1953 whirlpool, today’s picture of the day, energy star


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

Thread Number: 95148 / Tag: Vintage Automatic Washers
1953 whirlpool, today’s picture of the day, energy star

[Down to Last]

Post# 1197977 1/26/2024 at 13:18 by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)
Checkrate/Likes 1 Interesting how even back in the 50s people were very concerned about saving energy just as they are today. I suppose we could put an energy star sticker on this machine. Just as then energy efficiency sells new appliances, the great majority of US consumers want energy star appliances as the climate gets worse and worse in every single state The numbers have gone way up of people wanting energy saving machines. It’s interesting how things all come back around. John

Post# 1197985 , Reply# 1 1/26/2024 at 15:00 by Maytag85 (Sean A806)
Checkrate/Likes 1 Looked at the POD, isn’t that a ‘55 model? The ‘55s are similar to the ‘54s, but were tweaked slightly so they looked a little newer for the ‘55 model year.

Post# 1197987 , Reply# 2 1/26/2024 at 15:27 by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)
Checkrate/Likes *53/54/or 55 whirlpool imperial washer* Hi Sean, you could be right I know the year before they had a dark almost black glass control panel. I thought those were 53s and this was 54 but it also could be a 54 and this is a 55 model. There was very little difference between the white and the black control panels just a styling change I believe probably a few mechanical improvements John

Post# 1197988 , Reply# 3 1/26/2024 at 15:43 by Maytag85 (Sean A806)
Checkrate/Likes I believe there may have been a few mechanical improvements as well. I believe these earlier Whirlpool machines had some sort of way of lubricating the main center post bearings but am not certain if that’s correct since I’ve only dealt with my ‘63 Whirlpool which used a later design. Speaking of that machine, still trying to sort out the timer and hopefully (hopefully) the repair attempt I am going to make soon works. Would like to try to find a timer for it and I believe you mentioned you may have one, but just don’t want to pester you about it since you are quite busy with work and life.

Post# 1197991 , Reply# 4 1/26/2024 at 15:57 by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)
Checkrate/Likes Hi Sean, Post the part number again, I had though I had saved it but could not find it the other week when you mentioned it before. John

Post# 1197995 , Reply# 5 1/26/2024 at 16:26 by Maytag85 (Sean A806)
Checkrate/Likes Hi John, looked at the thread I created last summer. You mentioned it was 84243 in reply #19. Screenshot I took to double check. View Full Size

Post# 1198074 , Reply# 6 1/27/2024 at 14:28 by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)
Checkrate/Likes 1 We have discussed before how attractive suds saving systems were in the early years of automatic washers. For one thing, many old homes had set tubs in the basement or other designated laundry area because laundry areas were set up for wringer washer operation. Also because of wringer washers, the person doing the laundry was accustomed to reusing the water for multiple loads. Also many prospective purchasers of automatic washers were worried about the ability of their domestic hot water supply to keep up with the requirements of an automatic, especially when the cold water supply was frigid. Another factor was the fuel supply in the post WWII years. I was surprised to read about this in the late 1970s/early 1980s when we were dealing with our own energy crisis. Shelter magazines from the late 1940s and early 1950s were giving hints about how to save energy at the time that the Korean "police action" was making huge demands on our energy supply, not only to power munitions factories, but also to supply fuel for the armed forces engaged in combat. Many areas of the country, notably the northeast and parts of the south did not have natural gas service then and even here in the mid-Atlantic in the 1970s, there were moratoriums on adding gas service for new construction because the pipelines coming into Virginia were at full capacity. People were desperate for alternatives to fuel oil for heating their homes and hot water and electricity was an expensive alternative. The owners of heat pumps were rudely shocked in January of 1977 when the temperature did not rise high enough for their systems to come out of resistance back up heat for the whole month. I remember the Sears catalogs showing those Mustee-made utility sinks that could enable the use of a suds-saver washer in homes without previously installed laundry tubs. When we moved to Georgia with our suds-saver Kenmore, Daddy bought a portable laundry tub from Sears because the sewer line went out too high in our basement to allow for a plumbed in tub. We were the only family I knew of with a suds saver washer and that was gone soon after because the suds valve went bad and with a gas water heater, the feature was not important anymore. I do remember when we lived in Illinois that our house had oil heat and the water heater was electric. I used to stand on a little stool in front of the washer and hold the cold water hose to add cold water to the washer as it filled for the rinse.

