Located in North Carolina and looks to be in great condition
Velvet heat MW dryer
- Thread starter delco1946
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Is MW’s Velvet Heat an answer to Sears’ Soft Heat?
— Dave
— Dave
Yes,
Norge built MW dryers (gas heated) had "velvet heat" due to modulating burner.
As always it pays to wander about the archives: https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?75373
https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?45811
www.automaticwasher.org
Norge built MW dryers (gas heated) had "velvet heat" due to modulating burner.
As always it pays to wander about the archives: https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?75373
https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?45811
I found some Royalty in 'The Pile'...
Coming back to the shop at the end of my run today, I was greater by this sight. Can't imagine what caught my eye...
www.automaticwasher.org
That looks like it is a year or so newer than mine...
www.automaticwasher.org
An Amazing Find Right Out of the 1965 Wards Catalog!!
These were posted on Craigslist last week by an estate sale liquidator, an amazing find to say the least as the 1965 TOL Norge made Montgomery Wards washer was very low use and the gas dryer was never hooked up!!!!
www.automaticwasher.org
Auto dry cycle is thermostatic, not a sensor in contact by the garments. We had the Norge version of this dryer.
repairguy
Well-known member
Robert those are absolutely beautiful! Put me on the list should you ever decide they need a new place to live.
Dan, it was accurate to an extent. We always did full loads. The auto regular always fully dried, nothing was left under dried. Same with the auto Wash n Wear, but temperature did reduce as the load dried. Our dryer was also a gas dryer.
Dan, to be honest, I cannot accurately answer this. I will tell you my approach. Regular auto dry only had a 5 minute cool down, so for cottons that wasn't a big deal with regards to sheets, towels, undies, ... Unless numerous loads being washed, I'd leave towels and ... in the dryer and didn't bother. Even if clothes were 100% cotton, all clothing items I dried on Auto Wash n Wear. That dry cycle had a 10 minute cool down. My rule was sheets, towels, undies were treated as regular (normal/cotton wash & dry cycles). All external clothing was treated as wash n wear/perm press--normal wash slow spin. All dried on wash n wear/perm press cycle. I didn't discern any reduciton in temperature as auto dry pregressed.
So then, in the case, besides the blue flame, you'd know a Ward's dryer this time was gas, just by boasting Velvet Heat?
Just trying to clear up a little more confusion, and I love Unimatc's nice, copper, mint set!
May those machines live everlasting life, doing those everlasting loads...
-- Dave
Just trying to clear up a little more confusion, and I love Unimatc's nice, copper, mint set!
May those machines live everlasting life, doing those everlasting loads...
-- Dave
"Velvet Heat" is what MW decided to call their version of gentle drying system.
Norge who built said machines had their own name, as did Kenmore (built by WP) and so it goes.
Little blue flame somewhere on control panel was pretty much standard for era indicating dryer used gas for heating. Other way to tell would have been a porthole or some other flap that gave access to pilot light. On dryer in OP's link do not such such a thing but it has to be there somewhere. Thus assume one had to remove entire lower plate to get at pilot light.
By this time many appliance manufacturers were getting away from high temperature for entire cycle dryers that basically broiled one's wash dry. This at least on perhaps some higher end offerings if not entire range.
Modulating burners (gas) or multiple heating elements (electric) also saved energy in same way at least former are found in other appliances such as burners for gas heated furnaces or boilers.
Norge who built said machines had their own name, as did Kenmore (built by WP) and so it goes.
Little blue flame somewhere on control panel was pretty much standard for era indicating dryer used gas for heating. Other way to tell would have been a porthole or some other flap that gave access to pilot light. On dryer in OP's link do not such such a thing but it has to be there somewhere. Thus assume one had to remove entire lower plate to get at pilot light.
By this time many appliance manufacturers were getting away from high temperature for entire cycle dryers that basically broiled one's wash dry. This at least on perhaps some higher end offerings if not entire range.
Modulating burners (gas) or multiple heating elements (electric) also saved energy in same way at least former are found in other appliances such as burners for gas heated furnaces or boilers.
"So then, in the case, besides the blue flame, you'd know a Ward's dryer this time was gas, just by boasting Velvet Heat?"
Velvet Heat was used in both electric and gas dryers. The dryer posted here is electric and displays Velvet Heat on the console.
Velvet Heat was used in both electric and gas dryers. The dryer posted here is electric and displays Velvet Heat on the console.
Okay QSD Dan and Laundress, thank you for clearing a lot up...
Yes, electric and Velvet Heat--only got the impression according to the burner set up in the gas models to lend me what I'd known so far defined...
-- Dave
Yes, electric and Velvet Heat--only got the impression according to the burner set up in the gas models to lend me what I'd known so far defined...
-- Dave
Velvet heat signature dryers by Norge
Norge and the Montgomery Ward signature versions only had two heat levels, only Kenmore ever had a true modulating burner that tapered down gradually and adjusted accurately to keep the exhaust temperature at a precise temperature.
Kenmore electric dryers just had Two heating elements the large element cut off, leaving the small element on for the entire heated portion of the cycle, it probably didn’t save any energy, but it did speed up the drying.
The auto dry cycle on the signature dryer was a little unusual. It had a starting point where you set the dial the timer would advance for a few minutes, and then it would pause until the temperature was reached, and the dryer would finish advancing toward the cool down and shut off, it really did not allow for any adjustment of Any different dryness levels, I did use several of these back in the day and they seemed to work pretty well, however but we’re not as versatile.
