Servicing Vintage Lady Kenmore Belt-Drive Washer Touch-Pad Controls

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Unimatic1140

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It's Sears day today in Automatic Ephemera. There is a rare service manual for servicing early electronic controls which can be more difficult to service than mechanical rotary controls. It is an important manual for anyone who has vintage electronic control Kenmore or Whirlpool belt-drive washers or wonders how they work. The manual specifically covers the 1980 Lady Kenmore, but I suspect many of the theories and processes extended out to other electronic control Whirlpool and Kenmore washers around this period.

Pictures and explanations go along with each section. Sections include operating the machine, cycle charts, explanations of how each button effects the cycle, how the system and relays work, diagnosing trouble and servicing. Also tips on how to run the hidden test cycles and tips such as: The machine suds saver saves only 18 gallons of suds or rinse water unless converted. Because this machine is equipped with a suds level pressure switch, only 18 gallons of water will be saved, both suds and rinse. If the customer wants all of the water saved, the suds level switch must be bypassed. We will cover that in later frames.

You can download the manual here.

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Also today is a wonderful 1968 summertime sales catalog showing off Sears at it's finest...

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first the Speed Queens....and now this

I tell ya....this place is full of amazement and information......you can't find this anywhere else!.....many thanks again Robert!

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Thank you Rober for posting this. I only wish the washers and dryers featured were current day models.

Yogitunes: That is a beautiful electronic Lady. Thanks for posting that photo.

Have a good one,
James
 
You can almost sense the sublibinal messages that..

the project is nearing completion.

First a GREAT thankyou for Greg for giving and Robert for posting this LKM 2nd gen electronic service control manual.

here are the 2 LKM washers 1st gen that i started repairing about 3 years ago with some mods, now with primer, intermediate coating (Rustoleum) finally dry -some camo colours included, awaiting final coat and of course..

circuit wiring connectors..

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they were found in white, but what started the quest

for a spare transmission (for backup) for this model...

is what led me to the 'repair guy' and his deal

the original washer was returned to active duty long ago ( replaced the wigwag wire that 'broke internally' and weak wigwag solenoid, plus busted belt)..

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off course the deal meant some 'tweeking' was ..

reguired, so as I had posted previously I needed two circuit board connectors for the harness..

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an AW member was kind enough to post...

a pic so I could scan and make a decal... and also look for the knob

thanks revin!

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and what a pic shows what I'm lookin for...

item #6- 14 or 15 circuit connector,

which seems to be used on a whirlpool washer and a whirlpool dishwasher, sadly

very NLA on the sites i've checked (they still have the prices listed too) but no component

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whats inspiring about the 2nd gen service manual...

posted was the pic of the SUDS SAVER OPTION!!!

I was very curious what it looked like as what I noticed on one of the circuit

boards, plus on a refurbished board I got a couple years ago...

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and further down on the same boards was ...

a contact wire just begging' to be soldered to a momentary contact switch!!

(look for the similar type two holes and expand the pic)

I was thinkin of a switch mod possibility just below the main console, (maybe the main console piggy backin on a fabricated console base...???)

any thing is possible...

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Now that the GE SM100B2 dishwasher.....

the GE 2800D2 dishwasher, the ge FF washer and the (whirlpool/kenmore/CONSOL)

washer have been disassembled, troubleshooted, leaks fixed, reoiled and reassembled ...I need

to start completion of these 2 LKM's as I have TOO much TIME on my hands!!!lol

not entirely true,,( I still have the Bosch 50's /^0's fridge to restart repsiring/welding/sanding/painting etc..) and also

while I wait for the Kitchenaid KDS19 and Bendix dryer (another AW member-thanks) to ship..So I can do more of the same!

so please anyone if you have a pic of the connector that I'm looking for I would appreciate it greatly or even the molded number/letter combinations so I can source the manufacturer
 
hey brisnat81... did you also notice..

