Very cool, I too find it strange the salespeople told all these stories and not the truth. Must have wanted to sell just the new washers.
Surging For Solid State
- Thread starter gansky1
- Start date
golittlesport
Well-known member
Congratulations! Thanks for all the photos and information!
thor
Well-known member
Greg, congratulation on your amazing find! That is the exact washer I purchased in 1980 with the matching gas dryer, but my set was harvest gold. The washer was excellent and I used it until mid 90's when I purchased my present Maytag set.
I gave both washer and dryer to my BIL, who has 5 kids. About two years ago the washer said basta! but he still has the dryer though. If I'm not mistaken, I sent him all the usuer manuals and literature that came with the set, I will ask him if he has kept the literature for the washer. In this case, they are yours for sure!
With time my washer developed an erratic fault, it would not start of very humid days. Maybe the electronic board became shorted by the humidity, who knows. Anyway, what I had to do was turn the washer on, push the pause key and let the electronics stay on 24/7. In this way the washer would always work when needed.
I'll keep you informed about the washer literature.
Emilio
I gave both washer and dryer to my BIL, who has 5 kids. About two years ago the washer said basta! but he still has the dryer though. If I'm not mistaken, I sent him all the usuer manuals and literature that came with the set, I will ask him if he has kept the literature for the washer. In this case, they are yours for sure!
With time my washer developed an erratic fault, it would not start of very humid days. Maybe the electronic board became shorted by the humidity, who knows. Anyway, what I had to do was turn the washer on, push the pause key and let the electronics stay on 24/7. In this way the washer would always work when needed.
I'll keep you informed about the washer literature.
Emilio
thor
Well-known member
Sorry, the "pause" button I mentioned is actually labeled Hold, which is located to the right of the panel right next to the Run key...
Greg your new machine is just awesome!
I love the color!
Is this one of the first electronic models? I remember looking at these years to buy, but ended up getting the Kenmore pair. There was a price difference or something. I don't remember the pair that I looked at back then having the on / off toggle switch. I could be wrong.
Do you switch it off when you are finished, or does it turn off from the board, and you have to flip it off, and then on again?
Thanks for the pictures. I bet it smelled so good washing the first load!
Brent
I love the color!
Is this one of the first electronic models? I remember looking at these years to buy, but ended up getting the Kenmore pair. There was a price difference or something. I don't remember the pair that I looked at back then having the on / off toggle switch. I could be wrong.
Do you switch it off when you are finished, or does it turn off from the board, and you have to flip it off, and then on again?
Thanks for the pictures. I bet it smelled so good washing the first load!
Brent
nmaineman36
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2004
- Messages
- 933
The Double Duty Surgilator thats found in this washer is very effective. Those upswept vanes deflect the water coming off the agitator and forces it upward with each stroke. It will turn a good size load over. I have tried that regular Surgilator before in the Whirlpool I had in the 80's and it cleans well but doesnt turn the load over as well I think. I should dig up the pics I have of the Whirlpool Imperial I had in the mid 80's. Nice machine.
There is a POD of the first electronic control Whirlpool washer and matching pushbutton dryer (sensor dry - just not electronic controls) that is pictured in a lovely shade of blue-green. I used to have another electronic control WP washer from 1980 (pic) but it had some mechanical issues and I had to make room for my turquoise 59 Multi-tragic washer (I should have kept the WP?) so I kept the panel and let it go. I have one of the panels from the first and second styles of electronic control machines, I'll dig them out later and photo them so we can see the differences. Coming of age in the era of Pong, Atari and Merlin, I thought these solid state machins were just spectacularly advanced.
This machine is one of the last belt-drive revisions before the switch to all direct-drive in 86. The Magic-Clean filter in this machine is simply a plastic comb-filter under the basket, just like in the direct drive washers. You can see the clips for it on the bottom of the basket (under where the agitator would be) in one of the pics above.
The power switch is a momentary contact switch, similar to a dryer start switch. Push it up to power the controls and then make your selections, the machine starts automatically after 8 seconds. If you turn on the power and don't change any selections, the washer will default to the Normal/Heavy cycle, warm/cold and hi speed agitate and spin, 14 minute wash.
This machine is one of the last belt-drive revisions before the switch to all direct-drive in 86. The Magic-Clean filter in this machine is simply a plastic comb-filter under the basket, just like in the direct drive washers. You can see the clips for it on the bottom of the basket (under where the agitator would be) in one of the pics above.
