UK Hotpoint Top Loader Questions...

[Marky_Mark]

Hi

I am new to the world of vintage and I reckon a good place to start is with the amazing UK classic Hotpoint top loader. I have read and re-read as many brilliant posts here as I can find about these machines. I have also watched all the youTube videos I can find. I could really use some advice please:

Firstly, should these machines always been transported upright or is it ok to place them on their side in the vehicle?

I believe that from the 96700 onwards they had temperature-sensed fill (some even agitate during fill if not modified to prevent this, correct?). Does this mean that if your cold water is, let's say, 20 degrees and your hot water is 60 degrees for example, the machine should be able to always accurately achieve water temperatures of 30, 40 or even 50 without having to heat? Or does it always play it safe and fill cooler and then heat up as required?

Does the "Heavy Soil / Super Wash" button cause the temp-sensed fill (ATC?) to change its target temperature during fill or is this really just for the heater's thermostat?

I believe common projects on this machine include water pump replacement, oil leaks, clutch replacement.

Any other advice / info at all would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys, Mark

 

[aquarius8000]

Hotpoint Top Loader

Hi, I brought one off eBay about a year and a half ago now, then later sold it onto another collector on here. I can say, I transported mine on its side when I collected it, and when the collector collected it from me he put it on its side and it still works. I'm not sure about the rest, I only used it once, however I can say it does do a static heating phase (Which takes ageeees!), and I think that the Heavy Soil button increases the wash water temperature by 10*C. Not sure for certain though. I had the last model, the 9605.

Chris.

 

[Marky_Mark]

Hi Chris

I would love a 9605. I quite like the idea of two agitated rinses rather than the first one being static. Also like the sound of temp-sensed fill (but have no idea if it works well). But even without these two features, I would still love a 1509 too -- in fact I would love any of them!

How come you only used it once and decided to sell it? Is using 163 litres of water to wash less than 5 kg of laundry not appealing to you ha ha?!

 

[Marky_Mark]

Just wondering... has anyone tried using a Downy ball? The ball is filled with fabric conditioner and the cap pulled closed. Just toss it into the machine with the clothes. Then during the interim spin, the force on the Downy Ball's weight causes the cap to open and release the fabric conditioner for the rinse.

Sounds great as the Hotpoint does two rinses but I believe only spins after the first rinse (except early machines?), so the fabric conditioner will be dispensed for the 2nd rinse. That's if the interim spin is long enough to reach the necessary speed to open the ball, otherwise you'll get fabric conditioner spilling out onto the clothes after the final spin is over!

 

[dascot]

Never tried one of them Mark, but sounds interesting. Can't help but wonder if it is a bit of a marketing gimmick, and wondering how much force it needs and thus how fast it needs to be spinning etc.

 

[Marky_Mark]

Yeah it does seem interesting – if it would work in the Hotpoint! Most of the reviews from the USA regarding the Downy Ball seem generally quite positive, although some have found it doesn’t always open as planned.

It suppose must be designed to open during the post-wash spin in American top loaders, which I've heard would never be in excess of 710 RPM at the most. So I guess as long as the UK Hotpoint can achieve something like that speed in its interim spin, it should hopefully open the ball ok. Would anyone like to hazard a guess as to how fast the Hottie typically reaches in its interim spin?

 

[superelectronic]

If the load's relatively balanced, there's no reason why it shouldn't hit full speed on the interim, even in the allotted minute on the 96-series machines.

Using the Rinse Hold function should be practical enough without relying on that ball - and it's an extra chance to watch the wash action (providing you cancel Rinse Hold before adding conditioner, which always seems the best way to do it to me to ensure proper dilution before it hits the clothes).

 

[Marky_Mark]

Ha ha yes even if I do experiment with the Downy Ball, I will still have the lid open anyway to see what happens! Really happy that I now finally have the space to accommodate a Hotpoint TL as an additional machine. Just need to find one now....glued to eBay!

 

[superelectronic]

Two of them were on ebay this week with the auctions ending in no bids. First there was a 9600 from 1986-8...

Pardon our interruption...

 

[superelectronic]

...and then there was a 96700 from 1984-5, not in need of repair unlike the 9600.

So they're still popping up. Good luck! Surely you're not shipping it to Barca though?

Pardon our interruption...

