Turquoisedude joins 'Club 1140'

[swestoyz]

Two things -

<ul>
<li>The leveling legs can be replaced with legs from a Big Load Maytag dryer (1976 through the 90's). </li>
<li>Before tearing into the timer and going hog wild with it, try bi-passing the 'Push to Reset' button, and see if you get the same symptoms with spin.  There is a small possibility that it's causing an issue.  Also, you could try isolating the motor by connecting a test cord to the motor leads, and manually tripping the solenoid to see if you can get the motor repeat the same issue.</li>
</ul>

 

[turquoisedude]

As mentioned, Phil came down to Ogden this afternoon to check out the 'new' Frigidaires.  I did a quick demo for him to show him what exactly had been happening.  

 

He spotted the problem immediately...

 

[turquoisedude]

The real culprit...

And anyone who grew up with lousy wiring like I did should be ashamed of themselves for not having thought of this sooner...   What kept kicking off the washer during spin?

 

This blasted power bar!!  

 

The clicking and stalling Phil heard was actually not the washer clicking... It was the breaker on the power bar; it's an old one (circa 1984) and the breaker would almost, but not quite, trip when the spin 'overload' draw was generated.  

 

I am ashamed of myself, because the first test I did was with the washer plugged directly into a wall outlet (well, ceiling outlet actually, because we are still fiddling with the garage outlets for the drywalling).  The washer ran and could spin then but heavens forbid I was able to make the connection

 

Now, let's see if I can take this defective power bar back to Pascal's Hardware tomorrow... LOL

 

 

 

 

[turquoisedude]

So this time, everything ran normally.  I had to fill the tub to show off the machine to Phil, of course!

 

[turquoisedude]

Needless to say,  I was pretty darn happy too!!

 

Now, as per Ben's suggestion, I'm going to find a set of legs for the Unimatic and get this beastie down to the Ogden Laundry!  I've got LOTS of dirty work clothes from the garage drywalling job from the past two weeks. 

 

I am going to try to slot the Unimatic next to the Canadian MultiMatic and do some side-by-side comparisons.  

 

Phil was filming the first spin test more than I was, so he'll probably be posting that later. 

 

PHEW!!!

 

[swestoyz]

Woo Hoo!! So glad to hear that the problem wasn't with the Frigidaire.  I'm looking forward to seeing these beauties featured in the Ogden Laundry Hall!

 

Ben

 

[combo52]

Unimatic Up And Running

Great guess Ben about a circuit breaker problem, while the other guess were all possible I usually try not to guess unless I am pretty sure what is likely wrong with members appliances and none of the other guesses sounded that likely.

We used several of those cheap power strip's at our Warehouse when testing appliances before we installed permanent wiring and had funny problems with them a few times, and with a UM that drawing around 26 AMPS as it goes into spin for 10 seconds or longer I am not surprised that the power-strip did not like it.

John L.

 

[gadgetgary]

Paul

Same thing happened to me when I connected my HA806 to a powerstrip. It would not engage in spin. When connected directly to the wall, it spun perfectly!

 

[114jwh]

Congratulations Paul - these look great! You must have been happy that it was only the power bar!

 

[tolivac]

Yes,power outlet boxes aren't typically meant to be used with large motor loads such as a washer or many types of power tools.They were meant for lower current electronic gear that doesn't have the large start currents a washer would require when going to spin mode.
The contactor soleniods are similar to those in a washer that are used in the various high current circuits in our transmitters-if the contactor soleniod cycles frequently-it will get warm.If it gets very hot,hums loudly, and then smokes you have a problem.Think washer soleniods would be similar in action.The coil windings can short to each other or to the soleniod case or core.Then the smoke comes out!

 

[philr]

Paul, what I heard was the washer clicking, but I figured it was because it got intermittent power! That's why I suspected the power bar! 

 

I did make a few videos yesterday but most of them disappeared from my phone's memory card! I was quite mad to see that the pictures I took of the moon and the video I made of a spider in it's web just a few hours later were gone as well as all the photos and videos I have captured earlier today today. But mysteriously, the video I wanted to upload on YouTube was still there (and the only one that remained from yesterday!). 

 

So here it is!

 



 

 

[jetcone]

Paul !

as we say out west - "She shore is pretty" LOL ~

 

 

[turquoisedude]

Thanks - I just can't wait to get this down to laundry room!!  

 

Dumb question du jour:  I need a replacment germicidal bulb for the Filtrator (and a couple of other machines, too) and I have found potential replacements on-line at places like bulbs.com.  However, they seem to be rated at 10.5 v - when connected in series with the 40w incandescent drum light will this provide a voltage low enough to safely power the germicidal bulb?

 

Ben, I've sent you a PM about the Maytag dryer legs.

 

[combo52]

Germical Bulb Voltage

10.5 Volts should be about right, but Paul you know that you should not be playing with electricity, LOL, But I do love you guys anyway.

John L.

 

[turquoisedude]

Oh, I deserve that...  LOL.   Know anywhere I can get those porcelain tubes for the rest of the garage wiring??  (ducks and runs...) 

 

[turquoisedude]

Bonne nouvelles!  I found a local parts place who can get me a new set of legs.   There are a very few reconditioned appliance dealers left around here anymore, so used parts are harder to come by than new sometimes.

 

At any rate, I think my 'new' Unimatic deserves new legs to bring it one step closer to that 'maiden wash'.    Stay tuned!!

 

[turquoisedude]

Fun with Frigidaires.... well not exactly

I've been busting at the seams waiting for a chance to get tuhe latest acquisitions into the Ogden Lauhndry, as you all can imagine.  

 

Finally today, a slot in the basement laundry room became available...

 

[turquoisedude]

The ' 58 Hotpoint dryer graciously gave up its spot for the 'new' Unimatic!

 

[turquoisedude]

Here it is,  fresh from the garage!! 

 

I somehow managed to straighten the leveling legs and I figured with a solid pad, the machine would be fairly stable. 

 

Well, I actually turned out to be right on this one and the machine ran through a fill, wash and spin with some vibration, but nothing like what I had been experiencing in the garage.  Oh, and just to be on the safe side, I connected it directly to the wall outlet and not to the drop light cord with a screw-in adapter... LOL 

 

[turquoisedude]

And here's the 'but'...

There was a fairly good leak somewhere...  I know someone in this household would have kittens if there are any leaky washers or dishwashers, so I knew I had to find it... 

 

It wasn't just a loose connection, alas.  It's the solenoid itself.   This, however is not a big problem - I think I'll be able to swap one of the Whirlpool water solenoids from one or the other of the leftover parts donors from the Inglis restoration.  I'm slating that job for tomorrow, though.