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Thread Number: 3794
Sneaking Into the Neptune TL |
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Post# 91302 10/30/2005 at 01:08 (6,747 days old) by gansky1  (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!) |
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Post# 91303 , Reply# 1 10/30/2005 at 01:10 (6,747 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!) |
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Post# 91304 , Reply# 2 10/30/2005 at 01:13 (6,747 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!) |
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Washing. This is just strange. The two discs move in the same direction, no reversing, through the entire wash cycle. The load it lifted up and tumbled back down and around. The clothes are saturated completely and there is a pool of water in the bottom of the tub about 4-5" deep. The speed and water level vary with the cycle chosen.
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Post# 91305 , Reply# 3 10/30/2005 at 01:16 (6,747 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!) |
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Post# 91307 , Reply# 4 10/30/2005 at 01:25 (6,747 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!) |
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Surprise!
This cycle has a spin-drain! The washer briefly pauses after washing stops and the tub begins to turn at a fair rate of speed and the drain pump comes on to pump out the water. At the end of the first rinse, the tub starts to spin a brisk rate of speed swirling water up the sides of the basket and outer tub for a few seconds before the pump starts which helps clean it out. The spin-drains and neutral drain sequences vary by cycle. Overall, the washer seems to do a good job. There are spray rinses, high speed spins and extra-deep rinses - drama galore! The final rinse fills all the way to the seam (a little more above the center of the disc) and the rinse water was far more drinkable than I'd imagined it would be. BTW, I used Fresh Start Jon!! Not a rouge bubble in the whole cycle! 
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| Post# 91323 , Reply# 5 10/30/2005 at 03:12 (6,747 days old) by kenmore1978 () | ||
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tangling so was there any evidence of the tangling problem people mention about this machine? | ||
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Post# 91333 , Reply# 6 10/30/2005 at 04:55 (6,746 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands) |
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Oy, that last picture made me dizzy!! LOL Anyway, thanks for the pictures. I was wondering about the water level, is it higher than in the Duet? Because of the shape of the drum I guess it should be higher in order to saturate the clothes. Further, I assume those discs turn in the same direction? IIRC they are exactly the same, so if they are turning the same direction one disc turns "with the thread of the spiral" and the other one against (I hope I was able to explain it), am I right? | ||
| Post# 91364 , Reply# 8 10/30/2005 at 09:47 (6,746 days old) by tlee618 () | ||
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Thanks for sharing those neat pictures Greg. I have always wanted to see one in action. Can't wait to see this machine work first hand. Terry | ||
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Post# 91371 , Reply# 9 10/30/2005 at 10:38 (6,746 days old) by peteski50 (New York) |
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Neptune TL | ||
| Post# 91402 , Reply# 12 10/30/2005 at 18:06 (6,746 days old) by mayken4now (Panama City, Florida) | ||
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| Post# 91459 , Reply# 14 10/30/2005 at 22:27 (6,746 days old) by pulsator-power (connecticut) | ||
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Funny, I was in our brand new Home Depot Fri night & someone was buying one of these. All I could think about was the corn oil. Are you sure yours wasn't a floor model or something? Jerry | ||
| Post# 91465 , Reply# 15 10/30/2005 at 22:42 (6,746 days old) by shanonabc () | ||
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wow! Got any videos? | ||
| Post# 91497 , Reply# 16 10/31/2005 at 04:02 (6,746 days old) by lavamat_jon (UK) | ||
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Wow - very neat machine indeed! Can't wait for any future videos - but don't forget to have a towel handy :-). Is this a machine for keeps? Jon | ||
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Post# 91506 , Reply# 17 10/31/2005 at 06:59 (6,745 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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Unique Washing Action | ||
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Post# 91507 , Reply# 18 10/31/2005 at 07:03 (6,745 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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Which way did he go? Which way did he go? | ||
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Post# 91510 , Reply# 19 10/31/2005 at 07:14 (6,745 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands) |
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Which way? | ||
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Post# 91521 , Reply# 20 10/31/2005 at 07:45 (6,745 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!) |
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Disc positions...
Here is the picture that I posted in the first thread, you can see the discs for reference. Contrary to what you might think, the discs only turn clockwise - you'd think they would turn the opposite (counterclockwise) direction with the ridge to help lift the clothes, but the clothes move in a rolling motion with the discs. This seemed so odd to me the first time I saw it a year ago, but the clothes actually do get moving pretty vigorously. The other strange things is that if you notice in this picture the "step" or ridge on the disc can be seen at the 12 o'clock position on one and if you look closely, you can see the the ridge on the opposite side is at about the 6 o'clock position. They are never together in exactly the same alignment, always this same configuration. Now to be a bit more confusing, this is a reversing motor machine. When it first starts it twirl-drain & spinning sequence, the discs move ever-so slowly in a counterclockwise direction to help lift the load up and help spread it out over the surface of the drum. This counterclockwise rotation happens at the same time the tub begins to spin so when the clothes are lifted, they are grabbed by the g-forces and held to the sides of the tub. I've been quite pleased with the results so far, I'm sure I'll find things I don't care for along the way - as with ANY washer, but the cleaning seems to be outstanding. I haven't noticed a lot of extra wear on clothes yet and even with a few mixed loads, it hasn't shown any aprreciable tangling or roping. I did a huge load of two sets of queen size sheets and four pillowcases and it came out beautifully - no roping, tangling and it did not rip and tear things to shreds as some have claimed on other sites. Well, not yet anyway ;-) I'm going to try to grab my sister's video camera so we you all can see this washing and the start of spin (IMO the best part) water levels, etc. This may take a bit as I don't have anyway to convert the video to digital format but we'll get it started anyway! 