YEAH,
one of the things I noticed about the cycle charts on the 2nd gen Electronic service manual,

was that the wash times minutes between (cotton/sturdy) and (Towels) were the same, likewise with knits and delicate,
then water temp wash was the same,
water temp rinse the same,
agitation speed the same,
spin speed the same,

shorter wash time chart(short wash and ex short wash) again the same for the fabric group comparison

bleach dispensing time chart comparison, again the same between the fabric group comparison.

pre wash and pre=soak cycle the same between cotton/study and towels

even 2nd rinse temp options the same as above groupings,

the saving suds or rinse water chart-again the same as above groupings,

unless I'm missing something, looks like someone in marketing had some shares in a LED factory!!
lol
for me the 2nd gen service manual has put to rest the 'more buttons/lights=better washability envy' i had for the 2nd gen machines.. I can do towels aand delicates now! (the buttons are just hidden on the 1st gen)

although I still like the console stylin' of the 2nd gen :)
 
Electronic LKM BD washer or E-KM

RCW [ I don't know how to address you as there is no name or location in your profile ] Do you need just the nylon edge connector or the control panel wiring harness, I am sure I have the complete harness, get in touch if you still need it, John.
 
Electronic LKM BD washer or E-KM

RCW [ I don't know how to address you as there is no name or location in your profile ] Do you need just the nylon edge connector or the control panel wiring harness, I am sure I have the complete harness, get in touch if you still need it, John.
 
Did the early electronic control machines start filling with water when you pressed start,  or was there a delay like with modern electronic machines? arthur
 
sorry '66_mustang

That black agi stays with it's Momma!
That's my backup Consul Alora Grand Deluxe heavy duty 3 cycle 2 speed washer when the ff needs servicing. Lookin for a bullet shaped end cap and chrome lint brush filter though..

It's my first attempt to paint on porcelain with

Rustoleum paint, it matched the almond on the ge ff but
As you can see 'flakes like an iguana'.

2nd attempt went a bit better on the LKM's, still had some issues.

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profile updated somewhat...

Combo52-thanks for the offer,,

I have some tools of the trade to make a 2nd main body harness using the original as a pattern, the 15pin rectangular plug is a Molex and works on the original main harness plug- which I got in the kit.

The colour Coded dispenser solenoid wires are a pig to find though, so if you have one spare then name your $price.
(I was thinkin of gluin thin colour strips on main body colour wire and use clear heat shink tubing to keep in place for the hard to find wiring)

I am missing one of the start relay console harneSs and both the console circuit board harnessess (what I want the 2 edge connectors to wire to)
So if you got those harnessess then name your $price)

If you only got the edge connectors then I'm still in the ball park as with the kit and the labelling on the circuit board plus the tech sheet I would be able to make a harness- so I would need 2 if you can get them..

Has anybody done a thread on sourcing the odd colour coded harness wiring?
David

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missing harness location...

The 2 consoles back side..where the harness suppose to connect to circuit board and switches..

Started doing some 'rust proofin' on the bracket and anything else..

Green paint overspray is from 'repair guys shop' and was over everything including circuit board..(I got a lot off though)

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consoles front side...

Yeah I know, it's a mess... But when you work with sheet aluminum you will...

See that the button / led rectangular panel is 'glued on' the larger outer panel, some holes drilled and swaged/pressed with curvature, a couple of aluminum rivits, some veener wallpaper to glue on and some scanned decals-

YA wouldn't know the difference!
Jus sayin'

Of course the missing knobs..

It's all in the karma.

At least I got a pair of new end caps to start the resto...

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air2903

Manual says
1. set water level switch

2. After making sure the Hold/Restart switch is in the RESTART position, move the power switch up to START.

3. If you do nothing more, the machine will commence a cotton/sturdy fabric cycle after 8 seconds. If a different fabric cycle, option or cycle modifier is required, you must push each subsequent button within eight seconds. Each time you push a button, you delay the start of the machine for eight seconds.

NOTE: If SPIN ONLY is pushed, there is no delay.
 
Hey guy's Happy new year !
What a great machine !
I had an oppertunety to play with it at my friends home.
Before I called Martin to come get it, and I am glad he got it.
There is no way I could take it at the time, but I'm glad it went
into good hands and protected with Martin.

I would like to follow up on this machine and tell the full story when I get to Martins and show his restoration on the washer and a video.

Recyclewasher..Good luck on your restoration.
Robert thank you for posting this manual.
This washer was well taken cared of.
Thanks Rick for your parents washer.
air2903 here is the start wash.

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