POD 11/20/16: 1960 GE Filter-Flo

[frigilux]

I use liquid chlorine bleach frequently, so the idea of pouring almost a gallon into a reservoir and dosing as needed makes me swoon. However, a very young Frigilux would have been pressing that dosing lever non-stop during every cycle, LOL.

Question: Was the bleach dispensing system fairly airtight? I ask only because of LCB's notoriously strong odor. Did the laundry area smell of bleach 24/7?

Another beautiful console to add to the gems from various brands circa 1960. Solid tub Filter-Flo washers are probably my favorite, despite the fact the filter works only at the maximum water level.

Note: This photo is not from the POD. [this post was last edited: 11/20/2016-08:49]

 

[combo52]

GEs Reservoir Bleach Dispenser System

These were well enough sealed that the laundry room would not constantly smell of LCB, but the small amount of off gassing did cause the washer to really rust out in the area around and above the dispenser.

 

Having all that LCB stored in the washer made the machine a PITA to work on because you could not tip the machine over without first removing all the LCB in the reservoir.

 

John L.

 

[bajaespuma]

The washer in your picture is a 1961 model, one of the first perforated tub V-12 machines. Because of what John Combo told you, I never used the bleach dispenser for bleach storage as it was designed, but would add bleach and water when I wanted to use the thing. Works perfectly but it dawned on me early on that this reservoir system would have worked a lot better as a Rinse/Softener dispenser system. I use softener in almost every load but use Chlorine bleach less and less and certainly not as much as they used in the Sixties when these machines were in use. In their last iterations starting in 1962, the dispensers were installed without reservoirs. BTW, these machines came with a siphoning funnel attached to the Masonite backs of the units for emptying the dispensers when servicing was needed. The machine I have was missing that accessory.

 

Curiously, the 1960 machine features this dispenser and a solenoid-controlled fabric softener dispenser that works perfectly although it requires the user to a. dilute the softener and b. drain the dispenser tray before each use. Not a big deal but some users griped about one or the other. When they introduced the V-12's in 1961 they did away with the fabric softener dispenser and it was a couple of years before the introduced the lame "on top of the agitator" style dispenser which was introduced as an accessory (CU criticized it for incomplete dispensing during the final rinse and then dispensing the remainder during the final spin; a legitimate gripe). I'd like to hear that story sometime.

 

[frigilux]

Thanks for all the great information John and Ken! My interest in pre-perforated tub GE Filter-Flo's has increased lately---probably because I've never given them much thought before. No Mini-Basket fun with them, but for some reason they've caught my fancy recently.