My washday nemesis

[superelectronic]

So here I am, two years since I went public with the washer interest and decided to join AW. It started with my wishing to destroy the lacklusture washing machine I have been provided by my landlords; whilst many of you have since seen washers come and go, I am still lumbered with the same old equipment, having decided against sabotage. Anyway, a few weeks ago I finally got around to taking some pics (thanks to my job providing me with a BlackBerry enabling pics to be taken).

Allow me to present to you the PROLINE W850 from 1995. The washer that just refuses to quit! I still wish it gone but in the meantime I shall learn to love it. As long as I see it as non-automatic I'm half way there!

Here we are in profile...

Link to my original plans below, should anyone be interested.

http://www.automaticwasher.org/TD/ARCHIVE/MODERN/2008/15266x13.htm

 

[superelectronic]

The dispenser

First things first...

Compartments C and D don't work properly as the water is directed in the wrong places at the wrong time, hence conditioner tends to be dispensed on rinse 2 instead of the final rinse. D is for LCB - not needed in this part of the world.

 

[superelectronic]

The programmes

They're on the front of the dispenser drawer.

Nothing fancy here.

Woe betide using "delicates" for your fragiles; it's actually what we in the UK used to know as programme three - while nylon at 60 degrees C, so hardly delicate!

 

[superelectronic]

The controls

The W850 is fully selectable between on AND off!

Okay, there is a dial too and that half load funtion. Half load reduces water consumption by a whole 20 litres on a cotton cycle - that's just 100 litres for a small load: postively MISERLY, I'm sure you'll agree!

 

[ultimafan]

Hi Al...its ultimafan...

If you're still after a new machine, you could play the enviroment card. The Proline is Comet's essential brand, I think there are still Prolines out at the moment, but you could imply to your landlord that you need a new machine to reduce energy and water bills and most machines are AAA or AAB rated, I'm sure you could twist his arm. Yet I wouldn't want to see you do this and get lumbered with a Beko as it seems the hot favourite for landlords furnishing their properties. But even so, I guess a Beko is moving up as you'll have more features, a bigger drum, maybe a faster spin speed.

Your Proline looks a lot like a Hotpoint/Creda which could explain its durability, anyhoo I've never seen this machine before, so its yet another rarity on AW.

 

[superelectronic]

The wash action

Tumbling away with my white wash on programme 3 - 60 degree C cottons.

 

[superelectronic]

Cooldown/rinse

This is the water level reached during cooldown and rinses 1 and 4 on the cottons cycle. Approximately 28 litres: achieved by two minutes' timed fill on top of the standard level. I would say it's rather generous by today's standards but there are some new machines out there that do similar (except maybe only with 2 rinses in total).

Unfortunately, the machine pumps out the water as soon as it hits this level which always seems like a shocking waste in my eyes. The only exceptions are the wool wash and final rinse on the sythetics cycle (number 15 on the dial).

Apologies if it's not too clear where the water comes to - it's roughly just below the middle of the door bowl. The pics are turning out a bit fuzzier onsite!

 

[superelectronic]

Normal water level

17-18 litres. Half load reaches the bottom of the door seal - 12-13 litres I think.

Hey there Ultimafan!

Can't see the environment card going anywhere - my lardlords are old-school and if it ain't broke, you don't fix it! There's a war on, don't you know...or something like that. Since they pay the bills it's their call anyway.

Pic...

 

[superelectronic]

Distri-drain

Akin to Hoover of yesteryear, methinks. Still useless for distributing on spin-only!

 

[ronhic]

That door....

....bellows looks to have some rather severe creasing/gathering on it...I'd hate to see what a zipper on a pair of jeans or track top could do to that if it got caught in one of the 'valleys'.....

Firstly, price out a replacement bellows....and what it would cost to fit.....you wouldn't want to cause yourself the inconvienience if it isn't going to be 'worthwhile'

Then, get a sharp pointed knife and, well, you know what might work here......

....nothing quite like a water leak to have a landlord out quickly - especially if you are on the first floor and/or they have either floating floor or carpet (which I see they do)

The other option is, whilst I know money may be tight, get a better quality low end machine (and there is much right and very little wrong with Beko BTW) and ask the landlord to remove his...if you need to, fib and tell him you've received one from your gran (and a few 'older' relatives) or something as a Christmas present....

Offer to help him move it out and let him know that, whilst the rent includes a 'washing machine', you don't expect it to be reduced because you're using your own....

 

[superelectronic]

Meanwhile, across the kitchen...

...we have the White Knight WK767 Condensor Tumble Dryer from 2004. It's very noisy (compared to the vented compacts I grew up with and indeed by most standards), often with the sound of shearing metal!

I've found it's best used without the condensor - an open window is quite sufficient and one can use full heat without cremating the clothes. Mind you, it did end up emitting a smoky haze the other week...I suspect its days are numbered. I much prefer to line dry anyway!

 

[superelectronic]

All done!

Here are the whites on the line in my garden...just the way things should be!

LOL @ Ronhic - I've considered the elderly relative donation ruse! Maybe it'll fly. As to the door seal - sorry - very hardwearing! An accident with the control module would make it sufficiently beyond repair, as it goes....Lord knows how I would engineer that one, though.

 

[aquacycle]

Actually, Beko washing machines are proving to be a cheap, yet reliable and high performing brand. I know a lot of people now with Beko washers - old and new. And all are very pleased with them.

 

[superelectronic]

Actually, what I need is a VINTAGE machine...

...to go with the rest of the house!

 

[superelectronic]

I've had two glasses of port since I started...

...so what the hell - face to a name time!

I did not paint the bedroom pink - it CAME that way. I can advocate the colour choice as being very flattering on pale skin, however. Coupled with the unintentional soft focus I could almost pass for a boy of 20 again!

 

[aquacycle]

^OH LORDIE! How 70's. I love it ! Here's a snap of my vintage dryer from 1980/81.

 

[aquacycle]

PS. That hallway is just crying out to be vacuumed by one of THESE

 

[hoover1100]

I LOVE your house

it's right up my street!

As for the washer, well I appreciate that you aren't fond of it, but just think of the junk out there now that your landlord could replace it with. If I were in your position and ended up with a God awful Indesit/Hotpoint or Hoover/Candy, or...heaven forbid...a HAIER!!! I'd be rummaging through the rubbish tip to get the old one back!

I'd love to know who made this machine, my Uncle has an earlier model and I've never been sure as to what they actually are.

Matt

 

[superelectronic]

Thank you and goodnight!

So there we have it: I've well and truly plundered my resources now. I guess the next step would be a video but that might not arrive for a while yet.

Thank you for joining me on my anniversary celebration - I hope one or two of you will find some sort of interest in the comparitive oddity of my machine. How the hell I ended up with two of the things is beyond me (had one at another house); I'm going for karma or something like that. Maybe one day I'll get to have a fully functioning, well programmed modern machine! I can live in hope anyway...

By the way - I think the machine is technically a Blomberg rebagde: Proline is what I'd term a non-brand exclusive to Comet in the UK. Their current models are by someone else it seems (possibly Haier) - when I looked at one last year the build quality was certainly somewhat inferior.

Bye for now!

Alex

 

[aquacycle]

I'm going just say what Matt was beating around the bush about (those guys who talk to me often know how direct I am - so apologies I am not trying to be rude).

Count your blessings. It could be a LOT worse. You can have a new Haier, Hoover/Candy or Merloni (Hotpoint, Indesit, Servis, Ariston) machine. That would be so much worse than what you have. Granted, it could be better. But Blomberg weren't bad washers at all and very popular in Europe, so I understand. Plus, 15 years is not bad going for a washer these days.