd hear that click, sometimes I'd raise the door on the gas burner mechanism access and see if I could tell any difference. SOMETIMES it looked like the flame wasn't as intense after that click, but I couldn't be certain for sure. And I wasn't gonna stand there and stare into that system and wait for that click to see if I could see anytinng different with the flame after the click. Besides, the washer was usually going and that was more intersting. But Im' curious, did the electric version of those dryers have something similar that would lower the wattage of the heating element as the clothes dried?

 

[swestoyz]

Pretty set! On the earlier version of this washer the lighted indicators were visible through the timer dial via a little window. As the timer dial spun through the cycles, different colors would show to indicate what portion of the cycle the washer was in.

Ben

 

[bajaespuma]

Ben, I'd love to see a picture of that.

Spent the better part of two days grinding, scrubbing, unscrewing, screwing, oiling, cleaning (someone remind me to send a thank-you note to the people who make Lime-A-Way). This thing is built like a tank! And I must say, Norge used a lot more stainless steel bolts, screws and other important hardware than the Maytag family did:

 

[bajaespuma]

The wash-basket came out with much elbow grease. I was scared I would break something because although it looked very much like a Filter-Flo set up, I was working in the dark not knowing whether anything else was holding it down besides the three bolts which were on so tight. As you can see, the outer tub was very clean except for some disgusting sticky gunk around the top that I suspect was years-old fabric softener residue. Scraped and vacuumed most of it away and washed out the tub with Lime away. The tub cap was also encrusted with gunk and took a lot to clean up. I'm ready to reassemble the machine:

 

[bajaespuma]

The wash-basket itself is light as a feather and except for a strange little brittle rubber seal on the bottom (which I tore, of course) cleaned up without incident. Reoiled all the bolts after acid washing them, said many prayers and replaced the tub and the incredibly annoying metal clips that attached the cap to the outer tub:

 

[bajaespuma]

Here's a shot of the set-up for the wonderful but redundant automatic powdered detergent dispenser (someone should have told Norge that you can dispense the detergent from the filter pan just like the GE's). It looks sort of like the old fabric softener dispenser on the Solid Tub Filter-Flo's but it doesn't seem to have a reservoir.Note to self: see if the detergent dispenser can hold liquid detergent without it just spilling out before the fill.

 

[bajaespuma]

Can't forget the burp-o-pan:

 

[bajaespuma]

and after all that almost forgot the detergent dispenser housing that I took upstairs and washed lovingly with Q-tips, toothpicks and toothbrushes (I really need to get a life):

 

[bajaespuma]

and we're ready for a test run:

 

[bajaespuma]

Let's see, drain hose clamped and set into standpipe. Hot and cold water hoses attached to threads, hand-tightened then wrench tightened 1/3 more. Electric cord plugged into 20 amp socket. I'm a little nervous; after all of that I just pulled the cycle dial out and nothing is happening. Nothing.

 

[bajaespuma]

Gloriosky! It's just like a Maytag; nothing is supposed to happen until the lid is closed and the safety switch does its thing. I love the fill, there's water coming out of everything! The detergent dispenser is a little anemic, but the main fill flume has style and some force! I must admit I'm kind of excited to see a machine I know nothing about go to work.

 

[bajaespuma]

If the Terminator ever needed a washing machine...

Jeez, Louise!!!! You guys weren't kidding! This thing is a monster! It's not a burpolator, it's a projectile vomitolator! Laundry wouldn't DARE stay dirty after a couple of rounds in this thing! This machine is a powerhouse.Also, the machine on its highest fill setting is overflowing through the relief tube. That's a pleasant change.

Uh, oh, just a moment (I'm using my HAL voice now). The machine just went into spin and it's draining but nothing's happening. And my camera is acting up. Will get back to you with an update and maybe some video clips if I can manage it.

 

[surgilator_68]

I had that same washer in Avocado. That was one hell of a machine that wouldn't quit and get everything clean.

 

[a440]

The machine just went into spin and it's draining but no

Didn't this series have a neutral drain for half of the beginning of the spin?
Hopefully it went into spin at some point.
Great pictures!
You did a bang out job on cleaning it up!
Looks like you are having fun!
Brent

 

[swestoyz]

After the machine drains enough water to trip the water level switch, the solenoid for the brake will engage and allow the machine to spin. Did the washer spin during a dry run?

BTW - great job on the clean-up! I burnt my hands last night cleaning up a '66 Custom Deluxe Rollermatic with some Lime Away. Powerful stuff.

Ben

 

[bajaespuma]

Yes!

Smartest throw I've ever seen in a top loader. It does just as you guys said, it drains about 1/3 of the tub out then you hear a loud "CLANK" and the machine smoothly winds up into a very fast spin. The tub brake operates selectively. In normal use, at the end of a spin cycle, the tub comes to a silent L O N G (almost a minute)slow down to a stop. Then when the machine feels like it, the spin light goes out with another "CLANK" and I assume the tub brake has engaged for more agitation. If you trip the safety switch, however, that loud tub brake grabs that tub in what seemed like less than 3 seconds!

I'm so impressed with this machine I can't believe they weren't more popular. This is/was the washing machine for farmers with really dirty rugged clothes. My towels came out of the first load extremely clean, dry and a little intimidated. One thing I still don't understand, and if any of you have an instruction manual for this or a similar machine, it has a control for an automatic advance from the soak cycle to the wash, but none for advance from regular wash to the extra rinse cycle. It stopped short of the extra rinse cycle even though I selected the "advance to wash" option thinking that would do it. I find it hard to believe it would have what it calls an "extra rinse" that one would have to do manually. I now also understand the detergent dispenser; it adds only in the wash cycle so you can load it for the wash when you set the machine to soak and advance. I am going to try to figure this out later. This was worth getting. I don't understand why these machines were phased out. They should have been bench-marked as the machine to buy for people who just want to clean the living crap out of their clothes. This thing don't play.

I can't wait to see what the dryer's going to do, but that's going to have to be much later when I can afford to change the manifold and pay for the plumbing from the tanks.

 

[circlew]

I always heard Norge was a very popular brand in Appalachia (West Virginia, E.Kentucky and S.E. Ohio); maybe because it would get the coal miners clothes clean, and wasn't high priced. Kash D. Amburgy (the Old Country Boy) heavily promoted Norge at his Bargain Barn in South Lebanon, OH. Bet Pete (Rollermatic) remembers his ads.

 

[surgilator_68]

They were very popular...just didn't last long.

 

[cfz2882]

they were pretty common for years in my area,but i have not
seen any for a while-most were around 1972-82 vintage.

 

[norgeway]

Absolutely the BEST!!!

Cleaning,best built appliances ever....all but that flockerator dryer, and it is a great dryer,just blows lint!!!here is my favorite Norge!!