When choosing a washing machine on the pages of online stores, in the filter you can come across such a thing as activator-type washing machines. Every housewife understands what an automatic, semi-automatic, vertical or horizontal loading machine means in relation to classic drum-type machines.
But not everyone knows what an activator type of machine is. As a rule, the older generation of Russians is familiar with them. The article will talk about seemingly outdated and unnecessary units, but this is only at first glance. With a more detailed dive into the topic, we will see that such machines have undeniable advantages, and there are many of them. This is what helps them stay afloat.
What is an activator type washing machine?
An activator-type washing machine is a washing device in which water and powder move due to the operation of an activator. Hence the name. The activator is a plastic disk with convex blades or ribs. Soapy water rotates with the laundry, just like in a drum washing machine, and thus removes stains.
The heyday of activator machines occurred in 1980-90 of the twentieth century. Back then, these machines helped women a lot in housework. Even though I had to do some of the work myself. Previously, activator machines were heavy and clumsy due to their metal structure, they often spoiled things and did not cause delight at all. But the lack of an alternative helped their spread. Models of activator machines have undergone significant positive changes since those times, and now they are lightweight plastic units.
Currently, these machines are not as popular as in the Soviet Union, but they still find their buyers, since in some situations they are an indispensable household assistant. The advantages and disadvantages of models with an activator will be described in a separate section.
These machines are used not only in the home. They are also used by industrial enterprises. They differ in size; industrial machines have a larger capacity and, accordingly, are larger in size.
Principle of operation
We have found out what an activator washing machine means, now we will look at the principle on which it works.
To start washing, you must perform the following steps:
- pour water into the tank and add detergent;
- load laundry;
- turn on the timer and set the duration of washing and spinning (if you have a centrifuge). At this moment, the electric motor will move the activator axis and the washing process will begin;
- take out the laundry after the timer signal and rinse it in a separate container. You can fill the tank with clean water and start the washing process without detergent;
- transfer the laundry to a spinner (if available) or spin it manually.
The structure of a modern activator type machine
Since the equipment in question has a simple design, breakdowns of activator machines are a fairly rare occurrence. The timer or electric motor may fail; in rare cases, the plastic tank may burst (depending on the service life).
Types of washing machines with activator
Progress does not stand still, and it also affected activator-type washing machines. If previously these were the simplest primitive units, now among them there are both semi-automatic and automatic machines. The more modern the machine, the more functions it performs. Let’s take a closer look at what each type of activator machine is, depending on its automation:
- Simple models do not have any functions other than washing. The structure of the machine is quite simple: a V-belt drive, an engine, a plastic tank and a very ordinary timer. Spinning is carried out by spinning the laundry between 2 rubber rollers. Sometimes you can adjust the height of the gap between the rollers in order to spin laundry of different thicknesses. The rollers are driven by a drive handle.
- Semi-automatic machines can have one or two tanks: for washing and a centrifuge for spinning. The water in the tank is driven by a V-belt drive, and the movement of the centrifuge is driven by an elastic coupling. Sometimes it is possible to select a delicate mode for fabric, a choice of washing time, or a delayed timer.
- Automatic machines may already have an electronic control panel with a choice of different modes depending on the type of fabric and contamination. There are models with 10 washing modes and a choice of water filling level in the tank. May have one or two tanks. A heating element is installed for heating water, the water is drained automatically through the operation of the pump. Filters are installed to trap lint. They differ from drum machines in the presence of an activator. The weight of the automatic activator machine reaches 70 kg. The price of such a machine is not small.
You can also divide the machines by the number of tanks: one or two. In a machine with one tank, washing and rinsing occurs. If there are two tanks, then both washing and drying clothes are possible.
Device
So, an activator washing machine - what is it? Standard models of this washing equipment have a simple structure and consist of the following main parts:
- loading tank;
- activator;
- electric motor;
- timer.
At the top of the unit there is a removable or hinged lid through which laundry is placed, at the bottom there is an activator and an electric motor.
