Super...

[Unimatic1140]

A big thanks goes out to David (Partscounterman) who called me when two Duets came into their shop and saved them for me. As some of you many remember I had talked about starting work sometime on the creation of a Super Duet. Both machines were made in the 2003/2004 time frame and now have bad rear tub seals and bearings. Luckily I was able to get my hands on a good tub and rear outer tub from one of the my local washer haunts around here. So the first step is to replace the tub and bearing.

Here are the machines...

 

[Unimatic1140]

I was just thinking how rare it is that I get to post in the blue Modern Deluxe Forum! lol

Here is the other machine, this one has an antenna on top...

 

[revvinkevin]

Wow Robert, this should be fun!

So what are your plans for the "Super Duet"? Since it's already computer controlled, are you going to create new custom programs for it (like a cycle specifically for towels)?

Or are you planning to really change it.... i.e... wash water recirculation, spray rinses, higher water levels, etc? Would you like to share your plans?

I look forward to the progress updates and lots of photos!

:-D

Kevin

 

[goatfarmer]

Nice machines. But it's a sad state of affairs when a washer get's scrapped at 5 years old.....

 

[jmirawm]

WooHoo !

I cannot wait to see what your imagination unfurls in the Deluxe Forum !!

 

[mrb627]

No Heater

Too bad neither one of these puppies has the built in heater.

MRB

 

[re563]

THE 2ED MACHINE IS THE EXACT

same one that I have now. It's coming up on it's 6yr for me. Still runs great. Infact, I just put a load of towels in before I came and sat down to check the website. Hope i'm not gonna have to replace it soon (can't afford to).

 

[autowasherfreak]

Robert:

What is the cool looking machine behind the first Duet? It looks neat.

 

[bertrum]

Duet?

What does duet mean? never heard this term, is it an abreviation for something you say across the pond?, I assume it is a term used for a frontloading washing machine.

 

[animasinsulinpu]

WP Duet

Hi, Robert. Im using that same machine right now. My friend Kim is moving and Im washing her couch cushions. FUN!!!!.....Bill in Az.....

 

[revvinkevin]

Bertrum.....

Duet refers to a Whirlpool Duet HT front load washer here in the US. For some reason Whirlpool choose to call their first (large capacity, front load for the US market) the "Duet HT". i have no idea why... simply marketing perhaps? Who knows.

This link is for the current version....

http://www.whirlpool.com/catalog/product.jsp?src=WASHERS&cat=115&prod=1505

 

[appnut]

What is the cool looking machine behind the first Duet? It l

That's alate 1950s or very early 1960s Hotpoint.

 

[appnut]

Duet HT".

Our resident WP exper3t Magic Clean will be able to resurrect what the Duet had meaning for. It may have been something like clean clothes and energy effencity. The "HT" models signaled there was an onboard supplemental heater, those without "HT" didn't have a heater. The Kenmore cousins were intially the HE3 and HE3T, again there were three "e" words meaning something about efficiency and such.

 

[chestermikeuk]

Ohh Robert Crosses to the Dark Side..!!!

Well take it nice & gentle with you dont worry!!! looking forward to seeing this project workin out!!!! methinks you`l have an in-line heater in these beauties before you can say quickwash!!!

I vote for;
in-line heater & sump
re-circulating jets
Vario spin, time & temp selection programming
Magic minute shampoo wash
Spin drain with pulsing spin spray feature
Spin to "Sudz Save" sump Recovery Tank

Ohhh, endless possibilities!!!Enjoy, Mike

AND, at least this wont happen!!!...Lol

 

[DADoES]

HE3t

HE = High Efficiency
3 = the three aspects of high efficiency -- Cleaning, Capacity, Conservation
t = thermal boost on the model with water heating

As I recall, the 4th parameter referenced by the HE4 line is Color -- the new colors at the time Champagne, Pacific Blue, and Sedona.

 

[Unimatic1140]

So what are your plans for the "Super Duet"?
The possibilities are limitless. Definitely want a high pressure recirculation spray, maybe out of multiple ports, multiple drain pumps to help take care of suds locks, high speed spins between the rinses, and of course 4 seven second spray rinses, I mean it is a Whirlpool after all!! Oh and of course I'll have to stencil a wavy while line horizontally across the center off the glass window and in a cool vintage font write "suds level"!

Too bad neither one of these puppies has the built in heater.
Not a problem with a machine that is going to be "moisturized", I'll put one in of some sort.

AND, at least this wont happen!!!...Lol
Uh huh, I'll deal with you in a few minutes missy when I get these pictures downloaded.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Ouch!! That hurts

So I have two machines with bad bearings as the tubs knock and rumble as you turn them. The Kenmore sounded worse than the Whirlpool when I moved the tub, so I figured I would try the Whirlpool last night first with a medium sized wash load of towels. Oppsie, during the final spin the knocking got really loud and the bearing gave way and let the top drop down into the outer tub and it shreaded out the front of the plastic outer tub!

