Unimatic WI-56

[westyslantfront]

Well I have awful luck with timers. My WI-56 Unimatic was acting odd:
would fill up for wash and instead of washing, would immediately spin out or
during wash cycle, with each escapement, machine would stop, I would lightly touch timer knob and machine would resume agitating. That would happen first four or five escapements of wash cycle.
Earlier this week, Manny (owner of "Action Appliance" here in Tucson and master mechanic) came to remove timer to send it off to be rebuilt. I told him that timer was rebuilt a few years ago when I was in California. On removing timer, there was a label from Mid-West timer service stating that they had rebuilt it but Manny said timer had a burnt aroma. He said it does need to be rebuilt again but he does not like Mid-West and will send it to some place in Florida that he likes better (he will not reveal any further information on place in Florida) but they have rebuilt other timers and they are all doing well. Manny also removed gasket on top of outer wash tub...rubber all dried out and said that when he brings rebuilt timer back, he will install GE gasket on top of outer tub. He said he can get it to fit.

 

[gansky1]

I know exactly what you're saying about Midwest timer, I'm currently on the second timer in my 57 control tower washer. This is the third timer I'v put in that machine, two of them from Midwest timer and both with the exactl problem you describe. The motor contact in the timer gets warped and/or burned and the machine won't run. There is an enormous amount of voltage running through these timers and I don't think they are rebuilding them with strong enough materials. Keep us posted on what happens.

 

[toggleswitch]

How is the voltage in your respective areas?

I know Long Island runs high.

I have two WP electric stoves. On both, the surface element control swith for the largest elements (highest wattage) are arcing noisily and prodcing ozone.

At this point two have been replaced already and it seems, just as with your timer, the materials used are not sufficient fot the task at hand.

I think it's time for me to write a few letters. Who cares while the extended warranty is in effect [which I believe is a necessity with a smooth "glass" vitro-ceran non-user-servicable top]...but afterwards I won't like paying even for the part (a rotary switch).

Watch them say something like "Not approved for use at that voltage......."

 

[Unimatic1140]

It's actually the amperage that is hard on these timers, not the voltage, with a standard US house voltage of 115-125 volts at spin start up in a Unimatic it will momentarily jump from 6 or 7 amps at the most all the way up to 24 amps! This only lasts 10 or so seconds, but it is enough to heat up the contacts for both the main line and motor line.

 

[westyslantfront]

Unimatic Timer

Thank you for the information. That explains why timer on Unimatic has been a problem, compared to timer on '59 Kenmore or '61 Westy slant front which were rebuilt by Manny's other place and they both seem to work just fine. I also hope that Manny can get GE gasket to fit on top of outer tub.