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-   -   Maytag A 612 washing machine (https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=172104)

Joe_Lorenz 15th Oct 2020 10:10 pm

Maytag A 612 washing machine
 
Hello,

I have got an old but still nice Maytag A 612. It was left over (in Germany) from an American soldier returning to the US. It runs on 120 V AC 60 Hz, but our mains here is 230 V AC 50 Hz. Well, I have got a 2 kVA transformer with 120 V output, but it is still 50 Hz, so the Maytag runs and spins at 5/6 of original speed only.

Any practical ideas to solve the problem are appreciated: Yes I could use something like a "Simovert" or "Altivar" frequency converter but I would still need the transformer. It would be smart to have a single unit that could do both jobs: Frequency and Voltage conversion.

Regards, Joe

Brigham 16th Oct 2020 1:16 pm

Re: Maytag A 612 washing machine
 
Is there actually a problem?

Most of my workshop machinery (Drills, compressors &c.) is working fine on 50 cycles, despite being originally supplied for 40c/s.

Hampus 16th Oct 2020 1:42 pm

Re: Maytag A 612 washing machine
 
As far as i know, on most (all?) washing machines with a "mechanical programme" the knob is driven by a synchronous motor so it will take somewhat longer time to finish your laundry.

Not a problem in reality I guess.

Tractorfan 16th Oct 2020 1:54 pm

Re: Maytag A 612 washing machine
 
Hi,
If the main motor is belt driven, maybe the pulley ratios could be altered to bring the machine back up to its correct speed? Perhaps a small frequency converter to run the mechanical timer, if it has one.
Just a thought.
Cheers, Pete.

Joe_Lorenz 16th Oct 2020 8:10 pm

Re: Maytag A 612 washing machine
 
Hello,
no it is no severe problem though the spinning speed is not what it should be.

Changing the pulley ratio is a good idea. I will do some research if Maytag did supply a set of "50 Hz" pulleys. There is some chance they did as these machines were sold to several countries.

Regards, Joe

Ed_Dinning 16th Oct 2020 9:19 pm

Re: Maytag A 612 washing machine
 
Hi Brigham, that dates the equipment a bit: 40Hz was the old NESCo frequency and was upped to 50Hz in the 30's when a grid system (proposed originally by NESCo) was introduced nationally

Ed

Tractorfan 16th Oct 2020 10:46 pm

Re: Maytag A 612 washing machine
 
Hi,
I'd be very surprised if these machines weren't sold in Europe, although I never saw one in the UK.
Cheers, Pete.

broadgage 16th Oct 2020 11:14 pm

Re: Maytag A 612 washing machine
 
I suspect that 50 cycles will be fine. An induction motor will run slower perhaps giving a slightly less effective wash and spin action.
The motor in the program controller will also run slower thereby extending the cycle time and perhaps making up for the slower agitation and spinning.

The main wash motor may be a commutator type and not be affected by frequency.
Where was it used previously ? Private housing would be 50 cycles, but an American base might well have had its own 60 cycle generating plant.

McMurdo 16th Oct 2020 11:51 pm

Re: Maytag A 612 washing machine
 
the mechanical timer in our first microwave oven (an american Litton) had a resistor in series with the 120V, 60hz synchronous motor. The rest was dual voltage 50/60hz stuff like the fan and transformer.

Brigham 17th Oct 2020 10:04 am

Re: Maytag A 612 washing machine
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed_Dinning (Post 1300322)
Hi Brigham, that dates the equipment a bit: 40Hz was the old NESCo frequency and was upped to 50Hz in the 30's when a grid system (proposed originally by NESCo) was introduced nationally

Ed

It's mainly 1960s gear. Although NESCo went to 50 cycles pre-war, ICI Billingham remained on 40 c/s until the mid-sixties at least.
There were more homes on the ICI power station than on NESCo until the end of the '50s!


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