GE Portable Washer

If I recall correctly member Unimatic1140 even built a secret room in his house just to use and enjoy a GE Harmony set.

Hahaha, I wouldn't quite go that far Chet. In 2003 when I moved into my new house it only had a hookup for a gas dryer and I only had electric dryers in storage. I wanted to have the electrical panel box upgraded to 200amps before I started installing more 220 volt outlets which would take a few months and I needed a dryer in the meantime. So I went and bought the GE Harmony gas dryer, the Harmony design was brand new at that time and I thought it would be interesting to see the washer work so I bought the set. I sold the Harmony washer after three years as I thought it was unnecessarily rough on clothes and I wasn't too impressed with it. I still however have that Harmony dryer although it is showing signs of age now and not operating as well as it once did on auto-dry. If it's cold in the basement (below 60F) the dryer's electronics refuse to start up the dryer. My vintage dryers however are all working just as they did when they were brand new.

Within a few months after moving in I had the basement set up and all the great vintage machines moved in so the Harmony washer was only used for large comforters and rarely anything else.


Forum Topics & Rules Manuals & Literature	New users Click-here to sign-up

Post# 1140492 1/27/2022 at 12:28 (812 days old) by pulltostart (Mobile, AL)
Checkrate/Likes Sanyo? $200 in Erie, PA. lawrence CLICK HERE TO GO TO pulltostart's LINK on Erie Craigslist Photos... < > Photo 1 of 4 View Full Size

Post# 1140516 , Reply# 1 1/27/2022 at 19:51 (812 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)
Checkrate/Likes 3 *GE Portable Washer* An earlier one with a porcelain on steel tub. These were built in Japan by Hitachi, Sanyo had similar washers but looked very different. John L.

Post# 1140518 , Reply# 2 1/27/2022 at 20:02 (812 days old) by mistereric (New Jersey (Taylor Ham))
Checkrate/Likes I have exactly this machine. I wonder if the spin bearing is unbearably loud.

Post# 1140536 , Reply# 3 1/28/2022 at 05:17 (811 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)
Checkrate/Likes 2 Loud Spin Bearings In Hitachi compact washers. I have only seen about three of these washers over the last 40+ years with bad seals and bearings so there is a very good chance they are good. We had one in chelate 70s that did have bad bearings and tried to disassemble and repair it and decided it was not worth it, so at this point I would have to be pretty desperate to try fixing one of these washers with bad bearings. John L.

Post# 1140598 , Reply# 4 1/28/2022 at 20:45 (811 days old) by mistereric (New Jersey (Taylor Ham))
Checkrate/Likes I love the machine but I rarely use it because it's so loud.

Post# 1142276 , Reply# 5 2/15/2022 at 15:52 (793 days old) by chetlaham (United States)
Checkrate/Likes I wash GE made full size versions of these. Anyone know how fast that impellar spun during wash?

Post# 1142291 , Reply# 6 2/15/2022 at 18:11 (793 days old) by imperial70 (MA USA)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *GE Harmony* They did have a full size impeller model. CLICK HERE TO GO TO imperial70's LINK

Post# 1142298 , Reply# 7 2/15/2022 at 19:09 (793 days old) by chetlaham (United States)
Checkrate/Likes I remember those, they are nice! If I recall correctly member Unimatic1140 even built a secret room in his house just to use and enjoy a GE Harmony set. I fully understand him be honest. If Harmony can compel an exclusive supporter of vintage appliances to build a place of reserved serenity, then you know GE has a good concept going! What I don't like about the Harmony set is the electronics and inverter driven motor. Big no-no. The design could have been built as is, but equipped with a timer, clutch, PSC motor, mode shifter, brake band and across the line actuating solenoid which I think would have resulted in many more Harmonys being sold.

Post# 1142346 , Reply# 8 2/16/2022 at 07:35 (792 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)
Checkrate/Likes 5 If I recall correctly member Unimatic1140 even built a secret room in his house just to use and enjoy a GE Harmony set. Hahaha, I wouldn't quite go that far Chet. In 2003 when I moved into my new house it only had a hookup for a gas dryer and I only had electric dryers in storage. I wanted to have the electrical panel box upgraded to 200amps before I started installing more 220 volt outlets which would take a few months and I needed a dryer in the meantime. So I went and bought the GE Harmony gas dryer, the Harmony design was brand new at that time and I thought it would be interesting to see the washer work so I bought the set. I sold the Harmony washer after three years as I thought it was unnecessarily rough on clothes and I wasn't too impressed with it. I still however have that Harmony dryer although it is showing signs of age now and not operating as well as it once did on auto-dry. If it's cold in the basement (below 60F) the dryer's electronics refuse to start up the dryer. My vintage dryers however are all working just as they did when they were brand new. Within a few months after moving in I had the basement set up and all the great vintage machines moved in so the Harmony washer was only used for large comforters and rarely anything else.

Post# 1142485 , Reply# 9 2/18/2022 at 04:11 (790 days old) by chetlaham (United States)
Checkrate/Likes Neat to know the story behind that special room! Guess it was the homes original laundry room before it got a real one. You have good taste though, I personally really like the look of the set, the glass lid and the tub even though I much prefer the look of 70s and 80s appliances. The electrical panel was a wise move. Old panels do fail because of moisture, and some panels like FPE and Zinsco are known hazards. Siemens makes great panels and those 40 spaces make all the difference when adding circuits. In my own home I added several 240 volt circuits for imported appliances- I much prefer 240 volts over 120 for a few reasons. I've always wanted to ask but didn't never knew how to approach it- how many 120 volt circuits (for the washers) and how many 240 volt circuits for the dryers? Does each washer have its own circuit or do two washers share one? What wiring method is leaving the panel (EMT, MC, AC, NM-B, ect)?