Talk:Washing machine

Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment
This article is or was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Mmarucut.

Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT (talk) 12:41, 17 January 2022 (UTC)

Pythagorean Siphon Within the Washing Machine
Should there be a separate section talking about how the Pythagorean siphon cup works? This is how the fabric softener is distributed in the washer. There can also be a brief inclusion of how it was first created by Pythagoras — Preceding unsigned comment added by Stephychavcar (talk • contribs) 22:41, 7 February 2022 (UTC)


 * We already have an article on Pythagorean cups, there is no reason to write about their function or history here. MrOllie (talk) 00:26, 8 February 2022 (UTC)


 * The application of a Pythagorean cup could be added to the article, with interested readers following a Wikilink for more detailed background information. Reify-tech (talk) 14:59, 9 April 2023 (UTC)

Washing machine
The earliest washing machines simply carried out a washing action when loaded with clothes and soap, filled with hot water, and started. Over time machines became more and more automated 2409:4061:4E19:A7B:0:0:6449:E0E (talk) 17:48, 22 August 2022 (UTC)

Front/top load battle...
Much of this article is written like a court case between adamant fans of front and top loaders. Does an encyclopedia need to break down every minute pro and con of each design in its explanation of what a washing machine is?? 86.191.150.117 (talk) 23:35, 22 August 2022 (UTC)
 * Every technology of washing machines (American vs European), have advantages and and disadvantages, so I think it is important. Probably it isn't written according to an encyclopedia standard, but more of a fandom website. זור987 (talk) 13:46, 13 October 2022 (UTC)
 * This is an important decision for consumers, and there isn't a single best answer for every situation. The coverage is reasonably well organized, and can be skipped if not of interest. Reify-tech (talk) 14:59, 9 April 2023 (UTC)
 * If the discussion is only about front or top loaders: Yeah, just a detail.
 * BUT: The big difference is vertical vs. horizontal moving tubs (horizontal and vertical refers to the rotation axis of the tub). With vertical moving tubs you need an agitator (and maybe some more gears) and more water (AFAIK) and with a horizontal moving tub this is not needed.
 * This has nothing to do with top or front loader as can be seen in the image "European top-loader ..." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:European_top_washingmachine.jpg). So top vs. front loader is a misconception. It is a big difference if the tub is rotating on the horizontal or vertical axis (the former introduced as HE washing machines ...). Hujo (talk) 15:51, 5 July 2024 (UTC)

Example from the article: "Efficient cleaning: Front loaders usually use less energy, water, and detergent compared to the best top-loaders.[118] High-efficiency washers use 20% to 60% of the detergent, water, and energy of "standard" commonly-used top-loader washers." Which is not true. The difference is between horizontal vs. vertical tubs, NOT between front or top loaders. So this article should be corrected for horizontal/vertical instead of such sentences. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Hujo (talk • contribs) 15:58, 5 July 2024 (UTC)

Two-cycle gasoline engine
I recently disassembled a two-cycle engine that goes on a garden cultivator and found that the crankshaft has only one main bearing. I am looking for an article that explains why this is. Is the single bearing a matter of manufacturing cost cutting, or is there an actual engineering reason for having the single bearing? In the article on the clothes washer (washing machine), an inherent disadvantage is pointed out regarding the single shaft-mounted bearing. Here is an excerpt from the article that makes comparison between the single bearing symmetrical pair of bearings. "And instead of the drum having a single bearing on one side, it has a pair of symmetrical bearings, one on each side, avoiding asymmetrical bearing loading and potentially increasing life." 170.93.140.42 (talk) 17:28, 1 March 2023 (UTC)


 * That part of the article is wrong as far as I know. Front load washing machines have two bearings, usually a slightly larger one nearest the drum, since it takes most of the load, and a smaller one set further back along the shaft so that it runs true.
 * Having a bearing each side of the drum on a horizontal top loader has a disadvantage, it means it needs two bearing seals, one for each shaft to keep the water out, and the bearing seal wearing out and leaking is probably the main cause of front load washing machine bearings failing.
 * You can get double bearings, which are used for wheel bearings on some car trailers, they are a basically a double set of back to back bearings in a single shell, likely with a gap between. 2A02:C7C:A69B:800:380C:18F5:449E:6ACF (talk) 18:46, 27 November 2023 (UTC)

Microcontrollers
The Article states: "In the early 1990s, upmarket machines incorporated microcontrollers for the timing process."

Hotpoint launched their the first of their "Microtronic" models, the Hotpoint Microtronic X2000 washing machine in 1980 (we had one), and according to this https://www.picuki.com/media/1630175511206576497 The Servis Selectronic Automatic Mk3 was the first, released in 1976.

There's a 1987 service manual covering Hotpoint Microtronic models, which mentions it uses the Texas instruments TMS1300 microcontroller (although, it doesn't mention if that was the microcontroller used in the X2000's original controller board, or on the later mark 2, or mk3 controller board, here: https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?33256 2A02:C7C:A712:FD00:5CCC:3FFC:8D86:2EBE (talk) 23:56, 18 November 2023 (UTC)


 * 1976: Servis Selectronic Automatic Mk301 https://www.flickr.com/photos/chestermikeuk/6864212163
 * 1978: Miele's first microprocessor based washing machine, according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miele
 * 1980: Hotpoint Microtronic X2000 https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?33256
 * Also during 1980's
 * Servis Quartz
 * 1983 Creda Micron (PIC1650 microcontroller based apparently)
 * Presumably there were others too. eg Bosch? 2A02:C7C:A714:1700:5073:4C46:7049:586C (talk) 18:30, 24 November 2023 (UTC)

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