The activator is the main component of such machines. It is a rotating element that circulates water in the tank. The activator can be in the form of a screw or an impeller (disk). The intensity and nature of circulation depend on the shape of the part, its location, direction and speed of rotation, as well as the presence of additional elements (air-bubble mechanisms, pulsators, etc.).
The activator location can be:
- axisymmetric (on a flat bottom of the tank);
- asymmetrical (on the wall or on the inclined bottom of the tank).
The simplest mechanism is an asymmetrical cone-shaped bladed propeller. He stirs the laundry in the tub clockwise. Machines with such an activator wash quickly and, due to active mechanical action, cope well with heavy soiling. However, such washing cannot be called delicate: with unidirectional movement, the laundry can twist into strands and quickly wear out.
The most common forms of activator are a propeller with blades and an impeller with symmetrical fins
European and Japanese washing machines are mostly equipped with a disk activator. In American units, screw, cylindrical or turbine ones are more common.
A more gentle, but no less effective washing is ensured by the impeller (activator-impeller). This mechanism creates complex trajectories of water movement: rotating either clockwise or counterclockwise, it prevents the laundry from curling and creates a powerful circulation of water flows.
The best impeller shape today is a bell with symmetrical fins of various sizes. Large and high ribs create a water funnel flow, while small ones allow the whirlpool to smoothly transfer frictional force and provide delicate washing. Short blades are located along the outer circle of the impeller: they are responsible for additional water flows and make the main whirlpool heterogeneous. Thanks to this, the laundry is washed efficiently and evenly, does not curl into strands and is rinsed thoroughly.
To improve washing performance, the air-bubble method is additionally used: air bubbles pass through the impeller holes and create a boiling effect, which allows you to remove difficult stains even at low temperatures.
Machines with a disk activator have the highest washability rates - 62-65%. For models with a vertical impeller, this percentage is higher than for units in which the part is located on an inclined bottom. The lowest value is observed for equipment in which the mechanism is attached to the center of the horizontal bottom.
Top 5 best models of activator washing machines
The market offers a wide selection of activator-type washing machines. The machines differ in price and functionality. Let's take a closer look at the most popular models.
The most famous activator machines are produced under the Malyutka brand. These are the old-timers among activator machines. One of the models of this manufacturer is called “ Malyutka-2 ”. It got its name for its miniature size and fully lives up to its name. The load volume does not exceed 1 kilogram of dry laundry, the volume of water is 28 liters. The washing cycle lasts only 5 minutes. There is a 4 minute rinse function. If necessary, the washing time can be made even shorter, for example for delicate fabrics. For this model, the activator is located on the side, and the engine is located outside the machine body. Since the washing time is not long, pre-soaking the laundry is recommended. It is better to wash delicate items in special laundry bags. The tank is plastic, so you should never pour boiling water into it. The temperature should not be higher than +80 degrees. Rinsing is carried out after washing by manually pouring clean water. This model is one of the cheapest in price. In addition to “Malyutka-2”, there are analogues from others, and “Snow White”, even Bosch has such models.
If we take models in the middle price segment, then the popular models are VolTek Rainbow SM-2 and Renova WS40Pet.
VolTek Rainbow SM-2
received 5 stars, according to user reviews on online shopping sites. The machine represents the class of semi-automatic machines. The model weighs about 7 kilograms and has a carrying handle, so it’s perfect for a summer house. Compared to Renova WS40Pet, it can wash only 2 kilograms of laundry, but it is much more compact. Equipped with an indicator for the end of the washing time. There are 2 modes to choose from: normal and delicate wash. There is no drying. Washing class - F. The minimum washing time is 5 minutes. Cost: about 4,000 rubles.
