Thread Number: 65594  /  Tag: Vintage Automatic Washers
It's new to me AND it's a GE...
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Post# 881910   5/24/2016 at 08:31 (2,865 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture

And I'll apologize in advance for not having more shots of just the machine itself, but I've been having problems with my camera.  Hopefully that will be corrected on or after June 5th and I'll have some more complete photos to share...  

 

So, here's the backstory on this one:  In February of this year, I had Phil create a diversion at Jon (jetcone)'s storage area near where Rosalie's is made and I whisked a nifty GE AW5B6 automatic washer onto his truck.  Then I collapsed with a ruptured gut... LOL  

 

This washer has a lot of history behind it - it once belonged to Robert (Unimatic1140) himself! I may be missing some links in the chain, but the washer found it's way to Beltsville and John (combo52)'s Appliance Museum.  Jon moved the machine to Boston maybe a little over a year ago and had it in storage.  When he had to relocate a number of machines into a new storage unit, he generously offered me "joint custody" of this GE washer!   And as if I was going to say no...  

 

Now, as far as I know, Robert did all the hard work of restoring the machine to operating condition.  When I got it, it was working but the original motor-mounted drain pump had been replaced with a separate electric pump. All I had to do was connect this again and I'd be all set. 

 

Me, being me,  waffled and hesitated for a good while trying to figure out the best way to install the pump and keep it secure.  I didn't want a pump working loose during a spin cycle (nor did Hubby...) 

 

So here's what I had to work with.  The tub drain outlet was nice and solid; Robert had figured out how to power the pump which is ingenious - it could be fed from the leads to the reverse winding of the drive motor so that when it went into counterclockwise rotation the pump would get power.  


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This post was last edited 05/24/2016 at 14:14



Post# 881911 , Reply# 1   5/24/2016 at 08:33 (2,865 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

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Here's the pump.  The first dilemma was that the pump ports and the tub drain weren't quite the same size. 

 

But I had an idea... 


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Post# 881912 , Reply# 2   5/24/2016 at 08:34 (2,865 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

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That reducing coupling came from a more modern washer drain hose - it seems to have been made for this pump!


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Post# 881913 , Reply# 3   5/24/2016 at 08:35 (2,865 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

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Now, the original pump had a boot that flared out to the top of the pump chamber, so the tub drain outlet pointed right down. 

 

Not wanting to pour water on the clutch, belts, and motor, I used this cobbled-together fitting to redirect water flow. 


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Post# 881914 , Reply# 4   5/24/2016 at 08:36 (2,865 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

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And by coincidence, that elbow happened to be the same size as the smaller end of the coupling I had put onto the pump.  

 

But, it's a little saggy... 


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Post# 881915 , Reply# 5   5/24/2016 at 08:38 (2,865 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

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I used a piece of scrap wood (actually some trim from the former Ogden kitchen) to help hold the pump horizontally.  Note the creative use of tie-wraps... LOL

 

I figured this would hold for a test, though. 


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Post# 881917 , Reply# 6   5/24/2016 at 08:41 (2,865 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

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But vould it hold vater?

 

YA!!

 




 

Sorry for the lawnmower racket, but Hubby offered to mow the front lawn so that I could mess with this washer!

I'll be posting a more complete water test soon.  I'll be away for a spell (sister-in-law's wedding in the UK) but when I'm back I'll have more photos AND you'll find out where I wind up installing the washer.  It's probably going to bump out either the '56 Whirlpool OR the '66 Inglis from the Ogden Laundry.  Stay tuned!


Post# 881941 , Reply# 7   5/24/2016 at 13:21 (2,865 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        
As advertised...

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Here's a short video of the water test.  No leaks and the pump did fine!  And I got to see the oddly-named GE 'sudskill' for the first time - woohoo!

 




 

So maybe while I'm away, I should start a poll to help me decide which machine moves out of the Ogden Laundry so this GE can take its place... Choices are the '56 Whirlpool, the '66 Blackstone, and the '66 Inglis.  The '56 Norge is in for the season now that I changed the water valve. 

 


Post# 882022 , Reply# 8   5/24/2016 at 23:05 (2,865 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)        

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Nice! Another solid tub with a spray rinse! 

 

Is that a time-filled machine? I remember there was something on the agitator for the water level adjustment. How does that work?


Post# 882046 , Reply# 9   5/25/2016 at 06:26 (2,865 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)        

toploader55's profile picture
Hi Paul.

The 1955 (I think) you have (The single Center Dial) should have the same Suds Kill in the cycle. My Grandmother had that machine and as I recall it does the same thing.

FUN.


Post# 882053 , Reply# 10   5/25/2016 at 07:05 (2,864 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture

Phil - that spray-rinse is something else!  The '53 should do that too (and I'm hoping that it will be the machine to be tinkered with AFTER the ABC...).  Although a solid-tub machine, GE's of this era have a water level switch.  Water flows into and then out of the tub to a pressure-pad switch at the bottom of the tub.  And there is indeed a flow-control in the activator in this model GE.  There is an adjustable sleeve in the center post - in the HIGH position, water will flow out through a series of holes in the activator shaft directly to the bottom of the tub; in the LOW position, the lower row of holes is blocked off and water will accumulate until it begins to flow out through the holes at the top of the wash tub.   I haven't quite figured out exactly how to use this properly, but in my test, I managed to get the washer to the small load setting.   In the 1953 models and forward, GE no longer used this method - the 'water saver' pushbutton was used to bypass the pressure switch to start the washer motor and timer.   Do I read TOO much GE Doctrine??  LOL 

 

Eddie - I do have a center-dial 'sudskiller' but it's a '53.  Gotta get that one going, too... 