The power switch is a momentary contact switch, similar to a dryer start switch. Push it up to power the controls and then make your selections, the machine starts automatically after 8 seconds. If you turn on the power and don't change any selections, the washer will default to the Normal/Heavy cycle, warm/cold and hi speed agitate and spin, 14 minute wash.
N I C E
Looks like that washer landed softly to a VERY appreciating home, and that is outstanding. WP/Kenmore didn't make many machines with the white baskets in the mid-80s, but they sure looked nice! Congrats 10-times over Gansky!
I am curious - when you open the lid when the machine is running, does it shut off? I sold one Kenmore 1978-built electronic machine years ago and it was made to shut off whenever the lid was raised, which as we know is odd for a Kenmore. This was a first generation electronic model though. I haven't worked on one since.
About the 'wings' on the double-duty agitator...I am pretty sure they were designed to "scoop up" the clothes at the bottom of the tub and help them get started on their way back up, hence their eliptical shape. Whirlpool was limited in what they could do with these machines since Kenmore had the Dual-Action patent. The basket/tubs of 1981 and newer machines are slightly smaller (narrower and shorter) than the previous 196? - 1980 large capacity units, so the agitators are a little bit more effective in the newer tub, but WP needed something better than a basic Super Surgilator to compete with the DA.
Looks like that washer landed softly to a VERY appreciating home, and that is outstanding. WP/Kenmore didn't make many machines with the white baskets in the mid-80s, but they sure looked nice! Congrats 10-times over Gansky!
I am curious - when you open the lid when the machine is running, does it shut off? I sold one Kenmore 1978-built electronic machine years ago and it was made to shut off whenever the lid was raised, which as we know is odd for a Kenmore. This was a first generation electronic model though. I haven't worked on one since.
About the 'wings' on the double-duty agitator...I am pretty sure they were designed to "scoop up" the clothes at the bottom of the tub and help them get started on their way back up, hence their eliptical shape. Whirlpool was limited in what they could do with these machines since Kenmore had the Dual-Action patent. The basket/tubs of 1981 and newer machines are slightly smaller (narrower and shorter) than the previous 196? - 1980 large capacity units, so the agitators are a little bit more effective in the newer tub, but WP needed something better than a basic Super Surgilator to compete with the DA.
From top --
c. 1978
c. 1980
c. 1983
c. 1978
c. 1980
c. 1983
Oops. Flip the year info - should be "from the bottom to the top"
Top: c. 1983
Middle: c. 1980
Bottom: c. 1978
Top: c. 1983
Middle: c. 1980
Bottom: c. 1978
Awesome Washer Heads!
I can't get over these came out in 1978. How advanced for the 70's!
The washer that I looked at in the late 90's had all of the selections in a row. The selection pads however were much smaller. I remember the water level switch, but don't remember the on / off switch. Somewhere I have the brochures. I might find them one day.
Thanks for the explanation of how the on / off switch works.
Brent
I can't get over these came out in 1978. How advanced for the 70's!
The washer that I looked at in the late 90's had all of the selections in a row. The selection pads however were much smaller. I remember the water level switch, but don't remember the on / off switch. Somewhere I have the brochures. I might find them one day.
Thanks for the explanation of how the on / off switch works.
Brent
70series
Well-known member
Congrats on this magnificent find Greg. It's been a real NIB year for you with acquiring the new 1960s Kenmore set in July and now this. Your persistence paid off, and I am glad you saved it, as the mere thought of an unused washer being discarded does not sit well with me. Good job.
I remember seeing photos in your old Yahoo albums of the 1983(?) electronic model, which was really cool. From the looks of the console pic above, that is all you have left of it. I'm glad you have another one.
Have a good one,
James
I remember seeing photos in your old Yahoo albums of the 1983(?) electronic model, which was really cool. From the looks of the console pic above, that is all you have left of it. I'm glad you have another one.
Have a good one,
James
irishwashguy
Well-known member
Congrads Greg
Gorgious machine Greg! I have one question......I played with the Lady Kenmore version at Sears religiously at Sears when I was a kid.......Wille, my sales lady showed me the difference between "beep' 'Beep' 'boop' meaning, good choice, good choice, a bad choice, you had better hurry up and make another or it would just default and start the progam. Is this one simmilar to that?
PS, love the Super Surgulator! I think that they did a better cleaning job than the other.
Gorgious machine Greg! I have one question......I played with the Lady Kenmore version at Sears religiously at Sears when I was a kid.......Wille, my sales lady showed me the difference between "beep' 'Beep' 'boop' meaning, good choice, good choice, a bad choice, you had better hurry up and make another or it would just default and start the progam. Is this one simmilar to that?