Renova WS40Pet
has a relatively small weight, not exceeding 13 kg. The dimensions of the machine are quite compact, allowing it to be transported, for example, to the countryside. This model also belongs to the category of semi-automatic machines and already has 3 washing modes. The activator movements are reversible. Due to the presence of 2 compartments, in addition to washing and rinsing, there is a high-quality spin in a centrifuge. Spin speed: 1350 rpm. The machine is spacious and designed for 4 kilograms of laundry. 30 liters of water is enough for high-quality washing.
Modern drum machines cannot always boast such indicators in terms of spin and laundry volume. Washing class – A. You can delay the start of washing by 15 minutes. Another advantage is its price – approximately 5,000 rubles. Among the models of this manufacturer there are many worthy options for different needs and the quality of all is excellent.
VolTek and Renova have analogues from Assol, Daewoo and others.
Among the expensive options for activator machines, the most popular are Snow White BN5500SG and Slavda WS-85PE.
Model Slavda WS-85PE
has one tank for washing and rinsing. There is no spin, but this is compensated by the washing class. This machine has a washing class of A and energy efficiency of A+. We can say that this machine will save your budget a lot, but at the same time it will wash no worse than drum machines. The machine is very spacious and can load 8 kg of laundry. But due to this, the weight of this unit is already 18 kg. It has 2 washing programs, the drain is automatic, and the hatch is blocked during washing for safety reasons. Washing requires 50 liters of water. Cost: about 7,000 rubles.
Snow White BN5500SG
has 2 tanks, so a spin speed of 1350 rpm is added to the advantage of this model. Has 2 washing programs for normal and delicate laundry. Loading capacity is 5.5 kg, which is also not small. Washing class - C. Mechanical control, interesting country design, small dimensions - this is precisely why it earned the right to be on this list. The cost is 8,000 rubles.
As we see, progress, although slowly, is reaching these machines. You can already find machines on sale with touch controls, a display with multi-colored backlighting, the ability to customize the washing mode yourself or choose one of 33 modes. We are talking about the Whirlpool Vantage model. Among the functions there is even a USB interface. True, before purchasing, you should think about whether such a unit is needed, since its price has exceeded 100,000 rubles. At the same time, there are no obvious advantages over cheaper drum machines.
How to choose?
Choosing a washing machine is an important and responsible task that requires a lot of attention and effort.
Experts recommend taking into account a number of factors.
Machine type. There are several types of automatic washing machines: frontal and vertical. However, they differ from each other in the way they load and unload laundry. Thus, front-loading washing equipment has a hatch for laundry on the outer front part of the body. At the same time, vertical machines are equipped with a hatch on top. The choice of one device or another depends solely on your personal preferences.
Device dimensions. The detailed size range of washing machines is described above. This characteristic is the most important when choosing a device. First of all, you should focus on the size of the room in which the equipment will be placed.
Drum volume. This indicator is the most important when choosing a device. So, depending on the number of people living in your house, you should choose a machine that is more or less voluminous. Load volume can range from 1 to ten kilograms. Please keep in mind that the volume of the drum affects the overall dimensions of the washing machine.
Functionality. Modern automatic washing machines are equipped not only with washing, rinsing and spinning functions, but also with a number of additional features. Such additional functions include a leakage protection system, the presence of additional modes (for example, a gentle or quiet wash program), drying, etc.
Control type. There are 2 main types of control: mechanical and electronic. The first type is characterized by the ability to set washing parameters using special buttons and switches located on the front panel of the device. Electronically controlled cars only require a mode task, and they configure the remaining parameters independently.
Washing class. There are several washing classes of modern washing machines. They are designated by Latin letters. In this case, A is the highest class, and G is the lowest. Amount of energy consumption. Different models of automatic washing machines have different levels of energy consumption. This indicator is regulated by the amount of money you will pay for the electricity used.
Price. High-quality home appliances cannot be too cheap. That's why if you see a low price, it should make you suspicious. The low cost may be due to the fact that you are dealing with an unscrupulous seller or purchasing low-quality (or counterfeit) products.
