Low quailty from days of old

[Harold_V]

This afternoon, Susan, my wife, commented that our ice machine didn't appear to be functioning properly. She had removed a good portion of the ice last evening, to cool some food before placing it in our refrigerator. It (the ice machine) has a holding capacity of 35 pounds of ice. The food had been preheated just before we experienced a power failure that lasted over six hours so she didn't want to warm up the refrigerator, secure in the knowledge that a two hour outage was the minimum time we could expect, and we've had two occasions that ran greater than 40 hours.

I checked out the machine, to discover it was not getting water. Removing the solenoid valve, found it was operational, which then resulted in further exploration. I concluded that one of two other solenoids had failed, and with this machine being a Whirlpool, long since obsolete, with Whirlpool no longer in the ice machine business, I concluded that it was time for a new one.

I really struggled with that, though, considering the failed machine was still quite new (purchased July 23, 1975). Seems like nothing but junk was made back then. Who, in their right mind, would be happy with just 40+ years of service?

This machine has been used extensively. For many years, I used ice daily in my precious metal refining business, part of the function of recovering gold from solution. Somehow, I don't think it owes me anything.

Harold

[spro]

This "junk" is not to be made again. I posted a thread about a refrigerator and how it was great except the coil was always freezing. I defrosted that thing a dozen times but finally got into how it worked. Believe me, full of food and another backup fridge. The defrost circuit was loose and the timer motor ran internally but erratic in operation. I did replace the original fan because basically the freezer section circulates the super low to the fridge. The defrost cycle was bad and that was bad because the timer was bad. Okay. That is over but getting to the point, the machine compressor continued to run.The way it worked is that super cooled air from the freezer section circulated to fridge section by variable venting. Okay everyone knows that or perhaps that changed too. But the timer! Serious biz with a few heavy contacts. The defroster coil comes on and melts the ice draining down another path to cool the compressor. When everything is blocked up, the compressor runs until its thermal shut switch gives it a break. I didn't have time for this yet didn't want to replace the refrigerator. This went on until I replaced the timer. Really great programmable timers now. However, this unit continues to operate after all previous problems. I recall hearing the motor compressor unit rocking when it shut off. I knew a line would break but it didn't because of some great engineering.

This is an old Whirlpool made by Roper. Decades later I find really good garden tractors made by Roper under the Sears name. I believe there was a time before, faintly remember, when "Heck it's all made by Roper now.." .. those days look pretty good by focused retrospect.

[SteveM]

My parents bought a Frigidare refrigerator and a matching full-size freezer in 1966 when they remodeled the kitchen.

Around 1995, a bracket that held the inside of the freezer broke and the interior slipped down to where the door would not close.

Dad took the bracket out, gave it to mom and she went to the appliance parts store. The guy behind the counter recognized the part and said "Lady, how old IS this thing?".

Dad made a new bracket and that freezer ran for another 10 years.

I doubt the replacement will last half that long.

Steve

[hammermill]

as a general thought freezers,refrigs and washer dryers seem to have a life of about 10 to 15 yrs. if it has a microprocessor board in it I doubt if you will see it last that long. lots of failures due to lack of cleaning drains,coils etc.
when I had a house full of kids a ge washer and dryer seemed to never turn off. now that it just me and the wife we have been thru a asco, and maytag set. I replaced them with a maytag commercial units. all the parts are off the shelf and available.

anyway the machine I replaced was under 100 pounds the replacement close to 300 lb

[SteveHGraham]

I had a Maytag dishwasher that had a steam vent pretty much beside the PCB. You can imagine what eventually happened.

Every few years, the plastic silverware basket sort of disintegrated.

[Steggy]

I really struggled with that, though, considering the failed machine was still quite new (purchased July 23, 1975). Seems like nothing but junk was made back then. Who, in their right mind, would be happy with just 40+ years of service?

Don't you just hate this stuff that prematurely wears out?

On the bench in my shop is a 3/4 horsepower motor for spinning a wire wheel. The motor came out of a furnace of some kind long, long ago, and I acquired it c. 1968. It has been spinning wire wheels ever since, and here it is November 2015 and it is still working. The (sleeve) bearing at the shaft end is sloppy, but that hasn't stopped it.

I also have a geared drill press that was made in 1955 and spent many years in a tool room getting abused. I acquired it 25 years ago and other than replacing the lower quill tapered roller bearing and fitting it with a new chuck, have done nothing else to it. It's still going strong and is a very robust machine. I suspect it will be going strong well after I'm pushing daisies.

They just don't make 'em like they used to.

[spro]

Whoa now! My post came 2minutes after and alluded to appliances becoming junk after 24-40 yrs of whatever. Specific DPs are a different thing.

[hammermill]

gee Harold your model has held together over 90 yrs if memory serves me right. they may build em like they used to but some mileage has increased. hihi

[ctwo]

You say Whirlpool is no longer in the ice maker business? I wonder why? The market may soon be opening up again

[SteveM]

My dad's drill press is running on the motor from the washing machine we replaced in the 1960's.

Steve

[Harold_V]

You say Whirlpool is no longer in the ice maker business? I wonder why? The market may soon be opening up again

Well, that was an error on my part. Turns out they are still very much in the market, and that's exactly what I just ordered as a replacement. I have NO idea why I found nothing in my initial search, but the name never came up until a direct search.

That being said, I have no doubt, everything sold is being made in China, however. What isn't?

We, here in America, have encouraged the closure of our own facilities by our failure to grasp the concept of being in a world market. We simply can't compete, thanks to the greed of our society. Everyone expects unreasonable wages, top to bottom.

I wonder------does anyone think this one will go the distance? Can I expect to have to order another when I'm 116 years old?

Harold

[mcostello]

If You do Harold I hope I am around to hear of it!