Whirlpool/Kenmore Design 2000 Thread

[potatochips]

I posted a while back about how Whirlpool was taken to court by GE and Maytag in Canada about a patent issue regarding the dual action agitator. In the court case there is a paragraph about how Whirlpool was researching dual action designs, with one of them being a direct drive machine that had its own auger drive shaft. Meaning the auger in the dual action agitator would not have dogs to cog it around, it was powered by the transmission. Neat. 

 

[ddfan92]

Thanks everyone for your replies, I've been busy these last couple days so I haven't had the time to respond.

John, thanks a BILLION for the pics! I never knew how much different on the inside that one is compared to a later model WP. The tub design reminds me of that off an older Norge. Is that the original fabric softener dispenser?

I agree with chetlaham, a YT video would be nice. Who knows, it might even get a lot of views, just look at the view count on some of the other washer videos on there!

 

[DADoES]

 
That looks to be a KitchenAid softener dispenser per the chrome trim.

LB5500 (and granny's LA7400) didn't include a softener dispenser but one could be added.

 

[lowefficiency]

>>In the court case there is a paragraph about how Whirlpool was researching dual action designs, with
>>one of them being a direct drive machine that had its own auger drive shaft. Meaning the auger in the
>>dual action agitator would not have dogs to cog it around, it was powered by the transmission. Neat.

You mean concentric shafts, like how a wall clock operates? That could have been interesting...

 

[eronie]

Concertic shafts? Never did happen.

 

[potatochips]

"Concertic shafts? Never did happen." It did, in an experimental prototype that was never released to the market in the 70s. Read the link below.


 

Whirlpool when designing the dual action had concentric shafts where one shaft powered the agitator base, oscillated, and the other shaft was constant drive and powered the auger.

https://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/1833/index.do

 

[lowefficiency]

Heads-up if you didn't see it, Whirlpool's concentric-shaft agitator is featured in today's Patent of the Day!
(US Patent #4,068,503 for future reference.)

Here's one of the patent diagrams... there are several others in the patent document.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

whirlpool direct drive

I've been wondering about the engineering and what went into the entire project for sometime. my former babysitter had a whirlpool direct drive which agitated at full speed the entire time during the regular cycle. I remember the low F tone coming from the motor during high-speed agitation which sounded cool. It had that chunka chunka sound.

 

[vacerator]

I disliked that

chunka chunka sound. No doubt the gearcase clunking at the short stroke left and right throw limits. The thin light housing probably excentuated the noise. The motors were mainly quiet. The only cushioning was from the flexible coupling, similar the that found on the steering columns of Saginaw collapsible ones in 1965 through '96 rear drive GM cars and trucks. The motor mounts horizontal, and the gears transfer motion to the agitator shaft vertically.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

whirlpool design 2000

I've always wondered what became of the platform. They do have an interesting humming sound during high-speed agitation. On the models that were made during the 90s models, some of them had a low f droning on full-speed agitation.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Here's an example

of a whirlpool washer with an f tone during high-speed agitation during the full cycle.

 

[maytag85]

The Whirlpool direct drive isn’t a bad sounding washer but this is something I can literally fall asleep to at the 5:05 minute mark

 

[washerlover]

Music to my Ears!

Yes! There is nothing like the “woo woo” sound of a Whirlpool/Kenmore belt-drive machine! Direct drive machines make me nervous with the rapid sound they make...

 

[maytag85]

My new ‘63 Whirlpool has a very pronounced woo woo sound it makes when washing . Unfortunately the hose that goes from the pump to the lint filter broke on me but hopefully I can get that fixed tomorrow since I picked up a new rubber hose at Home Depot today that will work. Will be up and running again later this week and this is the first repair to my new ‘63 Whirlpool Imperial Mark XII washer

Photo of my ‘63 Whirlpool Imperial Mark XII

 

[combo52]

Woo-Woo Sound From Belt-Drive WP Washers

This phenomenon only happens on models with the regular 1/2" wide notched belt, on the machines where it is most pronounced the belt is usually a little too lose and often worn, it is really a sign that the belt is slipping a little and probably should be replaced.

 

John L.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

whirlpool sounds

are unmistakeable to me. I too love the woo-woo sound. Did anybody catch the video of the 1990 whirlpool clean touch washer with that low f toned droning during full-speed agitation? Most whirlpool direct drives don't have that, but some do. Why is that? They do make that chugga chugga sound.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

I too have been intrigued

by this laundry engineering advanced product design. I couldn't find any article on their design that was new at the time. I know this was a breakthrough product for whirlpool. I also know it was built by a computer driven assembly line.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

LEAP stands for

laundry engineered advanced product.

 

[agiflow]

Just repaired my refurbished Estate 24" DD this afternoon. Good thing I was home. Noticed the washer doing a long spin spray rinse.

When I stopped the machine the water kept coming in even when I unplugged it.

I am not very mechanically inclined but I knew it had to be the water valve cold side was stuck open.

An hour drive away and a $37 part later and I got my machine back up and running.

Glory to God for giving me the courage and ability to tackle something I normally would not have.

 

[agiflow]

Just repaired my refurbished Estate 24" DD this afternoon. Good thing I was home. Noticed the washer doing a long spin spray rinse.

When I stopped the machine the water kept coming in even when I unplugged it.

I am not very mechanically inclined but I knew it had to be the water valve cold side was stuck open.

An hour drive away and a $37 part later and I got my machine back up and running.

Glory to God for giving me the courage and ability to tackle something I normally would not have.

Hardest part was lining up the cabinet to snap into place.