POD 7/19/2017

[brucelucenta]

Looks like the 1963 TOL GE V12 washer. Pretty innovative for the time. No one before offered a small tub within a large one that would wash just a few delicate items. GE made the mini basket for many years after that. This particular console style lasted for 4 years before it changed. It started out with the last solid tub machine in 1960.
[this post was last edited: 7/19/2017-10:30]

 

[foraloysius]

Oh! The time that 12 pounds was a huge capacity!

 

[tomturbomatic]

RE: Capacity. My 7th grade teacher had a matched TOL 1956 GE pair and the instructions under the lid listed the capacity and said 12 pounds of heavy fabrics.

 

That was the first mini-basket and it used a lot of water in the outer tub to get enough to feed the FilterFlo for the mini basket. Of course, most people were not thinking of water consumption back then when talking about appliances unless they were on a well or had an electric water heater.

 

When we had two small loads to wash, we would use the 1-6 lb. setting and put the mini basket on the agitator for the delicate things and wash items of similar color in the big tub. Because the first mini basket was so small, it worked out fine and did not interfere with the agitation in the main tub.

 

[turquoisedude]

Ditto what Tom says for my unrestored-and-its-killing-me '57 GE WA855 - the lid instructions state that 12 pounds of heavy fabric could be washed.  

 

Now what did they mean by 'heavy fabrics'?  I'd guess denims for sure, but what else?

 

[toploader55]

Burlap ? Sail Cloth ? Canvas ? : )

 

[pulltostart]

Bruce,  this is a 1963; second year for the Mini Basket.  The background of the program buttons is black, the background of the timer is white.

 

Tom,  I'm confused.  While a TOL 1956 pair could have the filter-flo feature, it couldn't have the mini-basket.  GE introduced the mini-basket in 1962 and the machine would have advertised 12-lb capacity.  But I think through 1960 the most they claimed was 9 lbs.  Are you sure you posted without typos?

 

lawrence

 

[brucelucenta]

Isn't it just WONDERFUL to have people so well informed that are quick to correct you?

 

[tomturbomatic]

Our 62 or 63 had the first mini basket. My teacher's 56 did not and I did not mean to imply that it did. It just had the statement about 12 pounds of heavy fabrics. I am sorry to have created ambiguity.

 

Heavy fabrics could also be like the velvet used in Miss Ellen's portiers, but that was probably dry clean only fabric, like what the Damnyankees (one word south of the Mason-Dixon line) did to 12 Oaks when they misused cleaning solvent like Launderess wrote about and instead of a little black and white educational film, they got a Technicolor blockbuster.

 

[turquoisedude]

Not aruging with anyone but.... 

 

 Edit:  I don't think it would have been possible to have a mini-basket pre-perf tubs...   I'm guessing a multiple water-level control was essential for this and GE had solid tubs right up until 1961.  

 

[pulltostart]

Tom - thanks for the clarification.  Wasn't sure if I was just reading it wrong or what.  Obviously I was.

 

Paul - ditto.  So instead of 9 lbs they claimed 10 - or 12 of heavy fabrics* (*see instruction book for details) .

 

lawrence

 

[turquoisedude]

Now, I have to find the instruction book... LOL   I know I have it somewhere (came with the machine, believe it or not!!).

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

"It's not very efficient with water", cites CONSUMER REPORTS....

So naturallly, a reasonable size of, ummmm, unmentionables is required, since it's on a fixed setting to accommodate a typical load--probably depending on the size of what gets out in...

(Oh, where's the place in DIRTY LAUNDRY for me to quickly upgrade and WEIGH (ha, ha!) more of this in on????!!!!)

-- Dave

 

[tomturbomatic]

While water did run out of the tub slowly through the sediment ejector under the agitator during the wash with the solid tub FilterFlo machines, it was not of sufficient volume to power the FilterFlo process. The water that was lost through the sediment ejector was the reason why they gave the instructions that the water level had to be at least at the ridge on the Activator before the Water Saver button was pushed. I remember the loud gurgling during the wash when the water saver feature was used.