- Thread starter Ratty
- Start date
Ratty
Putting the She in Sheds
- Messages
- 1,775
Cheers again guys, spent a little more time scratting at an old spade connector and finally got it opened enough to attach the wires properly, machine now back in place, hall cleared of tools and tears just waiting for the day I have too much wet washing to sensibly hang on racks by the radiator (having lived all my life without a dryer it will take a little encouragement to get me to run up my leccy bill!).
New tenant just been round to say the washing machine I said they could keep (also left by last tenant) was broken and could I dispose of it for them. As he reckons it's only the belt I feel inspired to fix it (now being an expert in such matters
) then I can flog it instead of skipping it.
Every cloud as they say
Heaven knows what the last tenants did with their machines, broken washer AND dryer and the fridge freezer which was working when they left (and still full of food
) also failed to work once emptied and cleaned 
That was also returned to me and with that and the washing machine, a huge American dryer (unusable as it needs a huge expensive transformer to make it work) another fridge freezer I cleared from my mother's lodgers room and 3 redundant televisions all cluttering up my hoist room, I'm beginning to feel like a s/h appliances shop
New tenant just been round to say the washing machine I said they could keep (also left by last tenant) was broken and could I dispose of it for them. As he reckons it's only the belt I feel inspired to fix it (now being an expert in such matters
) then I can flog it instead of skipping it.Every cloud as they say
Heaven knows what the last tenants did with their machines, broken washer AND dryer and the fridge freezer which was working when they left (and still full of food
) also failed to work once emptied and cleaned That was also returned to me and with that and the washing machine, a huge American dryer (unusable as it needs a huge expensive transformer to make it work) another fridge freezer I cleared from my mother's lodgers room and 3 redundant televisions all cluttering up my hoist room, I'm beginning to feel like a s/h appliances shop
I should take a photo of our washing machine ratty so you can identify when its *really* time to let stuff go rest.
The door is held onto the hinge with a bracket milled out on the milling machine after it sheered off one year (and a replacement bracket was £150 quid!) , the door halves themselves are joined by self tappers, the soap drawer is helped along with a outer skin of glassfibre and last year I replaced both the solenoids in it as they split although I did have to cut a extra hole in it for the second one as the original was a 1 into 2. One of the interlock sensors is playing up, but it can be persuaded to cycle by kicking a certain spot on the front, and occasionally it goes mad and "crashes" and needs to be put on a specific empty position on the dial before it'll start washing again.
It was -12 here last night, and its been frozen solid for a week now (did the same last year, hence the grp and new bits), so I guess this may be the final end for our faithful old washer.
Got a brand new shiney one in the house, but havent done the waste pipework to bring it online yet, so we agreed we'd keep using the old one strapped to a pallet with a ratchet strap in the barn until the downstairs of our barn conversion was heated and ready (so frost didnt freeze it up and fubar the new one). Which will be in about a fortnights time hopefully
Might turn it into a blasting cabinet extension then, double the capacity of my current dishwasher one
The door is held onto the hinge with a bracket milled out on the milling machine after it sheered off one year (and a replacement bracket was £150 quid!) , the door halves themselves are joined by self tappers, the soap drawer is helped along with a outer skin of glassfibre and last year I replaced both the solenoids in it as they split although I did have to cut a extra hole in it for the second one as the original was a 1 into 2. One of the interlock sensors is playing up, but it can be persuaded to cycle by kicking a certain spot on the front, and occasionally it goes mad and "crashes" and needs to be put on a specific empty position on the dial before it'll start washing again.
It was -12 here last night, and its been frozen solid for a week now (did the same last year, hence the grp and new bits), so I guess this may be the final end for our faithful old washer.
Got a brand new shiney one in the house, but havent done the waste pipework to bring it online yet, so we agreed we'd keep using the old one strapped to a pallet with a ratchet strap in the barn until the downstairs of our barn conversion was heated and ready (so frost didnt freeze it up and fubar the new one). Which will be in about a fortnights time hopefully
Might turn it into a blasting cabinet extension then, double the capacity of my current dishwasher one
Actually depending on the rating of it, a normal hand portable 110v site converter brick would probably run that. You can find them secondhand fairly cheaply usually if you keep a eye out for one.
