Belt Drive Kenmore in northern Twin Cities Suburbs

Guys -

I may be sorry I mentioned this, but believe it or not WP has made 220 volt belt-drive washers, at least for export.

About 8 years ago I had to go to the Salvation Army headquarters to pick up a mis-directed washer. While there I spied a long line of 10 identical early 80s Whirlpools. They were in nice shape, MOL standard capacity models, and seemed lightly or very respectfully used. I was surprised as to how there could have been so many of the same model there at one time when the rest was the typical one of this, one of that.

When I got home I was sorry I hadn't taken a 1964 Coppertone Kenmore with me so I called back and secured it for the next day. The room all these machines were in was otherwise full of older direct drives, GEs, some gnarly Kenmores, and the usual misc. stuff. When I returned, I noticed that literally everything else that was in the appliance sale room was gone EXCEPT the row of 10 WPs. Used appliance dealers snatched up most everything there once or twice per week and the day I happened to go was sale day.

I inquired in detail about the Whirlpools - I was told that they were 220V export models, and they had been used overseas at an army base (I think in Germany) and were brought back by the service and donated. Apparently someone didn't know they couldn't be used here, OR the other country didn't want them disposed of on home soil.

None of the appliance folks wanted to mess with the machines, otherwise they'd have been long gone and had been there a few weeks already. My washer buddy and I looked into what it would take to make them useable here - if I remember correctly, they would need a new motor, a new power cord (these had thicker gauge cords that had at least one horizontal prong) and an entirely new wiring harness. I think the timer and console controls ran on 120V.

I later heard something about the machines being bought for parts (the Salvation Army wanted $60 each, firm and as-is). I believe that at least one was spared by a store I used to visit as they had all the used parts that were needed. They may have spared more than one actually, but the wiring harness was the hard to find, expensive part.

The WP model number (not like LHA5700 or LA5580, etc.) was really odd; in fact I am not sure but I don't even think it began with L (maybe S ?).

I'm not saying this machine in the ad is also 220V, but there were such beasts, at least for a while. My 1992 Whirlpool parts catalog lists the different power cord and the 220V motor.

Gordon


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Post# 306672 9/30/2008 at 14:16 (5,679 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)
Checkrate/Likes in White Bear Lake "older washer but works fine has plug on it 220 volt I believe" Uh huh, whatever... CLICK HERE TO GO TO unimatic1140's LINK on Minneapolis Craigslist

Post# 306681 , Reply# 1 9/30/2008 at 15:19 (5,679 days old) by seeitrun2006 (Commerce, GA)
Checkrate/Likes *WOW!* That must be one powerful washing machine to be 220 volts! GEEZ! Where do these people who lack simple common sense come from?

Post# 306683 , Reply# 2 9/30/2008 at 16:00 (5,679 days old) by wigwag (San Diego)
Checkrate/Likes *take a closer look at that plug* Its actually got a 220 plug on it! Maybe at the lake thats all they have so they used that cord and capped one of the lines inside the machine?

Post# 306684 , Reply# 3 9/30/2008 at 16:04 (5,679 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)
Checkrate/Likes Perhaps it has a heater...and the optional window-lid! That would be cool, we haven't seen one of those for a long, long time!

Post# 306687 , Reply# 4 9/30/2008 at 16:12 (5,679 days old) by jeffg ()
Checkrate/Likes One of the best agitators ever. Wish I was closer to MN!

Post# 306693 , Reply# 5 9/30/2008 at 16:49 (5,679 days old) by kenmoreguy64 (Charlotte, NC)
Checkrate/Likes Guys - I may be sorry I mentioned this, but believe it or not WP has made 220 volt belt-drive washers, at least for export. About 8 years ago I had to go to the Salvation Army headquarters to pick up a mis-directed washer. While there I spied a long line of 10 identical early 80s Whirlpools. They were in nice shape, MOL standard capacity models, and seemed lightly or very respectfully used. I was surprised as to how there could have been so many of the same model there at one time when the rest was the typical one of this, one of that. When I got home I was sorry I hadn't taken a 1964 Coppertone Kenmore with me so I called back and secured it for the next day. The room all these machines were in was otherwise full of older direct drives, GEs, some gnarly Kenmores, and the usual misc. stuff. When I returned, I noticed that literally everything else that was in the appliance sale room was gone EXCEPT the row of 10 WPs. Used appliance dealers snatched up most everything there once or twice per week and the day I happened to go was sale day. I inquired in detail about the Whirlpools - I was told that they were 220V export models, and they had been used overseas at an army base (I think in Germany) and were brought back by the service and donated. Apparently someone didn't know they couldn't be used here, OR the other country didn't want them disposed of on home soil. None of the appliance folks wanted to mess with the machines, otherwise they'd have been long gone and had been there a few weeks already. My washer buddy and I looked into what it would take to make them useable here - if I remember correctly, they would need a new motor, a new power cord (these had thicker gauge cords that had at least one horizontal prong) and an entirely new wiring harness. I think the timer and console controls ran on 120V. I later heard something about the machines being bought for parts (the Salvation Army wanted $60 each, firm and as-is). I believe that at least one was spared by a store I used to visit as they had all the used parts that were needed. They may have spared more than one actually, but the wiring harness was the hard to find, expensive part. The WP model number (not like LHA5700 or LA5580, etc.) was really odd; in fact I am not sure but I don't even think it began with L (maybe S ?). I'm not saying this machine in the ad is also 220V, but there were such beasts, at least for a while. My 1992 Whirlpool parts catalog lists the different power cord and the 220V motor. Gordon

