Filtered water coolers

The wig-wag is the common name for the unusual solenoid mechanism used in belt-drive washing machines made by Whirlpool, Kenmore (owned by Whirlpool) and many others, from approximately 1960 to 1990.

How a wig-wag works

The wig-wag is mounted atop the washing machine’s transmission, where it oscillates back and forth like a railroad signaling wig-wag (hence the name). When either solenoid is engaged, a rod catches and engages the transmission in the desired mode.

One of the wig-wag’s solenoids is turned on to engage agitation during wash mode; the other solenoid is turned on to engage the spin-dry mode. The motor must be turned on before the solenoids are powered. Only one solenoid may be operated at a time. When neither solenoid is engaged, the transmission is in neutral and only the pump is operating to drain water out of the tub.

During a normal cycle, most Whirlpool-built wig-wag equipped washers will fill, start the motor, then engage the wash solenoid. Upon completion of the wash mode, the wash solenoid will be turned off, which will allow the pump to drain the tub. After a minute or two, the timer will then engage the spin wig-wag which will cause the rotation of the tub. This is in contrast to most other top-load washing machines which start spinning and draining simultaneously.

Problems with the wig-wag mechanism

There are two common failures with the wig-wag mechanism. The first is that a solenoid tends to jam, often due to corrosion from operating in a damp environment. The second common failure is peculiar to the wig-wag - since the wires which operate the solenoids are constantly being flexed by the motion of the wig-wag, they tend to break causing the wash or spin cycle not to engage. Either problem is easily repaired with simple hand tools and inexpensive parts.

External links

• Photo of washing machine wig wag

A gel battery (also known as a “gel cell”) is a rechargeable valve regulated lead-acid battery with a gelified electrolyte. Unlike a traditional wet-cell lead-acid battery, these batteries do not need to be kept upright (though they cannot be charged inverted). In addition, gel batteries virtually eliminate the electrolyte evaporation, spillage (and subsequent corrosion issues) common to the wet-cell battery, and boast greater resistance to extreme temperatures, shock, and vibration. As a result, they are primarily used in automobiles, boats, aircraft, and other motorized vehicles. These batteries are often colloquially referred to as sealed lead-acid (SLA) batteries due to their non-leaking containers, but they are not completely sealed; the valve regulation system allows for gas to be expelled. Chemically they are the same as wet (non sealed) batteries except that the antimony in the lead plates is replaced by calcium. This preserves the mechanical characteristics but renders the construction far less prone to gassing. The battery type is often referred to as a Lead-Calcium battery.

At high currents, electrolysis of water occurs, expelling Hydrogen and Oxygen gas through the battery’s valves. Care must be taken to prevent short circuits and rapid charging. Charging with a constant voltage (called the float charge voltage; 2.26 V per cell for a lead-acid chemistry) can cause a rapid initial current, so therefore it is suggested to begin with a constant current, using constant voltage only for the final portion of the charging. However, the float charge voltage should not be exceeded by much for typical usage, so the switch between the two modes typically occurs when the float voltage is needed to sustain the charging current through the battery’s internal resistance (as per Ohm’s Law). The easiest way to implement this is to use a constant voltage device with a current limiter.

See also

• Rechargeable battery
• Lead-acid battery
• Absorbent glass mat

Alsace is an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) for wines made in the Alsace wine region of France.

Unlike most other French wine regions, there is only one AOC appellation for most wines made in the whole of Alsace. Other French wine regions have numerous appellations within them, often designating wine from a particular town or, even, an area within a certain town. The Alsace Grand Cru AOC was not created until 1975.

External links

• The Official Alsace wines home page
• Wines, villages and terroirs of Alsace

See Also

• Alsace wine
• Alsace Grand Cru AOC
• Crémant d’Alsace AOC