Probably well less than half the clothes dryers ever made had a symbol on the control paddle to let you know it was gas or electric, I don’t think Kenmore ever did and of course that’s half the dryers ever sold in the US anyway, lol
The majority of gas dryers ever made and sold in the US had electric ignition and did not need a pilot light, the most notable exception was the Maytag halo of heat dryer, which never had electric ignition. Ironically, every Maytag dryer before the HOH dryers had electric ignition and every dryer, of course afterward, had electric ignition, in 1976 banded pilot lights in home appliances so all clothes dryers had electric ignition there after. States like California had a tremendous influence for the better at reducing energy and making products safer cars cleaner, etc. because they’re such a big market that manufactures just decided to not make different products for different areas.
Most of the East Coast has adopted California emissions on automobiles so there really isn’t much difference in auto emissions nationwide now.
John
Norge and the Montgomery Ward signature versions only had two heat levels, only Kenmore ever had a true modulating burner that tapered down gradually and adjusted accurately to keep the exhaust temperature at a precise temperature.
Kenmore electric dryers just had Two heating elements the large element cut off, leaving the small element on for the entire heated portion of the cycle, it probably didn’t save any energy, but it did speed up the drying.
The auto dry cycle on the signature dryer was a little unusual. It had a starting point where you set the dial the timer would advance for a few minutes, and then it would pause until the temperature was reached, and the dryer would finish advancing toward the cool down and shut off, it really did not allow for any adjustment of Any different dryness levels, I did use several of these back in the day and they seemed to work pretty well, however but we’re not as versatile.
Probably well less than half the clothes dryers ever made had a symbol on the control paddle to let you know it was gas or electric, I don’t think Kenmore ever did and of course that’s half the dryers ever sold in the US anyway, lol
The majority of gas dryers ever made and sold in the US had electric ignition and did not need a pilot light, the most notable exception was the Maytag halo of heat dryer, which never had electric ignition. Ironically, every Maytag dryer before the HOH dryers had electric ignition and every dryer, of course afterward, had electric ignition, in 1976 banded pilot lights in home appliances so all clothes dryers had electric ignition there after. States like California had a tremendous influence for the better at reducing energy and making products safer cars cleaner, etc. because they’re such a big market that manufactures just decided to not make different products for different areas.
Most of the East Coast has adopted California emissions on automobiles so there really isn’t much difference in auto emissions nationwide now.
John
From 1954 through 2002, my parents had 4 gas dryeers. The Norge Timeline after I came home from the hospital 6 weeks after I was born. Then the Norge version of the MW dryer arrived February 1964. Next was the GE dryer with the big door and big drum. then the 1994 Maytage Dependable Care with Electrnic Dry control. From the day the 1964 drer showed up in the laundry room, I used nothing but auto dry cycles. Even after the TimeLine dryer was replaced, mom used timed dry for regular loads. the TimeLine dryer dried loads in 45 minutes and that was an 8-9 lb. load. The Norge15 showed up December 1963 and I had to split full loads in half for the TimeLine. When the new dryer showed up with 15 pound capability, mom still only allowed timed dry for 45 minutes towels, sheets, whites. Whatever wasn't dry after 45 minutes got draped around the den to finish drying. (drove me nuts). However, when I did laundry, the auto dry loads were always dried and I just deposited the loads on the couch. I can honestly say mom didn't fully embrace auto dry cycles until the Dependable Care dryer.
Yeah, cotton loads usually took 45-60 minutes on auto dry, but remembr I did full loads in the Norge 15 of towels and such; Wash & wear/ perm press onl9y took about 30 minutes to dry. So it balanced out.
I was the one who always tried to use all features of any of our appliances when appropraite. Mom just the basic functionns. And she didn't like it when I would point things out about the features I used.
Yeah, cotton loads usually took 45-60 minutes on auto dry, but remembr I did full loads in the Norge 15 of towels and such; Wash & wear/ perm press onl9y took about 30 minutes to dry. So it balanced out.
I was the one who always tried to use all features of any of our appliances when appropraite. Mom just the basic functionns. And she didn't like it when I would point things out about the features I used.
Great Norwich dryer history
Hi Bob, thanks for sharing the history of your family‘s gas dryers, interesting when they got the large 15 pound capacity, Norge washer that they started splitting loads for the old timeline Norge gas dryer, the 1964 Norge gas dryer was exactly the same size as the 1954 machine. It is possible they might’ve increased the BTUs a little bit but Norge never had a really high BTU super fast dryers.
Norge never increased the drum capacity of their dryers until they came out with that all new design in the later 60s Norge went from having the most rugged heavily built dryer to literally the worst one overnight. Those later 60s dryers were just miserable durability and we’re always breaking down, if they were used a lot.
It’s really a shame that your parents didn’t listen to you more, when kids are so interested in something they usually can teach their parents and it’s a shame they didn’t take advantage and learn from you.
John
Hi Bob, thanks for sharing the history of your family‘s gas dryers, interesting when they got the large 15 pound capacity, Norge washer that they started splitting loads for the old timeline Norge gas dryer, the 1964 Norge gas dryer was exactly the same size as the 1954 machine. It is possible they might’ve increased the BTUs a little bit but Norge never had a really high BTU super fast dryers.
Norge never increased the drum capacity of their dryers until they came out with that all new design in the later 60s Norge went from having the most rugged heavily built dryer to literally the worst one overnight. Those later 60s dryers were just miserable durability and we’re always breaking down, if they were used a lot.
It’s really a shame that your parents didn’t listen to you more, when kids are so interested in something they usually can teach their parents and it’s a shame they didn’t take advantage and learn from you.
John