Post# 1198119 , Reply# 7 1/28/2024 at 07:37 by lovestowash (St. Petersburg, FL)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *You're right Tom...* Growing up in Atlanta, I don't recall ever seeing a suds-saver washer, family or friends. Had no idea they existed.

Post# 1198175 , Reply# 8 1/28/2024 at 18:31 by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)
Checkrate/Likes 2 When we moved to our home on the Northern Sonoma coast in ‘63 it had the washer in the kitchen and right next to it an insulated laundry tub with a cabinet built around it. The home was built in ‘61 and the washer was a TOL Kenmore with a suds saver. The reason for the suds saver is because we had a well and water was scarce. In ‘69 we got a new Maytag EL wringer washer and the laundry tub in the kitchen made doing the laundry very convenient. I know a lot of folks are very put off about reusing wash water for more than one load of laundry, but we never had clothes that weren’t nice and clean reusing the wash water. The heavy soils settle to the bottom of the tub and you do your laundry by washing the whites first, light colors next and darks or dirtier loads last, adding additional detergent as needed with each successive load. I think that it was an excellent way to save energy, conserve water and save on detergent and bleach. Eddie

Post# 1198336 , Reply# 9 1/31/2024 at 09:23 by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)
Checkrate/Likes Today's pic of the day, a 1950's Frigidaire also boasts its water savings feature (uses less hot water) or that it has less water usage as in hot so the energy needed to heat it also gets a nod... People had paid energy bills for years, operating costs for things as well... -- Dave

Post# 1198377 , Reply# 10 2/1/2024 at 11:50 by rinso (Meridian Idaho)
Checkrate/Likes 2 My mom said the best suds saver washers were wringer washers. She would start with hot water with bleach for all of the cotton whites, which included white towels. As the water cooled and the bleaching action was gone, subsequent loads of clothes in the same suds would be washed. When dad bought her a Maytag AMP, she was shocked at the amount of water it used and wasted. A suds-saver was purchased when dad could afford it.

Post# 1198378 , Reply# 11 2/1/2024 at 12:07 by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)
Checkrate/Likes *My mom said the best suds saver washers were wringer washers* Eugene, My mom always said this too. And I agree with her and your mom. Using a wringer washer correctly as you explained in your post achieves beautifully washed and rinsed laundry, and in record time too. If I had the proper setup for a laundry tub I’d have another Maytag wringer as my daily driver. But alas, the closet dedicated for the laundry equipment in our town home has no room for a laundry tub and the area in our bathroom doesn’t have enough room to use a wringer washer at the bathtub either. Eddie This post was last edited 02/01/2024 at 12:42

Forum Index:

Other Forums:

Comes to the Rescue!

The Discuss-o-Mat has stopped, buzzer is sounding!!!
If you would like to reply to this thread please log-in...
Discuss-O-MAT Log-In

New Members Click Here To Sign Up.

automaticwasher.org home
Discuss-o-Mat Forums
Vintage Brochures, Service and Owners Manuals
Fun Vintage Washer Ephemera
See It Wash!
Video Downloads
Audio Downloads
Picture of the Day
Patent of the Day
Photos of our Collections
The Old Aberdeen Farm
Vintage Service Manuals Vintage washer/dryer/dishwasher to sell?
Technical/service questions?
Looking for Parts?
Website related questions?
Digital Millennium Copyright Act Policy
Our Privacy Policy