Thread Number: 30771
Is it very touchy to adjust Duet water level?
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Post# 464930   9/23/2010 at 00:20 (4,936 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)        

Got my Duet up and running, used the GE pump instead of the Whirlpool, much cheaper for the same item.

Anyway I've been trying to adjust the water level up a bit. It seems to be extremely touchy. 1/32 of a turn or so and it goes from low water to above the bottom of the plexi insert in the door. I'm aiming for just below the front edge of the opening but can't seem to get there.

Any tips? What is the best level?





Post# 464962 , Reply# 1   9/23/2010 at 04:04 (4,936 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)        

mark_wpduet's profile picture
OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!

YES YES YES it's touchy...........I followed these instructions (link below) and here's what happened:

first small turn (not a thing)
second small turn (not a thing)
third small turn (not a thing)
Fourth small turn (water approaching half way up the door and still running until the unit did an overflow fault code)

I adjusted back down and left it alone....I could not find a happy medium as hard as I tried.......It was either "default" or way too much.....I think when I did adjust back down that it uses a little more water than it did at first, but not much.

This is for the Duets made prior to 2005. I don't think this is possible with the newer duets.


CLICK HERE TO GO TO mark_wpduet's LINK


Post# 465052 , Reply# 2   9/23/2010 at 12:22 (4,935 days old) by joe_in_philly (Philadelphia, PA, USA)        

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I don't know if your duet works the say way as my 2003 Kenmore HE3t(a sister machine), but the water level is not just regulated by the pressure switch.

There is also a flow meter that measures how much water is added before the switch is triggered. Then it adds a percentage more. So large, thirsty loads, like towels, will have a higher water level than less absorbent dress shirts. The soak function as well as the delicate cycles add significantly more water.

The pressure switch matters less for the rinse level. Since a good part of the rinse fill occurs while the washer is spinning, using the pressure switch is ineffective. The washer remember how much water it added for the wash, and adds a certain percentage more than the wash for the rinse. So again, large absorbent loads will use more water than less absorbent ones.

If you adjust the pressure switch, you may have a higher wash level you like, but have an overfill condition during the rinse, or if you use the delicate cycles.

Joe
P.S. The final rinse in the Express cycle is also deeper, so you will want to be sure that doesn't cause a problem.


Post# 465060 , Reply# 3   9/23/2010 at 12:56 (4,935 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)        

I added 5 gallons via the detergent dispenser in the wash cycle, I use gallon jugs, and got what I thought was decent wash action. Good lift, just a touch of suds and plenty of action. This is with the screw adjusted back to low. If I turn it just a bit more water fills to the bottom of the door or more. Like to find a happy medium setting.

Post# 465092 , Reply# 4   9/23/2010 at 17:34 (4,935 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)        

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There is NO way I would spend time adding gallons of water through the dispenser with each load. That seems like a royal pain to me.....I guess you could do it.

Joe in philly.........Those cycles you are mentioning.......express wash or bulky........My version of the Duet when I bought it (has the heater) but it was a step down from the most expensive one, so it lacked those additional cycles like Bulky,auto soak, express wash, etc......Mine just has Sanitary...Whitest Whites, Heavy duty,normal/casual, delicate, drain/spin, and soak. I'm not sure what the difference between "soak" and "auto soak" is, but mine doesn't have auto soak. I've always wondered what kind of water the bulky cycle in the Duets use. I always heard they used more, but since mine doesn't have it, I don't know how much more. I have read comments in the past that some strictly use that cycle because it uses more water. I rarely use soak on mine. All that does is fill with water to the bottom of the boot, then drum rotates occasionally, then it drains without spinning. It would be a good cycle to use if something is really dirty. I think I used it once trying to wash a king size comforter but that comforter was so large is wasn't moving in the drum at all.


Post# 465119 , Reply# 5   9/23/2010 at 19:30 (4,935 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)        

Well, I thing I got it. Took off the tube to the pressure switch and blew it out a couple of times. Made some small adjustments, each time I unplugged the machine, blew out the tube to reset the bellows, and tweaked it a bit.

Right now, with a large load of towels in the Heavy Duty mode, the water is just coming up on the slanted tub part the meets up with the boot. It was way lower than that originally. Looks good to me. Water sloshing around, and still good lift. If it stays that way in various cycles I'll cover it up and call it good.

Mark, I do have the heater and the bulky and express wash options, mine is the GHW9250M unit. It still has the "1" software on the computer, I guess Whirlpool updated it a few months after mine was made. Service bulletin says it should be "2" to avoid fill issues.


Post# 465122 , Reply# 6   9/23/2010 at 20:15 (4,935 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)        

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Matt

Look on the door by the hinges......Does it tell you the manufactured date? Mine says Oct of 2004


Post# 465197 , Reply# 7   9/24/2010 at 02:32 (4,935 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)        

No.... The pump I replaced had a 2007 date code. Various sites say the washer is from 2007, 2006 or 2003, so I don't know...