Post# 306699 , Reply# 6 9/30/2008 at 17:23 (5,679 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)
Checkrate/Likes Years ago, we would aquire some newer appliances that were returned to a local distributor, for whatever reason. One of the pieces we picked up was an almost new Gibson refrigerator. Don't know how it got to Indiana, but it was supposed to be sold in South America, and was wired for 220V. My dad gave it to his service technician, who changed the plug to one used on an air conditioner, and took it home for his patio. As far as I know, it's still going.....

Post# 306749 , Reply# 7 9/30/2008 at 21:24 (5,679 days old) by gyrafoam (Wytheville, VA)
Checkrate/Likes I've seen stranger things. Years ago in the early 70's I was killing some time at Captial Cadillac when it was still in downtown Atlanta. They had a half-dozen special order brand new Fleetwood Broughams headed to South America----equipped with "three on the tree" instead of the usual Turbo-Hydramatic tranny! I was told it was easier for the mechanics to work on a standard shift in the country they were headed to. That clutch pedal sure looked strange!

Post# 306774 , Reply# 8 9/30/2008 at 22:13 (5,679 days old) by jons1077 (Vancouver, Washington, USA)
Checkrate/Likes *Looks like a 220!* That's definitely a 220V plug dangling right there in the tub! Dang! Jon

Post# 306801 , Reply# 10 9/30/2008 at 23:25 (5,679 days old) by appnut (TX)
Checkrate/Likes Looks like 3 temp, 1 water level, 1-speed regular & PP cycle machine.

Post# 306842 , Reply# 11 10/1/2008 at 02:35 (5,679 days old) by kenmoreguy64 (Charlotte, NC)
Checkrate/Likes appnut - That model actually has 3 water levels and the temps are determined by the wash time selected on the timer. 14 minutes got hot wash, 10 minutes got warm, and 6 got cold. In the early 80s that timer was revised to offer a cold wash that it previously did not. Its funny that the time-matched temps are 'alphabet washer-esque' as the TOL models from the later 60s had the same sort of arrangement. In the 60s that was considered a bonus-feature, by the late 70s it was a BOL concession one had to make. This machine is one of the last belt drive 24-inch models, probably originally offered in 1981 or 1982. There was a DD version immediately after which used the identical console. Gordon

Post# 306844 , Reply# 12 10/1/2008 at 02:49 (5,679 days old) by kenmoreguy64 (Charlotte, NC)
Checkrate/Likes *HARSH straight vane* Peter - If not harsh, they sure are abrupt! I have used a similar model quite a lot this year, after having only seen them in limited use after I would repair a machine to sell. The agitator does a respectable job with a full load, and since those 24-inch tubs are a bit narrower than a standard 29-inch machine, they were more than adequate. However, if on anything other than a high water level, they are splash monsters. Earlier this summer I opened the lid of my machine which was rinsing a medium load. With the lid open about 30 seconds, not only was the wall behind the washer wet in numerous spots, I was half soaked myself. In my experience, straight-vane equipped machines more commonly have rusty cabinet inards than their roto-swirl and surgilator equipped mates. The machine in this ad must have been lightly used as the lid well looks free of rust, at least from the top (underneath could be a different story) as this model did not come with a porcelain top.

Post# 307346 , Reply# 13 10/3/2008 at 00:03 (5,677 days old) by 70series ( Connecticut.)
Checkrate/Likes I wonder what series this washer is. That gold str8 vane looks awesome. Have a good one, James

Post# 306782 , Reply# 9 9/30/2008 at 22:19 (5,679 days old) by peterh770 (Marietta, GA)
Checkrate/Likes Man, those KM straight vanes were HARSH!

Post# 307400 , Reply# 14 10/3/2008 at 08:03 (5,677 days old) by kenmoreguy64 (Charlotte, NC)
Checkrate/Likes James - First, thanks for the undeservedly kind comments in another post, they are MUCH appreciated. The series on this machine is probably a 200, maybe 300. Most of the machines Kenmore offered in the later 70s and 80s that had only 2 cycles were 200s. My guess of the model # is 110.81120100 or 81220100. I don't have my catalog with me that has all Kenmore belt drive models since 1975 listed, but I'm pretty sure that's an '81 model. I'm with you - those straight vanes are fun. With the narrower tub of a 24-inch machine, it must have packed quite a lot of power. G