 

[Marky_Mark]

I did see those. I didn't want to buy the one that's leaking. If I already owned one that started leaking then I would of course do my best to fix it, but I am not sure I should start off with a leaking one as I don't have any experience of them yet.

I did see the other one and I did email the seller with some questions. Unfortunately I emailed too late and the auction ended before he had a chance to reply, but he did re-list it and he did reply. It does look great. For some silly reason, I would ideally prefer the functionality of the 9605 (temp-sensed fill and two agitated rinses) but I LOVE the look of the 1509.

Yes I will be bringing it back to Barcelona!

 

[keymatic]

Morning Mark,

Hope you are able to track downa Hotpoint Top Loader...They are great machines and would never have anything else to do my weekly load !!

I got a 1504 about 8yrs ago from a couple old ladies, it had only had very light use, i stripped it down had the casing re-sprayed and motor re-wound as something was making it short-out.

It has been in constant use for the last 6 years, and washes beautifully everytime. It does have the "static" first rinse which i am not over keen on, but you kinda get use to it.

Anyway, good luck
Keith

 

[ozzie908]

Downy ball no good in a hotpoint tl

as the spin after the wash will open the ball and you then lose the conditioner in the static rinse before the last one so as mentioned you would be better off using the rinse hold button and then adding your conditioner thats what its for..
Have used a downy ball in US top loaders and they work fine as it opens during the spin rinse ready for final deep rinse.

Austin

 

[Marky_Mark]

Hi Keith. I love how you have incorporated your 1504 into your kitchen. Such a perfect fit! Glad to see you haven’t relegated it to the garage/shed/laundry room etc! How does the temperature work on your machine? I was thinking with your model that if set to warm or hand hot it will fill only with cold and then heat to 40 for warm and 50 for hand hot. If set to hot or very hot then it will fill only with hot water and heat to 60 for hot and 85 for very hot. So, no mixed fill on any cycle. Is this correct? I guess you can adjust the temperature selector while it's filling anyway. Is yours the earlier one with the 4-pole motor? I’m really interested to see how these machines work and I’m looking forward to having a play around with one. I have wanted one for years but never had the space/means before.

Hi Austin. I guess Keith wouldn’t be able to use a Downy Ball for exactly the reason you have stated. But I suppose in a later model there is only one interim spin before the final rinse, so maybe it would work ok?

I have used top loaders in the USA with the softener dispenser built-in to the agitator. They work unless you’re doing a 2nd rinse. I have actually done a 2nd rinse with the dispenser releasing the softener into the first rinse. Not sure if it still then has any effect on the clothing or if its effects are completely or mostly rinsed away by the 2nd rinse.

 

[superelectronic]

Temperature control

I believe it's mixed fill on Warm and Hand Hot settings, and hot fill for Hot and Very Hot on the 1504 and the following models up to 1509/05. See reply 66 on the thread I've linked where you can view the page from the service manual. A bio powder option was provided to give a mixed fill on Hot and Very Hot settings.

From 1509/10 to the 15790(2) all temperature settings bar cold gave you mixed fill except when using the Economy switch, which in turn gives hot fill.

I have yet to work out if the Temperature Sensed Fill of the 96-series was affected by using the Heavy Soil option. Further down that thread I've linked it suggests the Economy Wash button links to the Heavy Soil button to raise the sensed fill to the higher temperature, yet the instruction manuals refer to Heavy Soil extending the cycle length, suggesting the fill temperature is unaffected.

Hotpoint / Zanussi Liberator Model 1826 Pictures

Hi Guys Recently came across these pictures of a Hotpoint/Zanussi Breed Liberator Model 1826 which I had. Enjoy Mark

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[Marky_Mark]

That's very interesting reading, thanks for the link. I will be conducting my own experiments and will report back with the findings!

On prog 5, if you select Super Wash/Heavy Soil, maybe it will increase the target temp of the temp-sensed fill from 30 to 40 degrees and will then wash at 40, but still with no heating required regardless of whether or not you press Economy on the 9605 (assuming incoming hot water is hot enough). So no increase in cycle time and no heating required.

But if you press Heavy Soil on prog 1 it might increase the temp-sensed fill from 60 to 85 but I guess the hot water would never be that hot so it would always need heating and would add time, unless you press Economy. We shall see! Can't wait to get my hands on one! I will of course then need to find out exactly how it works in all respects LOL. Will probably end up taking it apart and looking for things to fix even if they don't seem to need it ha ha.

Mark