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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> >http://www.humboldt.edu/~ccat/pedalpower/inventions/washer_text.htm
> 

Form the site:

"Bart Orlando demonstrates that one person has the power to wash clothes in 
a pedal powered Wringer washing machine. The wringer eliminates the spin 
dry function, standard on modern washing machines. One person can do 1/3 of a 
normal load of laundry in about 30 minutes."

Correct that wringers use less energy than spin dry.  But this entry is 
quite candid about the work involved.  You are going to pedal the machine for 
an hour and half (continuously) to do one load of laundry.

Make no mistake that this is a very efficient use of resources.  But the 
family that does two loads of laundry a day will have someone on that seat 
three hours day.  Allowing for a break now and again, that's a half time job 
just to power the washing machine.

All this changes, of course, if you use less laundry. (Same with using less 
electricity).  

I've used a manual powered wringer before and believe me if you are washing 
jeans, you are going to break into a sweat wringing them even with pedal 
power.

Good site.


James</HTML>