I found three Maytag washers with the "save suds" button and I don't know what it does? The machines are are the style with white push buttons on each side of a dial that is in the center. The top panel above doesn't light up like some do. Two of the machines have a delicate and normal setting and one just says automatic where those buttons are on the other two. The guy wants $75 each but will take $180 for all three. They are all white and in pretty good shape. Any help would be great. Really would like to know what the suds saver is.
What is suds saver?
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The machine with the "Automatic" button is a lower end model, as it has just a single speed motor. Which is not to say it might not be a perfectly good, reliable machine, as most older Maytags are.
In addition to the "Save Suds" buttons, you can spot a suds saver washer because it will generally have two drain hoses. "Suds Saver" means that one can redirect the hot soapy water from the first wash into a basin. There it can be stored until one wishes to use it again, usually for the next load of laundry. Then the Suds Saver machine can suck the water back up into the tub for the next load of laundry. This technique winds up saving on the energy used to heat the water (although obviously it will cool somewhat in the storage basin), and on the detergent (although modern detergents are relatively inexpensive).
Some appliance repair people don't like Suds Saver washers because it's another thing to go wrong. I happen to like them, as the Suds Saving functions can be quite entertaining. You can always use a Suds Saver like a normal washer simply by putting both drain hoses into the same basin for draining.
In addition to the "Save Suds" buttons, you can spot a suds saver washer because it will generally have two drain hoses. "Suds Saver" means that one can redirect the hot soapy water from the first wash into a basin. There it can be stored until one wishes to use it again, usually for the next load of laundry. Then the Suds Saver machine can suck the water back up into the tub for the next load of laundry. This technique winds up saving on the energy used to heat the water (although obviously it will cool somewhat in the storage basin), and on the detergent (although modern detergents are relatively inexpensive).
Some appliance repair people don't like Suds Saver washers because it's another thing to go wrong. I happen to like them, as the Suds Saving functions can be quite entertaining. You can always use a Suds Saver like a normal washer simply by putting both drain hoses into the same basin for draining.
Suds saving is a device where the washer will pump out wash water into a sink, then at the next selected wash cycle "reuse" the same wash water. In other words the wash water is reused for more than one wash cycle.
Suds saving features were popular on many washers during the 1960's and 1970's IIRC as a way of saving energy and water. While the wash water is sitting in the sink, dirt settles to the bottom, thus when the washer takes back this water it should not be "that" dirty. Also most washers having this feature stopped taking in the washer water from the sink after a certian period, leaving a small amount of water behind. This remaining water hopefully held all the dirt,lint and muck from the first usage.
To use this feature one has to have those deep laundry sinks common in many older homes. Most modern homes have standpipes for the washer to drain, and that means suds saving will not work.
L.
Suds saving features were popular on many washers during the 1960's and 1970's IIRC as a way of saving energy and water. While the wash water is sitting in the sink, dirt settles to the bottom, thus when the washer takes back this water it should not be "that" dirty. Also most washers having this feature stopped taking in the washer water from the sink after a certian period, leaving a small amount of water behind. This remaining water hopefully held all the dirt,lint and muck from the first usage.
To use this feature one has to have those deep laundry sinks common in many older homes. Most modern homes have standpipes for the washer to drain, and that means suds saving will not work.
L.
There is a way to get around the lack of a storage tub
and my Grandmother Loudenback did it. She used a large new-clean 20 gallon galvanized trash can as the holding tub. Her 1956 Kenmore suds-saver was in the kitchen, and no room for a tub. For a few years, she did not have city water, and had to watch her water usage very carefully.
She had the can on a short sturdy platform.
There was a standpipe for the rinse water hose. When she was done for the day, or the rare, rare times when she needed to wash an emergency load, she would angle the long wash drain hose into her kitchen sink, and set a cast iron object on the hose to keep it in place.
Suds-Savers were not gross to people who had used wringer washers, and used the same water for several wash loads, always adding a little more detergent to each wash load. Theory was that by adding a little more (less than a full dose) of fresh detergent, you'd maintain soil supsension and get good enough washing. You'd start with the "cleanest" loads, and work up, during the course of the wash day.
There were other ways of dealing with the tub situation. Some had single polystone sinks and an "overflow tube" in which you'd put the rinse drain hose, and the rinse water would go down, and the wash water was retained.
Our first automatic, the 1964 Whirlpool Imperial, was a suds-saver, but by the time we replaced it in 1978, with a Maytag A208, Ma's flirtation with Suds-Savers had run its course. We did have the twin cement sinks in the basement (Oh, I miss them!) While we still had the Whirlpool, I would do a few suds-saver loads once in a while (maybe twice a year) just for the fun of it.
Lawrence/Maytagbear
and my Grandmother Loudenback did it. She used a large new-clean 20 gallon galvanized trash can as the holding tub. Her 1956 Kenmore suds-saver was in the kitchen, and no room for a tub. For a few years, she did not have city water, and had to watch her water usage very carefully.