 

[Unimatic1140]

So I decided not to try out the Kenmore and began the project of replacing the tub and rear outer tub/bearing.

When I took the back panel off the Kenmore, ouch! It appears it had been leaking for a while out the back of the drum. No wonder the bearing went, the rear tub seal was completely bad.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Parts everywhere

Its quite the project to replace the bearing as the entire machine has to come apart. It took me about 6 hours from start to finish. What a difference working on modern washing machine as opposed to a vintage machine, all the screws turn without any cursing lol. But plastic tabs used to hold wires in place break very easily, something that would never have been done 50 years ago.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Here is the machine going back together with a used but clean new back tub and drum (in about hour 4). The seal is a lip seal, Frigidaire used a lip seal on the early Unimatics but found that water had leaking into the mechanism too often and change to a carbon face seal which holds back water much better.

I suspect all washer manufacturers now use lips seals as they are probably cheaper, so this doesn't surprise me.

 

[favorit]

No-knob Duet - Euro version

Here the second Duet is sold as an heavy duty machine. Once was called Maxy 100 and came in Champagne/Blue/Grey.
Now it comes in White or black (see link)

...anyway I go crazy for the Whirlie W/D combo behind the antenna

@ Bertrum - Duets are US versions of Dreamspaces

http://www.whirlpool.co.uk/app.cnt/whr/en_GB/pageid/pgproddtl001/catid/3/subcatid/11/prodid/26662

 

[Unimatic1140]

FEH!

Oh and as for Miss Chestermike:!!!

Better tangled than moldy mister. Hidden out of view behind each of the boots in both machines I found this! Ewwwww, mold, it took a good 20 minutes of hot water and scrubbing with 3M green pads to remove it. This isn't just a Whirlpool problem, I've heard that this is a problem in all American front loaders. I hope the Euro machines with 220volt heaters fair better.

 

[Unimatic1140]

And in the drain outlets I found this really stinky orange sludge. I've never seen anything like it in a vintage machine, mold was also growing in the one of the opaque drain lines.

 

[sudsmaster]

I was sort of hoping that Robert would mate the two machines for a mega contra-rotating Duet Squared.

But I'm sure he will do something even more cool with the one he's got left.

 

[eddy1210]

I knew it

I knew it was just a matter of time before you got into the front loaders! You'll be dreaming of boots just like Jon very soon.
Can't wait to see the pimped up machine. Oh, you can just throw away that antenna too, everything is digital nowdays anyway LOL

 

[toggleswitch2]

oh gawd a "diaper washer"...EWWWWWW.

FASCINATING!

 

[Unimatic1140]

Time for School

I didn't really expect to find all that stuff although none of that really is such a big deal. Most people I talk to really like their Duet machines. I even recommended a TOL set to my Dad and his wife and she really likes it. So I will give it a Whirl myself for a few weeks as is and see what I think.

The first step in making a monster machine like this is some education on my part. I need to learn how the heck I'm going to control the motor. I thought the motor was a DC motor when in fact now that I get a look at it its a 3-Phase asynchronous induction type of motor. The interesting thing is that to run the motor there are only 2 wires coming out of the computer and they lead into the motor controller. I was thinking I would use the machines motor controller as it would be too difficult to build one, but I need to understand what the computer is sending to the motor controller via those two wires. I believe it varies both the voltage and frequency to adjust motor speed and direction. As you can see from the diagram below the computer (dotted line on far right edge) only sends a IN/OUT signal, a Vcc signal and a ground. This is where I'm going to need help from any of you electronic experts out there. This will be more challenging for me than when I built the Super Unimatic.

When I get some time I will take some measurements of the IN/OUT line and the Vcc line during different phases of the motor operating and let everyone know what I find.

 

[swestoyz]

Looks like a blast Robert!

I personally don't deal with VFD's at work, but I hear the guys talk about them all the time. I once asked for a demo as I wanted to see what one was like. All I have to say is - COOL! I don't know specifics on brand or functions but the tech did say there are some that will interface through a serial connection to a PC for PC control - which I suspect is what you are after. The best part is you'll get the DC braking, etc, which the factory MCU may or may not have. Plus, you get the benefit of thermal protection which I suspect may not be factory. The playing field completely changes with 3 phase.

All's fun in an afternoon's trip to the library!

Ben

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/4RG37

 

[mark_wpduet]

So

Does the Duet have the aluminum spider since you have seen it taken apart?

 

[tuthill]

Awesome Robert, looking forward to seeing the progress on this one!