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Thread Number: 5523
Agitators in classic GEs |
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| Post# 116869 3/22/2006 at 01:22 (6,600 days old) by brettsomers () | ||
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Why has GE used curved-vane or straight-vane agitators in their machines? which worked better? why did they flip-flop between the two? thanks | ||
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Post# 116893 , Reply# 2 3/22/2006 at 07:16 (6,600 days old) by bajaespuma  (Connecticut) |
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Probably more than you ever wanted to know
One of the biggest improvements that GE made in its washer line came in 1961 when it introduced the V-12 models with the larger perforated tub (and the mini-basket a year later). These models were beautiful and effective works of industrial art. This was the introduction of the trefoil-helix (curved) agitator. This design increased "rollover" and made their machines some of the most effective (albeit noisy) at cleaning. The first helix agitators, or "activators", were black, with a black cap. A few years later when the GE color scheme incorporated a light bluish-green, they agitator cap became that green. GE is one of the most profit-driven companies out there. They also seem to knee jerk with whatever prevailing consumer wind is blowing. In response to Consumers Union's carping and probably incessant 'bean counter' pressure, the design of the agitator changed back to straight vane in the late sixties with disastrous results to both clothing and the machines. Initially, these activators on their V-14 line were black with green caps; later they became solid green. Incredibly, the activator design used 4 large vanes towards the top of the unit (probably to support and increase movement in the mini-basket)and 8 slight vanes at the bottom. This design did nothing for the efficiency of the wash; clothing in the washtub simply sloshed, noisily, back and forth with little or no rollover movement. In 1969 GE introduced larger tub 18-lb capacity machines with a straight-vaned blue agitator. This design was modified later in the seventies when some smart engineer figured out you could still support the mini-basket, but increase the size of the lower activator paddles for more water movement. This design still fell far short of the efficiency and grace of the helix activator. The company finally returned to their successful helix design in the eighties with a white activator just as Whirlpool/Sears started to introduce their white racheting corkscrew agitator ( which garnered a Consumer Reports rave) and "rollover" became the hot issue again. Sadly, in the late nineties, the worms at GE killed their washer division off and adopted the Sears/Whirlpool design. 
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| Post# 116904 , Reply# 3 3/22/2006 at 08:20 (6,600 days old) by lesto (Atlanta) | ||
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The old straight vane activators in the solid tub models of the 50's had good rollover as long as you didn't overload. My mom's 59 did a great cleaning job. | ||
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Post# 116917 , Reply# 4 3/22/2006 at 09:22 (6,599 days old) by rinso (Meridian Idaho) |
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I still remember the sound of the curved-vane GE agitators, sort of a "glortchata glortchata glortchata" noise. They seemed much more effective at rollover than the straight vaned ones and also created a nice pulsing action that got clothes really clean without beating the fibers out of them. | ||
| Post# 116920 , Reply# 5 3/22/2006 at 09:45 (6,599 days old) by gregm () | ||
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curved vs straight I prefer the slant (like the "EASY") for turnover, especially with "fuller/heavier" loads. But, if loosely packed, my straight vane does do a good job and does turnover. | ||
| Post# 116930 , Reply# 7 3/22/2006 at 10:49 (6,599 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area) | ||
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GE called their agitator the Super V 14.........ACTIVATOR!! 
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| Post# 116931 , Reply# 8 3/22/2006 at 10:51 (6,599 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area) | ||
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Here is the Aqua Mini Basket that would go with this agitator. They made the Mini Baskets in BOTH Aqua and in White. The earlier ones were in white and I think they went to the Aqua color sometime in 1966. Some people have claimed that the aqua ones were just discolored, but that just aint so! 
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| Post# 116932 , Reply# 9 3/22/2006 at 10:53 (6,599 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area) | ||
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Although I dont have a srt8 vane agitator in black, I do have this dealer poster that shows a picture of one........... 
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| Post# 116934 , Reply# 10 3/22/2006 at 10:54 (6,599 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area) | ||
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Cutaway of how the GE wash system operated!............ 
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| Post# 116935 , Reply# 11 3/22/2006 at 10:54 (6,599 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area) | ||
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GE Washer features..........With Green Dot Dependability 
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Post# 116976 , Reply# 13 3/22/2006 at 14:28 (6,599 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California) |
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I think the way agitators work, that rollover is accomplished with a straight vane model. The way it works, is that the vanes are larger diameter at the bottom of the agitator. This, combined with the radial arrangement of the vanes, forces water from the center of the tub to the outside of the tub. The water has no place to go but up. So the flow is up at the sides of the tub, and down at the center of the tub around the agitator column. The problem with screw type agitators is that they only work in one direction. They may "look" like they provide better turnover, but I really wonder if they do. I also wonder if they result in more tangling than a straight vane agitator. | ||
| Post# 117011 , Reply# 14 3/22/2006 at 17:28 (6,599 days old) by bobbyderegis (Boston) | ||
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Interesting how in many, many years Maytag always used the same, straight vaned agitator. It seemed to work well for them. Incidentally, Gram's GE filter flo became second in line to a rebuilt Maytag A606. Bobby in Boston | ||
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Post# 117022 , Reply# 16 3/22/2006 at 18:22 (6,599 days old) by gyrafoam (Wytheville, VA) |
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Austin---- I should have clarified my experience with those straight-vane activators-------- was only on the standard tub machines. I think maybe GE did sell machines with both types of agitators at the same time. | ||
| Post# 117481 , Reply# 18 3/24/2006 at 15:31 (6,597 days old) by geextrarinse (Hudson Valley, New York ) | ||
My Straight Vaned Activator
I want to say that I agree with the fans of the ramp activator and I like the "schlump schlump" noise it makes but i LOVE my straight 8 vaned Activator in my 70's GE - It does a great job and even on a full if not overloaded machine. It sits next to my moms Maytag with the straight turq. agitator. There is simply no comparrison. She even likes my machine better for exactly that - the ability to move the clothes better than hers. She doesn't know much about the machines other than what i've told her and now I catch her watching the filter flo and doing mini basket washes! The 8 vanes Activator is a great design and I was more than impressed by it. I actually tried to get one for you Austin - but I was almost arrested - we'll leave it at that... I also have the standard capacity activator on the 70's model - it is also straight vaned and works very well. Ultimately -I am a fan. 
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| Post# 117482 , Reply# 19 3/24/2006 at 15:37 (6,597 days old) by knitwits1975 () | ||
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Can anyone tell me what this part does. I've always wondered. 
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Post# 117488 , Reply# 21 3/24/2006 at 15:54 (6,597 days old) by coldspot66 (Plymouth, Mass) |
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It is called a flexible coupling. It connects and drives the pump, which is stationery to the motor/clutch, which is mounted on a cable suspension system. | ||
| Post# 117511 , Reply# 23 3/24/2006 at 17:47 (6,597 days old) by brettsomers () | ||
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Do yall think the Maytag transmission benefitted at all from the low-stress their agitator placed on it? good question about putting a ramp in a maytag. i imagine they would have to beef up the spline. any thoughts? | ||
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Post# 798414 , Reply# 28 12/10/2014 at 12:06 (3,414 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA) |
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Bring these filter-flo washers back! GE should be ashamed of themselves! Shame on you GE! You ruined a great washer! Bring back the classic filter-flo washers or at least revise them! | ||
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