She had the can on a short sturdy platform.
There was a standpipe for the rinse water hose. When she was done for the day, or the rare, rare times when she needed to wash an emergency load, she would angle the long wash drain hose into her kitchen sink, and set a cast iron object on the hose to keep it in place.
Suds-Savers were not gross to people who had used wringer washers, and used the same water for several wash loads, always adding a little more detergent to each wash load. Theory was that by adding a little more (less than a full dose) of fresh detergent, you'd maintain soil supsension and get good enough washing. You'd start with the "cleanest" loads, and work up, during the course of the wash day.
There were other ways of dealing with the tub situation. Some had single polystone sinks and an "overflow tube" in which you'd put the rinse drain hose, and the rinse water would go down, and the wash water was retained.
Our first automatic, the 1964 Whirlpool Imperial, was a suds-saver, but by the time we replaced it in 1978, with a Maytag A208, Ma's flirtation with Suds-Savers had run its course. We did have the twin cement sinks in the basement (Oh, I miss them!) While we still had the Whirlpool, I would do a few suds-saver loads once in a while (maybe twice a year) just for the fun of it.
Lawrence/Maytagbear
Video of Maytag Suds-Saver
...taken in Tucson, AZ latest wash-in of 30-Mar-06
Click on *media*
see part 1 and part 2
...taken in Tucson, AZ latest wash-in of 30-Mar-06
Click on *media*
see part 1 and part 2
Here's a shot of an A606S sucking the wash water back into the tub. Please note the two drain hoses.
What Is The Brick For?
Ballast?
L.
Ballast?
L.
Yep, to hold the non-stock flimsy suds sucker hose down. The hose was so flimsy it actually collapsed under the negative pumping pressure. It's on my list of things to fix in the collection.
Needless to say, these are not my daily use machines.
Needless to say, these are not my daily use machines.
polkanut
Well-known member
Our house came with an aluminum "Suds Tub" strictly for the purpose of using a suds-saver. When we bought our '98 Maytag, it had to be special ordered because suds-savers were on the way out, and fast. We use ours all the time, and wouldn't trade it for anything.
mickeyd
Well-known member
Suds Water Saver/ Save/ Return/ Suds Suds SUDS YAY YAY YEAH
Dear Suds Lovers,
For me, susdsavers are among the coolest thing in existence. Most people pay little or no attention to the wash water as it exits. Indeed, as someone pointed out, today many machines drain unseen water into standpipes.
My point: the hot clean fragrant wash water is often spotless and wasted on the sewer. To me it is an unimaginable loss of wonderful resources, not to mention the absolute fun missed by people who have not experienced the splendor of the suds return.
When I become as skilled as so many of you are with digital camera equipment,
I promise a suds return TO--as the saying goes-- DIE FOR !! The 4th of July is my target date. Wish and hope I make the goal.
Dear Suds Lovers,
For me, susdsavers are among the coolest thing in existence. Most people pay little or no attention to the wash water as it exits. Indeed, as someone pointed out, today many machines drain unseen water into standpipes.
My point: the hot clean fragrant wash water is often spotless and wasted on the sewer. To me it is an unimaginable loss of wonderful resources, not to mention the absolute fun missed by people who have not experienced the splendor of the suds return.
When I become as skilled as so many of you are with digital camera equipment,
I promise a suds return TO--as the saying goes-- DIE FOR !! The 4th of July is my target date. Wish and hope I make the goal.
bpetersxx
Well-known member
these are the hoses
bpetersxx
Well-known member
semi pristine 806s
bpetersxx
Well-known member
308s
bpetersxx
Well-known member
``
bpetersxx
Well-known member
this is so minty it is sinful
bpetersxx
Well-known member
Sudsmater did u have a 606s like mine and a 606s like I wanted to get in coppertone color
Peter,
I have a white 606S, it's the one in the photo. The other machine is a 606, not a suds saver.
Thanks for the photo of the hoses.
And an 806S - the pinnacle of sudsology.
I have a white 606S, it's the one in the photo. The other machine is a 606, not a suds saver.
Thanks for the photo of the hoses.
And an 806S - the pinnacle of sudsology.
I've always thought suds-savers were an excellent way to drastically improve the water/energy efficiency of a toploader. Some people can't get past the notion of using wash water for more than one load, but I grew up with clean clothes and my mom used the suds-saver on our Kenmore all the time.
Our 1960 used a fast agitation speed while the water was returning to the tub for Load #2 and it was splashtastic! Unfortunately, the wild splashing caused the tub light to get wet and pop. Later in the '60's, I believe Kenmore switched to a slow agitation speed for the suds-return.
Our 1960 used a fast agitation speed while the water was returning to the tub for Load #2 and it was splashtastic! Unfortunately, the wild splashing caused the tub light to get wet and pop. Later in the '60's, I believe Kenmore switched to a slow agitation speed for the suds-return.
bpetersxx
Well-known member
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