Westinghouse slant fronted dryer

[ozzie908]

This has to be the first time I seen one on this country !

Would it be 240 volt?

Austin

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1950s-Vi...h=item5b4ef5e9d2:g:XNIAAOSwJHRb31n-:rk:7:pf:0

 

[appnut]

It SHOULD be 240-volt. 

 

The U.S. version of this model is the exact same one my mom's best friend had.  To the right of the left knob is the push-button for auto dry.  You didn't have to set the timer dial, just push the button.  But it only work on regular/high heat, not low heat.

 

Of all the Westinghouse dryers with this door style from this period, this model is very rare, very few I've seen aside from in real life from the time I was 5 until 16.  My mom's friend had this dryer paired with a 1955 Unimatic.   

 

[ozzie908]

@appnut

Thank you for the information I was most surprised to see its over here and as they say its working I was guessing it was 240 v If I had space I would have had a bid on it but I'm almost full to bursting as it is so I will let someone else be the lucky owner
If it had a auto dry setting how did it work was it via thermostats on the exhaust?

Austin

 

[ea56]

My aunt had the model just before this one with the red control dials, and she ran hers on 110V. My grandpa was always after her to convert it to 220V, but she said things didn’t shrink as bad using regular household current. The earlier Westinghouse dryers gave the ownerthe option of using either 110V or 220/240V.
Eddie

 

[ozzie908]

@ea56

Would the Hertz difference cause a problem ?

I am guessing if it was on 240 it used 2 elements to heat as opposed to 1 on 110? Its still clever to offer the option of being able to use on 110 and not have extra wiring installed.

Austin

 

[ea56]

Austin

I don’t know that much about electricity, or of what you are speaking of about Hertz difference. But I do know that this option was offered by Westinghouse, to use either 110 or 220/240. And I have also seen info about other full size electric dryers allowing the same thing, but offhand I couldn’t tell you which ones. I’m sure that there are other members here that could answer this for you.

I do know that dryers that run off 110 dry slower because they don’t get as hot.

Eddie

 

[rp2813]

Presuming it has seen use in the U.K., I would think it's rigged for those electrical standards.

 

It looks like new.  I think an offer of about 25% less might be accepted.  Full price is a little steep, although it's quite a rare find over there.

 

[launderess]

Resistance heaters wouldn't mind change of frequency (60hz to 50hz), so guess Westinghouse just changed the pulley and maybe few other bits for export.

Saw wiring diagrams for another Westinghouse dryer of same look which stated the thing could be wired for either 120v or 220v/240v. Difference being if wired for lower power the auto dry and high heat/regular cycles wouldn't function, only "low heat".

 

[justjunque]

How Dry I Am

I've seen references to the music box on these dryers in other threads, but I thought it was a slang term for some feature.
I had no idea it actually played a song! That's way too cool!

Barry

 

[launderess]

Little Ditty "How Dry I Am"

Goes back to early part of 20th century if not end of 1800's. The "dry" of course refers to abstinence from booze. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Near_Future

By the 1920's and well into 1950's use of the tune blossomed thanks to radio and film, often being sung by one or more persons plastered out of their minds. Thus the irony of singing about they were so "dry".

How Dry I am also became a sort of standard during the jazz/Big Band era:



In any event Westinghouse obviously knew what they were playing with using that tune for their dryer's music box.

 

[combo52]

Will A WH Slant Front Dryer Operate On 240 Volts In The UK ?

Only if it has been modified to do so, the main motor and timer motor operate on 120 volts, in the US 240 dryers operate on a dual split circuit that provides 120 and 208-240 volts.

 

The other problem is that the dryer will tumble too slowly and the clothes will just roll in the drum and not tumble properly because of the 50 cycle current.  [ even the " How-Dry-I-Am Tune will sound a little slow ] LOL.

 

John L.

 

[vacbear58]

This dryer and the TL washer and the Kenwood side by side have all been listed before, I don't recall them being in Scotland though - from memory the Kenwood was Cotswold direction and I would have said the Washer and dryer were in the East but not close enough to be handy to collect.

Al

 

[lotsosudz]

amazing pairing with a Unimatic

I cant imagine how little this dryer would have to run, paired with a Unimatic. We had a Kenmore paired with a 56 Westinghouse, and the clothes, including Jeans, were done in 40 minutes, as these dryers ran so hot. With a 1140 RPM spin, This dryer would barely have to come to full heat, before you would need to pull them out
Hugs,
David

 

[launderess]

Sold!

For only 100 quid. Maybe to same person who got that WP toploader?