CHEEP. I have always wondered how they could legally show drawings of the free flow draining and not show the suds and stuff that comes to rest on top of the load. I'm sure that some poor soul who got this machine after washing by hand in a tub, using a wringer or a coin-op laundry would find it wonderful, 500 RPM spin and all; almost any washer being better than no washer.

Tom, i take it you are not crazy about WP washers now are ya? :-)

Actually, the dirty water is drawn THROUGH the clothes...I get that "sudsy mess" on the top of the load in both DD and BD!

If only BD Whirlpools and Kenmores spin-drained instead. At least they shift directly into neutral drain (and then spin) from agitation instead of pausing to reverse the motor...now THAT is more annoying!

Where's the water level and temperature selectors?

If I am not mistaken (and please, everyone, correct me if I am wrong) the water level was manually set by watching the machine and advancing the dial, and the water temp was set by manually adjusting the water inlet valves.

Fred

You are correct Fred, the water temperature is set by adjusting the hot and cold faucets and if you turn the control dial to anywhere less than 6 minutes of wash time, agitation will begin no matter what the water level is.

To say that this brochure for this BOL late 50's Whirlpool stretches the truth is an understatement.

This was a "manual-automatic"
a fancy wringer without the wringer?

I think I understand it.

BD Whirlpools did not reverse the motors. The shifting of cycles was done by solenoids. Their neutral drain was more foolproof than on the direct drives, which do reverse the motor. But yes, their spin was a bit lethargic. PS I like the picture of the day.

Water level for the wash is selected in the area of the timer above FILL. For full loads, you just start it there and let it fill, after you have selected the water temperature at the tap. I don't know if this was a one fill hose machine or if it had separate hoses for hot and cold. For less than full fill, you start the timer in the area marked FILL, then when you have the desired amount of water in the tub, you pull out the dial.pointer to stop the fill and advance it to any of the time periods below FILL. Once the wash portion of the cycle started, you would have to adjust the temperature for the rinse unless you were using the same temp for both. Many brands offered the lowest of the low model with no water temperature switch, GE, Frigidaire, WP, Kenmore, Norge, Bendix & Philco. I saw a really basic GE washer in a store that had a speed selector switch and one cycle but no water level or temperature control. It only had one water valve and fill hose.

I like the DD WP machines because I can get them to do the spin drain and yes, John has told me numerous time about straining the stuff back through the load, but it does not make a problem for me in the KA, either of the Maytags, the V-12 GE, nor in the 1-18 or solid tub Frigidaires .

The worst offenders are oils and grease-----re-deposited on top of the clothes as the machine drains---------yeeech! The spray rinses may rinse off some of the other lighter than water soils, but I don't see how grease and oils are eliminated.

I have always thought the spin and drain method was the best.

Yep Steve you are right!

At least they shift directly into neutral drain (and then spin) from agitation instead of pausing to reverse the motor.

See... and as annoying as it is, in theory the dirt was bound to the water by a detergent (or soap) moleucle, which holds it in suspension. Being much heavier this "dirt-loaded" molecule would precipitate to the bottom. IMHO the pause allows this crud to flow and settle down, then get drained off first and not have a chance to re-deposit on clothing.

Most people on this website seem to prefer washers that spin-drain, but ever since I was a baby, I've always been more excited by a belt-driven Whirlpool-Kenmore washing machine's neutral drain.

"The worst offenders are oils and grease-----re-deposited on top of the clothes as the machine drains---------yeeech! The spray rinses may rinse off some of the other lighter than water soils, but I don't see how grease and oils are eliminated.

I have always thought the spin and drain method was the best."

Think about it, even in machines that do a spin drain, water is still drained through the clothes as it climbs to the top of the tub to get to the drain holes to be spun out. The only machines that get around this are the ones that do overflow washes and rinses before spinning. (and, of course, FL machines)