Washers and dryers

2007 September 17
by lackhead

Why is it that the knobs on washing machines can only be turned clockwise, while the knobs on dryers work in both directions? They both control a timed countdown, phases of mechanical progress. And washers and dryers are made by the same damn companies so you would think there would be some economy of design at play here. Does it have to do with the yin and yang of washers adding water and dryers removing it? Some ancient ANSI standard that no longer applies but is still rigorously conformed to by industry? What drives this incoherent pattern in life?!?

These are the things that keep me up at night.

-c

from → The Way The World Works

2 Comments leave one →
2007 September 18
Gully permalink

Once again, makes you wonder how anything in this world actually manages to work…

2007 September 18
C/Kath(e)rine permalink

Because the washing machine does several tasks–wash, rinse, spin– and the dryer only does one. In a washing machine, the various tasks are switched on and off with a fancy set of switches that are run by a clock motor. Because it’s not so healthy for the machine for the various pump, drain, fill, and spin sequences to be performed out of order, the timer mechanism is provided with a ratchet to keep you from turning it backward.
BTW: its not a good idea to turn dryer knobs backwards either, you can mess up the timer motor.

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