The Holy Grail of Kenmore

Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

Help Support :

Is this that rare washer whereby the timer has one wash cycle sequence and a soak cycle. The cycle differentiator (regular or perm press with cool down) is controlled by the speed switch. And I cannot see the cycle knob well enough, bt me thinks this could be what I"m thinking it is.
 
This model of dryer was only around for a couple of years and although it didn’t have a digital control it was the match for the first digital washer in 1978.
 
How did that dryer work?

I see a "fabric selector" on the left with a seven-position switch.

Then what looks like four status lights (drying, cool down, and two things I can't read in the photos...)

Then a block of six buttons for "electronic all fabric" from less dry to more dry, three buttons for "timed dry" (20, 40, and 60 minutes?), and a button for "Wrinkle Guard III"?

A variable signal control from "off" to "hi"...

And a chunky "Start" / "Off" control, which looks like it might move up and down?

Prominent "Solid State" markings, in two places it looks like...
 
Henry & Melvin, thank you for confirming my suspicions. It's a rare washer. Cycle option is essentially speed as well as choosing between regular or perm press with cooldown.
 
How did that dryer work?

Turned the slide switch to turn on power, changed fabric selector if desired, pushed button for appropriate sensor dry or timed dry, and pushed start. Dryers with this style panel were usually very deceptive regarding fabric selector--usually only high, low, and ar temps. I only knew the real LKs had medium dry temps. Durimg this "center dial" generation, LKs only had the 3rd dry temp.
 
 
Cropped and tweaked photos of the consoles.

Dryer Fabric Selector (temp) has choices of Cotton Sturdy, Perm Press, Touch Up, Knit, Delicate, Air.

Signal lights for Drying, Cool Down, Wrinkle Guard, and Lint Screen.

Cycle buttons are arranged in three designated sections.
- Electronic All Fabric (moisture sensor) has six choices left-to-right from Less Dry to More Dry.  The 4th button is tagged with a dot or asterisk which may indicate Normal Dry.
- Timed Dry has Touch Up 20, 40, or 60 mins.
- Last button on the right end is Wrinkle Guard III option.

Variable adjustment for end of cycle Signal volume, Off to Hi.

Up/down toggle switch for Start and Off.

There's a dot or asterisk between Knit and Delicate on the Fabric Selector, no labeling for what it means.  Maybe it matches to the tag on the one cycle button?

Whirlpool's version of this dryer had more choices on the cycle buttons.  A toggle switch to the right side selected Auto Dry or Timed.  The entire range of buttons operated for both choices, labeled for auto dry levels above the buttons and timed below them.  Wrinkle guard was tied to the temp buttons, Perm Press and Knits.

The washer's console (3rd pic) is impossible to make clear.

dadoes-2023011509161308087_1.jpg

dadoes-2023011509161308087_2.jpg

dadoes-2023011509161308087_3.jpg
 
1978 lady Kenmore dryer

Wow, this dryer only has five marked temperatures on the dial it actually has an infinite temperature control.

The control system on this dryer is completely electronic, while the whirlpool version of this machine had more buttons on it this Kenmore version is actually more versatile, you can add the wrinkle guard on any cycle on this dryer and it has more temperatures, the whirlpool version had more timed dry settings that was its only advantage.

This was a very good dryer, not the prettiest thing they ever made however, it was a real come down from the Lady Kenmores built earlier.

John
 

Latest posts

Back
Top