I'm thinking of playing with or "tampering" with the temp control system. I see it's a varistor mounted on the heating element assembly. The tech sheet has a print out of the various readings and the corresponding temp. I'm thinking adding a 1K resistor in series would boost the temps by 10 degrees or so. Maybe a small pot would work. I'd like to boost the Sanitary temp to about 200 degrees form the 150 or so it is now. Might also get the "Hot" back to what my TL uses, mainly 150 tap water. Then the cold rinses might be in the 80 or 90 degree range. Has anyone tried this?


Post# 465199 , Reply# 8   9/24/2010 at 03:32 (4,935 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)        

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The serial number reveals the manufacture date.

Trying to alter the thermistor may not work. The control board likely expects to "see" a specific range of values from it and may throw an error code if it reads out-of-range. Assuming the machine would have to heat the additional 50°F, that would take quite a quite a long time, there may be a time limit involved in the cycle programming.


Post# 465207 , Reply# 9   9/24/2010 at 05:06 (4,935 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)        

mark_wpduet's profile picture
I looked it up on the internet.....I thought the Duet's STYLE had changed by 2007....I could be wrong, but I looked the model up and found a few reviews from 2004.....So I'm thinking it's a 2003 that perhaps had the pump replaced in 2007?? I dunno.......The sanitary cycle on mine gets HOT!!!!!

Post# 465228 , Reply# 10   9/24/2010 at 09:32 (4,934 days old) by joe_in_philly (Philadelphia, PA, USA)        

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Mark,

I am not at home, but when I get a chance I will post the cycles on my machine. I do not have a bulky cycle - that came out on the next revision of the machines.

The auto soak just means that it will go into the cycle automatically if you want. It will fill to the higher level used for the soak and tumble for 5 minutes. Then it will "soak" for 18 minutes, which repeats a 30 second rest and then a 3/4 of a turn to flip the load over. At the end it drains then fills for the wash, flushing the main wash compartment. You have to use a powder detergent for the main wash because a liquid will seep out during the soak. The prewash fills to the same level as a wash, and tumbles for 8 minutes before draining. It will then fill for the main wash. A prewash and autosoak cannot be used at the same time.

If the soak is run alone (without a cycle), it will drain at the end and then the washer shuts off. If it is run alone, then you can adjust the time using the soil level setting.

Joe


Post# 465229 , Reply# 11   9/24/2010 at 09:37 (4,934 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)        

OK, serial number is CSR1801546, so I think it's 2003.

As to the temps - manual states:
35.9k -- 32 degrees
9.7k -- 86 (Cold)
6.6K -- 104 (Warm)
4.6k -- 122 (Hot)
3.2k -- 140
2.3k -- 158 (Super Hot)
1k -- 203

It's not quite linear but adding 1K to it should boost the temp about 10-15 degrees in each setting. My incoming hot water is 140-150, and that is what I'm used to using for hot.

I will say that I felt the temp of the Warm wash water on the Hand Wash cycle and it was surprisingly hot. I'll check out the various temps and see if I think they are OK, just like to tweak my machine like a lot of us here....


Post# 465241 , Reply# 12   9/24/2010 at 10:18 (4,934 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)        

mark_wpduet's profile picture
So ur gonna PIMP your Duet? I hope it works. It seems to be working so far.

Post# 465251 , Reply# 13   9/24/2010 at 10:49 (4,934 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)        

Yeah, that's basically why I bought it. I had no experience with FL machines, this was the right unit at the right price. So far I'm liking it quite a bit. Only thing is it's going to get me looking at new models to see what they have improved --if anything. Don't want to get into buying those, I hope...

Post# 465266 , Reply# 14   9/24/2010 at 11:47 (4,934 days old) by mrb627 (Buford, GA)        
Resistance

mrb627's profile picture
Seems that adding resistance lower the heat instead of the other way around.

Malcolm


Post# 465288 , Reply# 15   9/24/2010 at 13:44 (4,934 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)        
Serial Number

dadoes's profile picture
 
If I'm interpreting it correctly, 18th week of 2004.


Post# 465290 , Reply# 16   9/24/2010 at 13:47 (4,934 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)        

Duh... You're right. Was thinking about it last night, must have been half asleep. About the only option I can see would be to switch a set of resistors. Maybe a 5 position switch with 4 resistors roughly corresponding to the temp I'm after. 5th position would put the sensor back in the circuit.

Or just 1 at about 1.9K in parallel that I could switch in when I want a super hot 200 degree wash. The rest would remain the same.


Post# 465312 , Reply# 17   9/24/2010 at 15:44 (4,934 days old) by joe_in_philly (Philadelphia, PA, USA)        

joe_in_philly's profile picture
Since the machine was not designed to have a 200F wash, do you think adjusting it so it does could potentially cause a problem, like something melting?

It sounds like if you put a switch in so that it "thinks" that the temp is different than it really is, then the end of wash cooling could be affected as well.


Post# 465354 , Reply# 18   9/24/2010 at 18:48 (4,934 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)        

Valid points, I don't know. Willing to experiment though...

Post# 465356 , Reply# 19   9/24/2010 at 19:31 (4,934 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)        

mark_wpduet's profile picture
But look at the others that have adjusted their machines to do things they were not designed to do. Just sayin


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