POD 1/11/16: GE Dispensall

[frigilux]

A couple of questions about this interesting dispenser system:

1. The ad shows powdered prewash and detergent being used. Would it also accept the liquid version of those products?

2. Could the washer's lid be lifted to a fully open position after the dispensers were loaded or did it have to remain closed for the duration of the cycle?

Thanks to member geextrarinse for the photo, taken from an old thread.

 

[gansky1]

Forbidden Viewing with Dispensall

The pre-wash dispenser was simply a hole that dropped the product into the filter pan below. I believe you had to use powdered detergent for the main wash dispenser as it would run out of the tray early. Since this was a GE and low-sudsing liquids largely did not exist, the user would be using Dash or All anyway

The bleach section also was just a funnel that channeled the liquid into a dispenser chamber in the outer tub, operated by a solenoid later in the cycle. Only the fabric softener liquid left, it would run out of it's assigned seat if the lid was opened. The filter-flo water was channeled through the fabric softener side during the rinse cycle to dispense the liquid.

 

[washman]

Hi frig!

 

[frigilux]

Hi, Ben!


Gansky-- Thanks for the information / clarification. I've seen Dispensall machines before, but it only occurred to me today that the lid probably couldn't be opened once it was loaded with product. Things could get complicated if a cabinet-banging out-of-balance situation occurred during the first spin.

 

[combo52]

GE Dispensall-All Washers

Actually you could open the lid any time you liked and the un-dispenced laundry aids would stay in the lid.

 

Dispensall washers had two different bleach dispensing systems, one worked as Greg described where the LCB was just channeled into a reservoir where it was released later by a solenoid into the outer tub to be diluted and into the wash water. The orignal system kept the LCB in the lid and the Filter-Flow water was diverted near the end of wash to add the LCB to the wash water, this same type of function also dispensed the Fabric Softener during the rinse agitation.

 

[toploadloyalist]

Filter pan a must?

So you couldn't use a Dispensall without the filter pan?

 

[appnut]

And I do believe it's a special filter pan for this washer. 

 

[gelaundry4ever]

smart dispense and videos...

Can you upload videos of this machine doing various loads like colors, please? Thank you. I guess this was GE's smart dispense technology back in the day too.

 

[retro-man]

Never had one never seen one in person. I would wager to guess that you could run it without the filter pan but then all products would be introduced in the laundry without benefit of dilution from the flume, ie detergent bleach etc. Not the best thing for clothes. With it in place I would think the flume of water mixing with the detergent bleach etc. would be gentler on the clothes. Just my assumption.lol

Jon

 

[gansky1]

The direction of the flume was controlled by a small valve that changed depending on the cycle. The filter pan made no difference in the operation of the dispensers as the entire assembly was above the pan and water flowed into it and then in the pan below, or without it, just into the basket. I believe there is a GE graphic in a service book that shows the flow of water through the pan and explained the valve operations.

I didn't realize, John, that the chambers were formed so that they didn't release their liquid contents if the lid was lifted. Always figured it was load and leave - no peeking allowed

 

[gelaundry4ever]

control panel question

Did GE filter-flos use digital controls or was it at the time when they used plastic tubs when digital controls were used on GE's? I know that whirlpool and maytag started using them in the '70's or '80's.