PS, love the Super Surgulator! I think that they did a better cleaning job than the other.
Yay!
Beautiful machine. I found a few scans I made from an old magazine with such a machine. According to my knowledge this ad is from 1981.
Beautiful machine. I found a few scans I made from an old magazine with such a machine. According to my knowledge this ad is from 1981.
And this one is supposed to be from 1982.
I forgot, the scans are from a magazine called Architectural Digest.
Nice mo-chine!
To those wanting a collector washer, there ya go, perseverence pays off. They're still out there waiting to be discovered!
To those wanting a collector washer, there ya go, perseverence pays off. They're still out there waiting to be discovered!
iheartmaytag
Well-known member
Now that's a machine
That was a day when they were Whirlpool,and not the Whirlcrap they are today.
What a great find. I remember looking at them at Electric Home back in the late 70's. I wanted an electronic machine, my Mom a GE Person at that time wouldn't have it. Besides, "Whirlpools drain their dirty water though the clothes and leave lint all over everything." In other words, Mom didn't/doesn't like neutral drain.
That was a day when they were Whirlpool,and not the Whirlcrap they are today.
What a great find. I remember looking at them at Electric Home back in the late 70's. I wanted an electronic machine, my Mom a GE Person at that time wouldn't have it. Besides, "Whirlpools drain their dirty water though the clothes and leave lint all over everything." In other words, Mom didn't/doesn't like neutral drain.
Hey Greg, where's the fabric softner dispenser for the agitator?
whirlcool
Well-known member
And I have the last version of the Whirlpool Electronic Control System. Everyone said that the electronic controls would give me problems, but my set has been steadily running since February of 1993 without any problems with the controls at all!
http://dual-reference.com/Wash/wdset.jpg
http://dual-reference.com/Wash/wdset.jpg
toploader55
Well-known member
Congratulations Sir
SSS S-Stunning,S- Solid State, S- Salivating. What a Handsome Machine. Congratulaions. I remember seeing those in their time and most people said "Stay away from all those buttons". I hope you have nothing but pure enjoyment from that machine. Eddie
SSS S-Stunning,S- Solid State, S- Salivating. What a Handsome Machine. Congratulaions. I remember seeing those in their time and most people said "Stay away from all those buttons". I hope you have nothing but pure enjoyment from that machine. Eddie
Bob - I have the dispenser. That was my first clue that the machine hadn't been used much - or, as it turned out, hadn't been used at all. When I looked at the bottom of the dispenser, it was shiny and new...
Believe it or not, this is the wash cycle - no suds!
Congrats Greg...
I know you must be thrilled to finally have that washer under your own roof. And, I'm so excited for you that it's NEW. An extra special surprise. Now... get back to that store and find out what else she has stashed away! You have my shopping list, now run.
I know you must be thrilled to finally have that washer under your own roof. And, I'm so excited for you that it's NEW. An extra special surprise. Now... get back to that store and find out what else she has stashed away! You have my shopping list, now run.
thor
Well-known member
Softener dispenser
Greg, my washer, which I purchased in 1980 and in essence was "identical" to yours, had a double timed dispenser for bleach and softner. The filling spout was divided into two halves, one for the bleach and the other for the softner. At the proper time during the main wash a stopper controlled by a solenoid pulled up and opened an orifice in the bleach container which then poured into the wash water, the same for the liquid softner during the rinse cycle. If you chose the second rinse option then the softener would be added during the second rinse, a feature which I really loved.
Emilio
Greg, my washer, which I purchased in 1980 and in essence was "identical" to yours, had a double timed dispenser for bleach and softner. The filling spout was divided into two halves, one for the bleach and the other for the softner. At the proper time during the main wash a stopper controlled by a solenoid pulled up and opened an orifice in the bleach container which then poured into the wash water, the same for the liquid softner during the rinse cycle. If you chose the second rinse option then the softener would be added during the second rinse, a feature which I really loved.
Emilio
whirlcool
Well-known member
The Whirlpool electronic sets weren't very common. When we bought ours it was a "special order" item. But it only took three days to arrive from the warehouse in Dallas.
When the repair guy came out change out the drive coupler a few years ago he said that he had only heard about these electronic machines, but never actually seen one in person.
They are nice and look cool. Our neighbor calls it the "Star Trek Washing Machine".
When the repair guy came out change out the drive coupler a few years ago he said that he had only heard about these electronic machines, but never actually seen one in person.
They are nice and look cool. Our neighbor calls it the "Star Trek Washing Machine".
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