More on the Dispensall
Oops!! Didn't see the post--Robert, you were 100% correct! How'd you know? ;-)
Hi Ed, when the machine left the factory, there was the Dispensall unit (shown here from a "farm machine", which appears to be an earlier model) that attached to the bottom of the lid. It was also referred to as the "Tank", as shown here, and due to the fact that the bleach dispenser's outlet extension says "FOR USE IN TANK MODELS". When you started a wash, you were supposed to add detergent, bleach, and fabric softener in the appropriate dispensers (under the small lid). This is why the Dispensall's filter nozzle is wider than the Filter-Flo's. During the wash or rinse, the filter stream was diverted in two ways, left or right (however, on the "Extra Rinse" setting, the water runs out the middle...still haven't figured that out yet, but will play around with it more), and it ran into the appropriate openings in the tank to dissolve/dispense the detergent, bleach, or fabric softener. Theoretically, the water/lint would run through the dispenser into the large 11" Filter-Flo pan on the agitator, and that's where I'm thinking the problem originated; the water coming out of the nozzle was not clean because the filter was on the agitator. Lint would probably become trapped in the dispenser, and that, combined with detergent and fabric softener gunk, would eventually clog it. That is why all Dispensalls I have seen (in pictures and here), including mine, have had their tanks removed.
It is not a
true Filter-Flo, per se, because of the wider nozzle. The smaller 8" filter pans do not work with the Dispensalls because of the many directions the stream is diverted; the 11" filter pan is absolutely necessary. Luckily I already had an 11" pan that Don Shier sent me, and there was a "Super Filter-Flo" pan that came with this machine. Some water still misses the large 11" pan during the rinse, although in the end it's a good lint-catcher (washed a large rag load and there were a few "gobs").
The Dispensall's "fun factor" scores a 10 out of a possible 10 points, even giving my 1-18 a run for the money. One of the splashiest oscillating agitator washers I have seen (probably due to the fast 100 OPM agitation), especially during wash with the filter pan in place--get your goggles!! Believe it or not, the '82 Kenmore (which was about 2-3 feet away from the GE) had water droplets all over the front of it while the GE was running!! When it's fully loaded, the turnover is surprising--a nice, constant, "sweep-roll" motion due to the wide post vanes. Absolutely no "lazy water" with this machine either, especially on the low water levels! Will have to see how a ramp Activator works...then I can use the Mini-Basket!
--Austin
