Solid State Kenmore Set

[wigwag]

Hello,

Just ran across these and think they are super cool. Don't appear to have much use either and they both work great! I was surprised to see the washer does not have a detergent dispenser. Interestingly Cottons/Sturdy and Towels both seem to produce the exact same wash settings, and times (according to the lid instructions anyway), its got a cycle complete signal and there is a rather interesting sensor of some sort next to the back of the lid (see last picture) anyone know what it is?

Does anyone know what Whirlpools inspiration for going to solid state controls was? I wonder if the technology used here had ever been used in the household market but maybe Atari was out already?

Anyway thought I'd share, you know how much I love the Whirlpools!

Steven

 

[rinso]

I think it is an interesting combination to have the latest technology (at that time) for the control panel, controling a faily old and primative mechanism. Not that there's anything wrong with that. The complex WP/KM belt drive system still merits a Rube Goldberg award. Fascinating design.

 

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another

another

 

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3

3

 

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4

I'm guessing 1980

 

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5

5

 

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6

6

 

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7

7

 

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8

Ok experts, what is this?

 

[gansky1]

Detergent dispenser mounting! There was box that you filled, latched a spring-loaded lid and hung upside-down on that plastic hook. There was a solenoid actuated trip lever that thwacked the latch and the detergent fell into the basket. I soooo wanted to see that working when I was 11.

Very cool finds!

 

[DADoES]

Detergent dispenser. A cup sits atop block. When triggered, the actuator rod pops out and unlocks the bottom of the cup and the detergent dose drops into the basket.

 

[wigwag]

Cool!

Thanks for the info greg, I'll have to watch and see if that solenoid fires, then hopefully find one of the dispensers! I bet finding one of those dispensers will be a real needle in the haystack?!

 

[revvinkevin]

Hey Steven, those are pretty cool! Congrats on the find! So what color are they, bisque, almond, harvest gold?? I can't really tell from the photos.

Kevin

 

[wigwag]

Hi Kevin, they are my most favorite color, Avacado! I just happened to go on craigslist one day after I realized the 83 was broken, and I found these at an estate sale. I've got most everything out of storage and in the garage, and my little ones like watching the washers. Good times!

 

[alr2903]

Those Kenmores, are very nice. arthur

 

[a440]

Fantastic Set!

Interesting that it does not have the Powder / Liquid dispenser.
The set that I had did have them. It was to the right of the lid.
Great washer and dryer set. I had the gas dryer version. Great washer and superb dryer.
Brent

 

[volvoguy87]

1980 models?

I have the 1981 or 1982 version and mine has the triple dispenser on the right side. I know the equivalent of the 80 series of that year has the detachable detergent dispenser like yours does. The FS and bleach dispensers are solenoid operated too, but that setup has been around since the late 60s? and was in production into the mid 1980s. The older machines (like my '72 70 series and 71 800 series) have the same FS and bleach dispensers, but a powder detergent dispenser on the right side. The advantage of the detachable detergent dispenser is that you need 1 less port on the pump (the triple and single dispensers on the right side are water-flushed while the dump-dispenser isn't).

Nice,
Dave

 

[combo52]

LKM DISPENSERS

This dispenser system was used until they introduced the wash through triple dispenser system. The detergent cup came with the washer but was seldom used as its only real purpus was if you were during an automatic soak or per-wash followed by the regular wash cycle. These dispenser cups do show up fairly regularly in basements sitting on a shelf long after the washer is gone { it may still available?]. This washer was made in early 1980, WP was the first maker to build electronically controlled washers they introduced them in early 1977 under both the WP&KM brand names. The first generation models were neat but did little more than the timer machines could do. About the only real advantage was the ability to add a pre wash or soak or extra rinse to any cycle. When these were introduced at service and sales meetings the old timers shook thier heads in disprovable and the WP people said get used it as this was the future. And it may indeed be but I don't think they thought they would still be making timer controlled machines 33 years later from the way they talked back then.

 

[DADoES]

 
Electronic controls also introduced the variable drain period.  IIRC, double the time for the water level pressure switch to reset + 30 seconds.

 

[flyingethan]

Too Cool!

WOW! What I wouldn't give to find a set like that.

 

[volvoguy87]

Careful what you ask for.

I have a white set I wouldn't mind getting rid of. It will need a full restoration and painting. It's a later edition with the triple dispenser on the right. I think it's the 2nd to last Belt Drive version.

Yours for shipping,
Dave

 

[DADoES]

 
I assume step-timing is related to the number of increments required on the 360° arc of the dial to accommodate the cycle sequences that are involved.

Checking the tech sheet of a particular Kenmore model with two full cycles and two partial cycles, the timer has 49 increments of 120 seconds.  Ultra Clean with 2nd rinse (21 increments).  Perm Press with 2nd rinse (20 increments).  Manual Soak (fill/agitate, off, 3 increments) and Pre-Wash (fill/agitate, drain, spin, off, 5 increments).

