The old washing machine

As I write, my old washing machine is doing one more load. It's gone beyond its life expectancy. The beastly thing has been disassembled a number of times. I've pieced together shattered parts to get serial numbers to order replacements. When a friend of mine asked me to haul a washing machine to the dump for him, I salvaged some parts off of it.

Newer machines are a lot more energy efficient and use a lot less water. They also cost a lot of money. One thing that bothers me about the new machines is the amount of electronics in them. My house electric system runs on an old type modified sine wave inverter. Electronic timers don't work right with a modified sine wave. I can imagine buying a new machine and not having it function properly.

New front loading machines use a lot less water, but I'm not paying a utility for my water. It comes from my own well. The old washer does put a heavy draw on my solar electric system, but I've been able to work around that.

When the washer finally gives up the ghost for good, I'll have to figure something out. Perhaps I'll scour the alternative energy forums to discover any information on using new washers with old inverters. Maybe in a fit of disgust with the modern world I'll build a copy of a James washer. Those are old fashioned totally manually powered washing machines.

Next thing you know I'll be making soap from stove ashes and bear fat.

Here I go marching boldly into the 19th century.

Whoa! things aren't that bad yet. No sense borrowing trouble. In the mean time, I'll just hope and pray the old clunker keeps working.

-Sixbears