Thread Number: 71990  /  Tag: Vintage Automatic Washers
Big Boy washer by Ametek/Troy - This sounds MEAN!!! 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 952217   8/8/2017 at 17:52 (2,445 days old) by superocd (PNW)        

Was following another thread in the "Deluxe" forum about the decline of laundromats and was thinking about a video of an old commercial washer that I've run into on YouTube a while ago. It's a Troy Laundrite "Big Boy" front loader. Its operation is kind of peculiar, at least by the noise it makes.

When it reverse tumbles, the motor makes an ominous sound for a split second when it goes under load, almost like a shrill buzz. It's like it's audible enough to let you know it's reversing. When it spins, you'll hear a loud BANG!, too loud to be a relay. It almost sounds as if a clutch of some sort has engaged, I'm not sure. When it has fully spooled up, it sounds like a jet engine.

Pretty interesting washer that sounds ominous, more so than a larger Milnor or UniMac, those machines are quiet until spin. Never have encountered an Ametek/Troy machine, which is why I'm wondering about the way it works and why it makes the noise.

Here's the video:



CLICK HERE TO GO TO superocd's LINK



Post# 952219 , Reply# 1   8/8/2017 at 17:58 (2,445 days old) by speedqueen (Metro-Detroit)        

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The sound: likely a solenoid engaging for the transmission to shift into spin/

Post# 952220 , Reply# 2   8/8/2017 at 18:17 (2,445 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)        

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Or the Drain Solenoid. As I recall these machines just dumped water. No Drain pump. And the way the water cascades over the window port seems like it doesn't drain first.

Thanks for the vid. Brings back memories of the Buzzard"s Bay Speed Wash in the 1960s.

They had 4 of these. That Laundromat also had 20 Philco Bendix Doubles Loaders, 20 Top Load Speed Queen Solid Tubs (SS) 20 Huebch "LoadTrol Dryers, and 15 Hoyt Dryers with adjustable heat.

Post# 952227 , Reply# 3   8/8/2017 at 18:48 (2,445 days old) by superocd (PNW)        

Ah, good point. I never guessed the clank was the drain solenoid. I just thought it had something to do with a clutch mechanism, if it even had one.

During the wash cycle, why does the motor buzz/grind/groan every time it reverses, and then suddenly runs quiet? It's particularly pronounced when it begins to rotate clockwise. I've never heard a machine do that before. Usually the motor is pretty silent until it is time to spin/extract.

Post# 952242 , Reply# 4   8/8/2017 at 20:48 (2,445 days old) by appnut (TX)        

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the Norge Village we would go to had one of these.  It started spinning when still mostly full of water.  I don't ever remember a drain solenoid.  I just remember all the water falling all over the window. 
Post# 952245 , Reply# 5   8/8/2017 at 20:58 (2,445 days old) by pumper (SE Wisconsin)        

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I remember that very machine at the laundromat by my house when I was a kid. Spent many hours in there watching that machine and can still hear the noise!

Post# 952249 , Reply# 6   8/8/2017 at 21:26 (2,445 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)        

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Industrial machine!


-- Dave

Post# 952362 , Reply# 7   8/9/2017 at 17:07 (2,444 days old) by whirlykenmore78 (Prior Lake MN (GMT-0500 CDT.))        
Cool Video:

 whirlykenmore78's profile picture
It's been years since I heard that unique motor sound of a 40# Troy machine. I remember one at the laundromat here in PL and then it was taken out and replaced with a 50# Wascomat. The Wasco proved to be a much more refined and better cleaning and spinning machine. Of course it lacked the sounds and spin drama of the Troy but water did still cascade down the door and it spun up like a jet engine.
Here is a video link for reference.
Wk78

CLICK HERE TO GO TO whirlykenmore78's LINK
Post# 952369 , Reply# 8   8/9/2017 at 17:36 (2,444 days old) by realvanman (Southern California)        
Motor starting

 Is what that sounds like to me. Induction motors started "across the line" typically do make loud magnetic sounds.

If the motor is started without load, it comes up to speed quickly enough that it isn't really noticeable.

But this one is starting against the load of the washer, with the weight of the wet clothes in it, each time.

Post# 952379 , Reply# 9   8/9/2017 at 18:38 (2,444 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

These machines use a separate motor for spin and they start the spin while the drum is full of water to help distribute the tumbling load.
Post# 952405 , Reply# 10   8/9/2017 at 21:47 (2,444 days old) by pumper (SE Wisconsin)        

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I also remember people putting too much detergent in and the suds would come pouring out of the dispenser above the door and flowing down to the floor.

Post# 1020995 , Reply# 11   1/12/2019 at 23:25 (1,923 days old) by laundroguy77 (california)        

Hey guys. Juat getting back to the forum. The video your guys linked was mine from 2011. Pretty neat. I'll go down there and make a new video of it running soon. It's still alive. Have a great one!

-Tim

Post# 1021016 , Reply# 12   1/13/2019 at 11:23 (1,923 days old) by vintagekenmore (Spokane, Washington)        

The first hotel I worked at had one of those in the laundry. Ours wasn't coin operated. We just set the dial for the cycle, hit the start button, and off she went. It made those banging sounds when it went into spin and that buzz whenever it switched directions during the wash. It could clean those bed linens and towels like no ones business


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