LSP9245BWO indicates four full cycles, 55 timer increments of 180 seconds.  Heavy with optional Super Wash preceding and Extra Rinse following (17 increments).  Regular (11 increments).  Perm Press with Extra Rinse (16 increments).  Delicate with Extra Rinse (11 increments). Even with 6 more increments on the dial, fewer increments can be allotted to each cycle, so the timing must be longer to allow adequate time for the wash periods.

The Kenmore has 7 increments (14 mins max) devoted to wash time on Ultra Clean, 5 increments (10 mins) on Perm Press.  The Whirly has 4 increments (12 mins) each on Heavy & Regular, 3 increments (9 mins) on Perm Press, 2 increments (6 mins) on Delicate.

 

[mickeyd]

Thanks, Glen

What year is the KM with the two minute increments.

I like the 3 minute increments on my LSP, except for the 3 minute drains. Since the spin will begin if you interrupt the drain, why could they not have built-in the jump to spin, the way they do the 15 second spray rinses. Make the drain a minute and a half, and then another minute and a half for the spin. If you're in the mood to speculate.....

So the short answer is: if you want a 2 minute drain, get a Kenmore. I think that those 80's KM's Gordon is so fond of have a 2 minute drain. Do not know what other years and models have it.

 

[combo52]

BD DRAIN TIME

All sup cap BD machines have 4 minute drains most standard cap have 2 minute drains all the way back to 1947.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Mickey, John....

Nearly all if not ALL non-portable belt-drive Kenmores from the mid-70s (let's say 1975) forward had a standard 4-minute drain, regardless of capacity. This is because most timers where shared between the two capacities, and a 4-minute is necessary in a super capacity model. I believe the same to be true for Whirlpools, at least from the late 70s onward.

In addition to this, many of the early quick-disconnect timers which originally were cammed to have a 2-minute drain were revised to have a 4-minute in replacement timers (thus changing the timer part number). John - you may be familiar with common replacement timers 660618 and 660651, the ancestors of whice were used in the early 1970s extensively in 1972 and 1973 'plastic top' machines. These replacement timers have 4 minute drains and shorter first spins but the original timers they replace do not. The original timer 365996, for example, has a two minute drain, and was even standard in the 1973 mega-Roto-Swirl equipped 18lb. model (110.7324500) but it subs to the 660618 with the more intelligent 4-minute drain. This timer is also the spec for a 1972 24-inch machine, so it too has the agonizing 4-minute drain, 2.5 minutes of which are probably used up sitting there doing nothing.

Belt-drive Kenmores from the mid-70s until 1986 used only a handful of different timers. Most used what is now timer 381860, 378133, or 660693. Models encompass 24-inch, 29-inch standard, and the most popular large/super capacity variants. My 1976 Kenmore 60 (the Green Beast) and my 1976 Kenmore 70 are both standard capacity machines, but they use the ultra-common 381860 timer which was used extensively in large capacity machines as well as in standard 29-inch and 24-inch models. This is the timer which has Normal, P Press, Knit/Delicate and Pre-wash (no soak). These machines thus have a 4-minute drain. The 378133 adds a pre-soak and is capable of timer set temperatures, and the 660693 has the second rinse option and auto-soak advance. The original timers and the revised replacements all have 4-minute drains.

Maybe I'm looking at this from the wrong perspective, but as it looks to me, a 2-minute drain was standard until there was some history for a few years with 18lb. models. Drain periods were lengthened to accomodate these machines, and as manufacturing commonality became more commonplace at the same time, other machines that did not necessarily need a 4-minute drain got it by default due to use of the timers that were used in the larger capacity models.

Gordon

 

[combo52]

DRAIN TIMES

Gordon thanks for the information as usual, I will have to take a better look at some of the 1980s standard cap BD washers I have lying around I always thought they left the factory with 2 minute drain times, I did know that when a timer was replaced it sometimes did change to a four minute drain. While we are talking about drain times it should be noted that all BD and DD portables had a four minute drain period so they could be used with a very restrictive hose assembly to slow the draining down to where it could be used even over a bathroom sink drain.

 

[mickeyd]

Personal

John, the WP Portable had the very hose you mention when I got it so I took it off and put a "real"hose on, mystified as to why anyone would want a reduced drain flow. Uhhhh....bathroom sinks. Of course! Thanks.

Gordon, when I got to know you, sometimes the chorus from an old song would come to mind, and I'd find myself singing it, iust the chorus; that's all I remembered. Hearing the lyric just now, it's all pretty gay, but hey, so what. I would sing: GOR dun, woo woo woo... woo woo woo woo. GOR dun, woo woo woo... woo woo woo.

It's a light, uplifting song. In my memory the tempo is a little faster than the original. Brings a big smile. The song is old. Wonder if anyone else knows and sings the chorus with your name in it, instead of Norman's. Going out on a limb, here, but I don't care. We are all friends. (Thought is was woo-woo, but she's singing oo-oo. My washer ears heard a Kenmore all these years.) Turn up your variable speed volume controls.