This guide is currently under construction, so expect multiple incomplete pages, messy pages, and multiple errors

Glossary

This is the comprehensive list of terms used throughout this encyclopedia.

A

Agitator

A plastic device mounted on the center of the drum found exclusively on top load washers to move and wash the clothing around during the wash cycle.

Axial Airflow

Coming soon

B

BTU (British Thermal Unit)

A unit of energy for heat output. This is the unit of energy used for all gas dryers, and certain multi-load electric dryers.

C

Capacity in lbs (laundry context)

Manufacturers use pounds as a unit of weight to determine the amount of stuff that can fit in their machines. For example, a single load is 10 lbs, and the machine's rated capacity is 40 lbs, so you can put four loads worth of stuff in that machine.

Coin Slide

This is an old, mechanical coin acceptor where you put your change in designated slots, then push in to start the machine or dispense something. These are common in mechanical dispensing machines such as older detergent vending machines,

E

Electromechanical

Uses mechanical parts, electrical switches, and electricity to control the machine's cycles and the machine itself. These types of controllers were used in machines made in the 1990's and before; however, with a few machines being made with those controller types until the mid-2000's. These were suceeded by microprocessors.

Extra

An additional add-on to a cycle (like extended extraction speeds, dispense the store's soap into your loads, etc.). Usually an additional payment is required to select an extra.

F

Free Vend machine

A machine that's designed to be pay to use, but modified to be used for free. Usually the only instance they would do this are in dorms, multi-housing environments, or hotel laundry rooms (sometimes, if the people are nice...).

G

G-Force

The amount of force applied to something. This unit of measurement is used to find out how powerful the washer's spin speeds are. Also used in the human world too, but it's way less G's than what the washers can output.

H

Hard Mount washer

See Rigid Mount Washer.

Homestyle (machine type)

These are washers and dryers you would find at your house, except that it is modified to accept payments.

L

Lifter

A passively designed device found exclusively on front load washers that lifts laundry up to be dunked in water, on loop for the cleaning cycle.

M

Microprocessor

Uses computers and circuit boards to control the machine's cycles and the machine itself. These type of controls have been out there since the 1980's (although no real implementation on coin-op washers till the mid 1990's).

Multi-load (machine type)

These are washers and dryers that are true commercial/industrial grade, and can never be found inside any home or excessively light commercial settings (ie. guest laundry rooms (not housekeeping ones)). These machines are built to handle two loads (18-20 lbs) of laundry or larger.

O

OPL (On-Premises Laundry)

A commercial laundry operation that does not include vended laundry. Typically includes housekeeping laundry, prison laundry, textile care operations, etc.

R

Rigid Mount washer

A type of multi-load front load washer that uses a metal frame bolted down to concrete instead of springs and shocks to absorb the extraction forces. These are also called hard mount and solid mount washers. For guide purposes, rigid mount will be the term used for those washers.

Rotary coin drop

This is a vintage coin accepting/timer device for dryers where you would have to insert your coin first, then turn a knob in a certain direction for the thing to register. These were mainly discontinued around the 1990's, but continued on by a very few manufacturers until the mid-2000's.

S

Soft Mount washer

A type of multi-load/homestyle front load washer that uses springs and shocks instead of a metal frame bolted down to concrete to absorb the extraction forces. These types of washers can be installed anywhere and allow for much more powerful extraction speeds than a rigid mount washer.

Solid Mount washer

See Rigid Mount Washer

T

Trans-Axial Airflow

Coming soon

U

User Interface (UI)

The thing that you use to control the machine's cycles.

V

VFD (Vacuum Fluorescent Display)

See the Wikipedia article on these - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_fluorescent_display

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