 

 

 


Post# 882084 , Reply# 11   5/25/2016 at 10:08 (2,864 days old) by Northwesty (Renton, WA)        

I had trouble with that 90-degree turn in the elbow when I did a similar repair as the water just didn't like it. I keep a stash of various curved hoses to get a more gradual turn but it would be hit or miss if it was the exact right size. Anyway I thought I would just throw that in there. Hope it works.

Post# 882119 , Reply# 12   5/25/2016 at 14:10 (2,864 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        
90-degree turn

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I must admit, I'm a little worried as to how well this will hold up under normal washing conditions...  I had not been able to find a hose with enough of a curve to clear the clutch assembly, though.   In the meantime, I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!


Post# 882156 , Reply# 13   5/25/2016 at 18:36 (2,864 days old) by Stainfighter (Columbia, SC)        
❣the video ❤️

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My vote is for sidelining the '66 Inlgis. The video- a testament to industrial engineering 👍👍

Post# 882171 , Reply# 14   5/25/2016 at 20:08 (2,864 days old) by lebron (Minnesota)        

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Great machine. Absolutely love these super early GE machines - fascinating!

Post# 883985 , Reply# 15   6/8/2016 at 14:45 (2,850 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)        

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Yesterday I had the chance to see it working!

Here's the spin/suds kill, the wash video is still uploading (I'm wondering why it's so long, I started this hours ago!)






Post# 884006 , Reply# 16   6/8/2016 at 17:47 (2,850 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        
Photos!

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I got into one of my 'presto-chango-rearrango' moods on Monday and part of my plan was to get a GE washer back into the Ogden Laundry Line-Up.  Having a fully functional AW5B6 sitting in the garage had NO bearing on the decision.... And if you believe that... LOL

 

So here's a photo of the whole machine.  And if you might have been wondering, yes that control panel has been expertly repainted (which means 'not me'...LOL).  It's a real beauty!!


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Post# 884007 , Reply# 17   6/8/2016 at 17:49 (2,850 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

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No lid hinges to break on this one... 

 

Bonus - it has a lighted tub and a pilot light.  Soooo cool!


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Post# 884008 , Reply# 18   6/8/2016 at 17:54 (2,850 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

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Here's part of the test load Phil filmed.  But it looked kinda small so I added more clothes.   Yeah, I know ME! Adding clothes to make a full load in a washer...  

 

Well, it works beautifully.  This has to be the quietest and most vibration-free vintage washer I currently own.  Maybe Hubby will notice... *chuckle* 

 

I'm very impressed by the turnover that the aluminum activator generated.  It's one heck of a cleaner! 

 

Dr.Frigidaire is gonna have to drag me to the Supreme Court to get back custody on this one.... LOL

 

 


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Post# 884017 , Reply# 19   6/8/2016 at 18:33 (2,850 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        
A wee video....

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I was also filming during yesterday's maiden wash - here's a quick view of the washer filling and starting up.  

 





Post# 884019 , Reply# 20   6/8/2016 at 18:39 (2,850 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)        

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The video has been uploading for hours... Here's the link but it hasn't finished uploading yet!






Post# 884170 , Reply# 21   6/9/2016 at 11:24 (2,849 days old) by jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)        
Whoa!~

jetcone's profile picture

Our baby has been well taken care of! She's a beaut-  I have never seen that kind of "sudskill" in a GE before! The '56-60 just spin down to a stop and start again.

 

Seems a better system - but as we know Suds are a thing of the past Today !! 

 

One more person of mention you didn't know about Paul is that John E. Gyromatic meticulously restored that front panel- thats all his work. So this is a Club Class Machine .

 

 

 


Post# 884184 , Reply# 22   6/9/2016 at 12:04 (2,849 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

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Jon,  thanks for the info about gyromatic's work on the panel - I know John L told me that he had restored the panel but I could not for the life of me remember his name.  So, John E, if you're out there, thank you!!


Post# 884236 , Reply# 23   6/9/2016 at 15:47 (2,849 days old) by jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)        
John E is

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A HONEY !!


Post# 884302 , Reply# 24   6/9/2016 at 20:43 (2,849 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
First Belt Drive GE Automatic Washer

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Tom And I bought this washer from Weavers Maytag in Rockville Md. around 25 years ago for $40 which seemed like a lot for a broken washer off the scrap pile. the transmission was locked up and we just looked at it for years. I finally sent it to Robert in Minneapolis and he got it running.

 

A few years later I sent Robert the real prized 1948 GE AW that he had always wanted when he found the only Westinghouse Combo know in the world at the time and we traded.

 

After Robert got the older GE AW he gave me the BD GE Washer back, and I sent it to Jon C and Paul after I got a mint 1950 GE DD washer and did not need two  that looked so similar.

 

This GE always looked like crap till John E restored the painted control panel [ Smitty also took a dent out of it before John E repainted it ]

 

Glad the washer has found new life.


Post# 884305 , Reply# 25   6/9/2016 at 20:48 (2,849 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)        

philr's profile picture
The transmission seems to work very nicely now! It's very quiet and quite an impressive machine!

John, did you get the PM I sent you?




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