nickuk
Well-known member
Hello friends,
Work has finally finished on the machine. It has had, among other things......
- A new dispenser pipe
- New clips, sealant etc on all internal hoses
- Limescale removed from all around the detergent dispenser
- A new sump hose and clean of entirely clogged filter
- A new drain hose
- A new neon lamp
- An adjustment to the timer which was stuck in the `off' m
position
- An adjustment to the motor tachometer
- Motor thoroughly cleaned out, checked all parts (fine),
oiled, brushes reinstalled,
belt tension tightened
- Descaling, disinfecting, WD40 over everything etc.
I first saw one of these machines operating in the early eighties when my grandparents who lived in Bath bought one very similar. I was about six years old. My Mum had always had a Hoover machine which makes a much softer gentler noise when it washes, and when I first heard this machine start washing I ran away from it as it sounded so cross and scary! Needless to say I got used to it fairly quickly. They had the machine until about 1995 when they gave it away, still working, to a grandaughter setting up home. They replaced it with another Hotpoint. Unfortunately my grandparents are no longer with us.
I really like this machine and I must have done 20 loads in it so far. The cycles are fast which is on the whole a good thing. A regular 60 degree cottons wash only gets 15 mins or so agitation, which is probably inadequate really though I've not noticed any remaining stains. A normal cycle from start to finish runs 40-50 minutes. The rinsing is good, though after the short spins the pump needs to run for a little longer. As things stand, it begins filling for the next rinse with soapy water remaining in the sump. I suspect this is because the pump has become lazy, though it may be a design fault.
I am most impressed with the old distribute system and wish that we could have a return to it. The concept of increasing speed with the tub full of water always spreads the laundry out evenly enough for a spin. I have a `problem load' which finished off a Hotpoint WMA something two years ago, and occasionally makes the Zanussi bang, but which this machine deals with just fine. It's a single heavy towling dressing gown. The worst this machine has done has made a slight `knock' on start up of spin, but because the bulk of the water is thrown out so quickly that's the worst it got. I do remember that some of the Hotpoints were quite scary on spin; banging and moving about the floor, but I believe these were the two leg suspension models (as opposed to 3 on this one)which came out slightly later probably to cut costs. The spin on this machine is great, laundry is really well dried.
I need to move it from the temporary position in the kitchen to the garage, so hastily made a video last night. However, I am really tempted to install this as my daily driver, it's great plus it would look good in my kitchen next to the similarly coloured cooker. This may be a little cruel though... I don't want to finish it off. Having said that it might fare better in regular use than in storage. Opinions?
When you watch the videos please make excuses for the fact that I am not very good at (and am impatient with) computers. I was really pleased that I'd made a nice video but something weird has happened and there are frequent drop outs. This makes my commentary partially incomprehensible, the distribute looks like it has crazy fast flashes and the ramp up to final spin sounds jerky - it's not, it's smooth as they come. I think it's due to Windows Movie Maker capturing the movie as a series of clips, some of which are about 2 seconds long only (it decides that automatically) and then putting them all back together. I am SO ANNOYED but I'm too stupid to fix it. Sorry.
Notice also that I load the machine twice - this is because I changed my mind about the camera angle and then forgot to delete it!
Thanks in advance for taking the time to watch my videos and do, of course, ask any questions you'd like to, or point out when I'm talking rubbish !
Regards to all,
Nick.
Work has finally finished on the machine. It has had, among other things......
- A new dispenser pipe
- New clips, sealant etc on all internal hoses
- Limescale removed from all around the detergent dispenser
- A new sump hose and clean of entirely clogged filter
- A new drain hose
- A new neon lamp
- An adjustment to the timer which was stuck in the `off' m
position
- An adjustment to the motor tachometer
- Motor thoroughly cleaned out, checked all parts (fine),
oiled, brushes reinstalled,
belt tension tightened
- Descaling, disinfecting, WD40 over everything etc.
I first saw one of these machines operating in the early eighties when my grandparents who lived in Bath bought one very similar. I was about six years old. My Mum had always had a Hoover machine which makes a much softer gentler noise when it washes, and when I first heard this machine start washing I ran away from it as it sounded so cross and scary! Needless to say I got used to it fairly quickly. They had the machine until about 1995 when they gave it away, still working, to a grandaughter setting up home. They replaced it with another Hotpoint. Unfortunately my grandparents are no longer with us.
I really like this machine and I must have done 20 loads in it so far. The cycles are fast which is on the whole a good thing. A regular 60 degree cottons wash only gets 15 mins or so agitation, which is probably inadequate really though I've not noticed any remaining stains. A normal cycle from start to finish runs 40-50 minutes. The rinsing is good, though after the short spins the pump needs to run for a little longer. As things stand, it begins filling for the next rinse with soapy water remaining in the sump. I suspect this is because the pump has become lazy, though it may be a design fault.
I am most impressed with the old distribute system and wish that we could have a return to it. The concept of increasing speed with the tub full of water always spreads the laundry out evenly enough for a spin. I have a `problem load' which finished off a Hotpoint WMA something two years ago, and occasionally makes the Zanussi bang, but which this machine deals with just fine. It's a single heavy towling dressing gown. The worst this machine has done has made a slight `knock' on start up of spin, but because the bulk of the water is thrown out so quickly that's the worst it got. I do remember that some of the Hotpoints were quite scary on spin; banging and moving about the floor, but I believe these were the two leg suspension models (as opposed to 3 on this one)which came out slightly later probably to cut costs. The spin on this machine is great, laundry is really well dried.
I need to move it from the temporary position in the kitchen to the garage, so hastily made a video last night. However, I am really tempted to install this as my daily driver, it's great plus it would look good in my kitchen next to the similarly coloured cooker. This may be a little cruel though... I don't want to finish it off. Having said that it might fare better in regular use than in storage. Opinions?
When you watch the videos please make excuses for the fact that I am not very good at (and am impatient with) computers. I was really pleased that I'd made a nice video but something weird has happened and there are frequent drop outs. This makes my commentary partially incomprehensible, the distribute looks like it has crazy fast flashes and the ramp up to final spin sounds jerky - it's not, it's smooth as they come. I think it's due to Windows Movie Maker capturing the movie as a series of clips, some of which are about 2 seconds long only (it decides that automatically) and then putting them all back together. I am SO ANNOYED but I'm too stupid to fix it. Sorry.
Notice also that I load the machine twice - this is because I changed my mind about the camera angle and then forgot to delete it!
Thanks in advance for taking the time to watch my videos and do, of course, ask any questions you'd like to, or point out when I'm talking rubbish !
Regards to all,
Nick.
.
, wouldnt have been as easy to video through that purple door tho!!!