Par example..
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/110v-Site-Transformer_W0QQitemZ290380722381QQcmdZ
Ratty
Putting the She in Sheds
- Messages
- 1,775
Nice work Fluffy! 
I'm all for mending and making do.
Re; the american dryer, I did sort of look into it when I first lumbered myself with it and seem to remember it required stupid money. It's rated 220w (has a huge american 3 'pin' plug welded on) but the cycles are different to ours.
Think it requires something hefty because of the heating element, a washer would need much less.
However I'd be happy to be proved wrong, I'll have a look at the plate tmw and post up the details, maybe someone on here can advise...or maybe there's a member on a US base over here who can get a cheap transformer??
Om - TV's are pwo but have been superceded by digi ones - why you wanna drive a few hundred miles and collect one? You'd be most welcome, choice of 2 Panasonics with stands and a Grundig.
Might get a few quid on fleabay if I can ever get myself together enough to sell instead of just BUY.
I'm all for mending and making do.Re; the american dryer, I did sort of look into it when I first lumbered myself with it and seem to remember it required stupid money. It's rated 220w (has a huge american 3 'pin' plug welded on) but the cycles are different to ours.
Think it requires something hefty because of the heating element, a washer would need much less.
However I'd be happy to be proved wrong, I'll have a look at the plate tmw and post up the details, maybe someone on here can advise...or maybe there's a member on a US base over here who can get a cheap transformer??
Om - TV's are pwo but have been superceded by digi ones - why you wanna drive a few hundred miles and collect one?
You'd be most welcome, choice of 2 Panasonics with stands and a Grundig.Might get a few quid on fleabay if I can ever get myself together enough to sell instead of just BUY.
brightspark
Member
- Messages
- 41,262
- Location
- yarm stockton on tees
220wNice work Fluffy!
Re; the american dryer, I did sort of look into it when I first lumbered myself with it and seem to remember it required stupid money. It's rated 220w (has a huge american 3 'pin' plug welded on) but the cycles are different to ours.
Think it requires something hefty because of the heating element, a washer would need much less.
However I'd be happy to be proved wrong, I'll have a look at the plate tmw and post up the details, maybe someone on here can advise...or maybe there's a member on a US base over here who can get a cheap transformer??
Om - TV's are pwo but have been superceded by digi ones - why you wanna drive a few hundred miles and collect one?
Might get a few quid on fleabay if I can ever get myself together enough to sell instead of just BUY.
more like 2.2kw even thats small for a drier
ps america is 60 herts english 50 herts will still run though
Last edited:
Ratty
Putting the She in Sheds
- Messages
- 1,775
220w
I meant VOLTS of course 
Most electric dryers in the states are 220/240v, and are plugged into a 30a socket.
The motor that tumbles the clothes is ran from the 120, but it it is about 1/4hp. so you would just need a small transformer.
http://fixitnow.com/images/wiringdiagrams/speedqueendryschematic.html
Robert
pidgeon chit welder
sticking metal since 1962
- Messages
- 961
Cheers again guys, spent a little more time scratting at an old spade connector and finally got it opened enough to attach the wires properly, machine now back in place, hall cleared of tools and tears just waiting for the day I have too much wet washing to sensibly hang on racks by the radiator (having lived all my life without a dryer it will take a little encouragement to get me to run up my leccy bill!).
New tenant just been round to say the washing machine I said they could keep (also left by last tenant) was broken and could I dispose of it for them. As he reckons it's only the belt I feel inspired to fix it (now being an expert in such matters
Every cloud as they say
Heaven knows what the last tenants did with their machines, broken washer AND dryer and the fridge freezer which was working when they left (and still full of food
That was also returned to me and with that and the washing machine, a huge American dryer (unusable as it needs a huge expensive transformer to make it work) another fridge freezer I cleared from my mother's lodgers room and 3 redundant televisions all cluttering up my hoist room, I'm beginning to feel like a s/h appliances shop
Ratty,
That American drier...