Appearance
When purchasing a washing machine, you should pay attention to its functions, safety indicators, and external design. Choose a device that will fit perfectly into the interior of the bathroom, kitchen or any other room where you will place a household device.
Automatic washing machines are devices that are real helpers in everyday life. Today, there are a large number of types and models that differ in a number of key characteristics.
For information on choosing an automatic washing machine, watch the following video.
How to use an activator type washing machine
When using an activator type machine, you do not need to know any special operating rules. Everything is as simple and convenient as possible. Just read the instructions carefully. There are no abundance of buttons to select a mode, so even a child can handle it. To start using the machine, you do not need to call a plumber, since most often a connection to the water supply network is not required.
If the machine will always work in the same place, then there is no need to place it close to the wall. A sufficient distance from the wall is 5 cm. This is necessary so that vibration during operation of the centrifuge does not make loud noise. It is also good if there is an electrical outlet at a short distance from the device. If the cable is not long enough, you will have to use an extension cord.
Consider where the drain will be carried out: bathtub, sink, toilet or directly into the sewer. As a rule, the drain hose is no more than 1 meter. If you intend to use it outdoors in your dacha, then the machine needs to be installed on a flat, elevated place.
Before first use, wipe the machine's tank with a damp cloth. After each use, wipe the tank and centrifuge dry with a cloth. It’s good to leave the machine open for a couple of hours after use to ventilate the machine. Then no odors or microorganisms will appear. Never use hard or metal brushes for cleaning. This will lead to scratches on the plastic and additional contamination.
Be sure to sort your laundry by color to avoid staining. Wash white clothes separately from colored and dark ones. It is advisable to pre-soak heavily soiled laundry to obtain better washing results.
It is important to remember that the weight of the laundry is calculated for each machine in dry form.
For best results, it is better to fill the machine with warm or hot water, depending on the type of fabric. Washing in cold water is not as effective. Follow the recommendations on the clothing label.
You can use washing powder for hand washing or an automatic machine; such units are not demanding in terms of washing agents.
If the machine provides spinning, then after transferring the laundry from the tank to the centrifuge, drain the water and only then turn on the spin. You cannot wash in one compartment and spin in another at the same time.
You need to remove the laundry only after disconnecting the machine from the power supply.
To prevent the electrical cable from getting into the water, there is a special hook on the side of the machine. Broadcast cable to it for security reasons.
Do not allow the machine to hit various objects. Although the plastic of the body and tank is durable, it can still be deformed or damaged. If you plan to move the machine frequently, secure it securely in the car during transportation.
Do not leave the machine over the winter in rooms where the temperature is below freezing. This will cause it to break. It is advisable to maintain a value not lower than +5 degrees and humidity - no more than 80%.
Advantages of inverter motor
The main advantages of this type of engine include:
- Reliability and long service life. An inverter motor, unlike a standard one, does not have carbon brushes in its internal structure that conduct current and a rubber belt that moves the drum. These two parts are common causes of breakdowns in classic cars.
- Quiet operation. Thanks to the design, which ensures stable operation of the internal system, the unit produces a minimum of vibrations. When the device is installed correctly, the device will operate silently (noise level is approximately 53-76 dB).
- High drum speed during spinning. Modern units are capable of spinning the drum up to 1600-2000 rpm. This feature allows you to pull out the laundry almost dry.
- Energy saving. Cars with an inverter motor consume much less water and electricity, which will appeal to any consumer.
- Compactness. These engines are smaller in size. Therefore, washing household appliances with an inverter motor are smaller. This feature will appeal to those who take a responsible approach to organizing space.
Disadvantages of an inverter motor
Despite the large number of positive aspects, it is worth noting the disadvantages:
- Spin speed too high. At high speeds, the laundry becomes almost dry, but there is a risk of damage to the fabric.
- High price. An inverter motor is a modern high-tech development, and therefore the cost of machines with a similar design is much higher.
- Expensive service. In case of breakdowns, replacing parts will be more difficult in terms of money than with a commutator motor.