Apparently most have 110 volt and a 220/ 240 volt option alteration in their wiring .
Father in law in Canada surprised me when he showed two phases of 110 giving 220 volts driving their drier.
At USAF Alconbury huntingdon where lots of my friends lived ...The US married quarters had a transformer in the bin cupboard and the whole house was configured with a set of US sockets as well as UK ones.
When the US part of Alconbury closed the transformers were removed by a local company.
Try salvage /surplus companies in & around Alconbury ..you might be lucky.
brightspark
Member
- Messages
- 41,262
- Location
- yarm stockton on tees
quite a lot of hotplates for cooking have links in for running 110 and 240v on them
Ratty
Putting the She in Sheds
- Messages
- 1,775
Only just seen all these helpful replies about the Amana.
I've checked the plate inside the door and it gives the following info;
3 wire circuit
120/240 v
24 amp
60hz
5400 watts
Robert - sorry that diagram doesn't mean a lot to me
If I knew what sort/size of transformer it needed I may be able to get one through a mate in the village who works on one of the US bases.
I've checked the plate inside the door and it gives the following info;
3 wire circuit
120/240 v
24 amp
60hz
5400 watts
Robert - sorry that diagram doesn't mean a lot to me
If I knew what sort/size of transformer it needed I may be able to get one through a mate in the village who works on one of the US bases.
brightspark
Member
- Messages
- 41,262
- Location
- yarm stockton on tees
u need a 6k transformer 6000wattsOnly just seen all these helpful replies about the Amana.
I've checked the plate inside the door and it gives the following info;
3 wire circuit
120/240 v
24 amp
60hz
5400 watts
Robert - sorry that diagram doesn't mean a lot to me
If I knew what sort/size of transformer it needed I may be able to get one through a mate in the village who works on one of the US bases.
i had a 4kw thats why i got big b ,.,.,.s lifting it mind u if its dual voltage it will probs run on 240v
The 240 part of the circuit should run with your voltage.
You would just need 1 or 2 thousand watts to run the 120V drum motor,and the timer.
A center tapped 2kv 240v transformer would be the easiest, you could just hook neutral to the center.
Any other type of transformer, and you would need to have it hooked up by someone that understands phasing of the transformer.
Robert
You would just need 1 or 2 thousand watts to run the 120V drum motor,and the timer.
A center tapped 2kv 240v transformer would be the easiest, you could just hook neutral to the center.
Any other type of transformer, and you would need to have it hooked up by someone that understands phasing of the transformer.
Robert
Ratty
Putting the She in Sheds
- Messages
- 1,775
Ok Robert, that all sounds useful thank you...but I don't really understand
Can you spell out in laymans terms exactly what I would do?
I've always understood that the problem is with the different cycles. We're on 50kv and you in the US are on 60. (and don't think I actually know what that means...I'm just parroting what I've been told)
Can you spell out in laymans terms exactly what I would do?
I've always understood that the problem is with the different cycles. We're on 50kv and you in the US are on 60. (and don't think I actually know what that means...I'm just parroting what I've been told
)The 50 cycle versus 60 cycle shouldn't be a problem, with such a small motor.
The timer will run at 5/6 of it's normal speed.
Even one of these would run the motor.:http://www.airlinktransformers.com/...le-safety-isolation-110v-site-transformer.asp
madkayaker or any other sparky type would be able to tell you if what you want to do is legal, or economically worth doing.
Robert
The timer will run at 5/6 of it's normal speed.
Even one of these would run the motor.:http://www.airlinktransformers.com/...le-safety-isolation-110v-site-transformer.asp
madkayaker or any other sparky type would be able to tell you if what you want to do is legal, or economically worth doing.
Robert