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| Post# 91534 , Reply# 21 10/31/2005 at 09:05 (6,745 days old) by peterh770 (Marietta, GA) | ||
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Post# 91541 , Reply# 22 10/31/2005 at 10:31 (6,745 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands) |
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Thanks Greg for clearing up my misunderstanding. I don't know how I got that inside my head. Probably by all the talk about the similarity with frontloaders. From what you describe I have the impression it could work a bit like the Dyson frontloader with it's contrarotating action. I'm really looking forward to a video. Glad you like it thus far and you don't have any tangling. I think you should keep the machine, it will be a classic like the Maytag combo I bet.
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Post# 91691 , Reply# 23 10/31/2005 at 22:20 (6,745 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!) |
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Peter, similar to a front loader, the discs turn at different speeds and frequency. On Super Wash, the discs turn about +/- 50 rpm continuously through the entire wash cycle, on normal cycle, it's a bit slower with pauses every 20-30 seconds or so. I've not tried the delicate cycles yet, but sweater season is nearly here! There have been a few pleasant surprises with this washer so far, I'm sure there's more to discover, I'll bet under her skirt is an interesting photo-op... | ||
| Post# 91692 , Reply# 24 10/31/2005 at 22:22 (6,745 days old) by tlee618 () | ||
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It would be great to see a video of this machine in action Greg. What is the spin speed? Terry | ||
| Post# 91733 , Reply# 25 11/1/2005 at 06:55 (6,744 days old) by westyslantfront () | ||
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hi greg...thank you for the pictures...i look forward to videos...ross | ||
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Post# 91761 , Reply# 26 11/1/2005 at 10:36 (6,744 days old) by jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers) |
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Greg I'm impressed
I would probably have never bothered with a TL Neptune but it seems VERY different than John's Calapso-failure machine with "E.Disfunction"!!! Which, in my experienced opinion, does a horrible job, the first machine ever where the water and the clothes stay in different places inside the machine and the water actually misses everything! To the contrary this machine looks like it really mixes everything up and makes the water actually do some work. Gotta Love that FRESH START OY! I can't wait to play with it, maybe I should scout out behind my Lowes. jet | ||
| Post# 91764 , Reply# 27 11/1/2005 at 10:54 (6,744 days old) by brent-aucoin () | ||
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Greg, This machine really does sound so interesting! I bet you are having fun! Thanks for all of the pictures, and explanations. Brent | ||
| Post# 91782 , Reply# 29 11/1/2005 at 14:25 (6,744 days old) by runematic (southcentral pa) | ||
We've sold quite a few of these. The machine pictured has a final spin of 800rpm. These aren't as quiet as I'd like, but not bad. As for the tangling, I haven't had a complaint. Here is a quote from a Maytag service bulletin that we use to help defuse any potential problems: "With the introduction of an agitatorless top load washing machine, Maytag consumers are more likely to notice a common washing machine occurrence in the Neptune TL than they may have noticed in previous machines. The long sleeves of dress shirts and the legs of pants can wrap around one another. The consumer may indicate that their clothes are "tangling". This is not a new phenomenon. What is new is that, without an agitator, a consumer can lift the whole load of laundry out of the machine in one group. It is easier for the customer to see that legs and arms wrap around each other. One way to reduce this wrapping is to use the Wrinkle Control cycle. The tumbling cycle is modified in the different modes and this mode will reduce wrapping. Using a lower soil level setting will reduce the tumbling time and reduce wrapping. Remember, a heavy soil setting is designed for clothes that are truly quite dirty. Another common consumer issue is wrinkled clothing. New high efficiency washing machines use higher spin speeds to remove the water from the clothing. This reduces drying time. This higher spin speed also applied a significantly higher centrifugal force on the clothing. This higher force results in the appearance of deeper and more pronounced wrinkles. In most cases, these wrinkles are not set into the fabric. If the clothes are laid out of hung to dry without any tumbling to relax the wrinkles, the wrinkles will remain. Using fabric softener in the washing machine will also reduce wrinkles. Remember to have the customer dilute the softener in the dispenser. A quick and easy solution to both the wrapping issue and the wrinkling issue is sitting right next to the washing machine, the dryer. Load the laundry into the dryer and most wrapping and wrinkling will disappear. If the consumer wishes to dry their garments flat or hanging up, a short tumble in the dryer at low heat to relax the wrinkles and wrapping followed by flat or line drying will have great results. The energy savings offered by high efficiency washing machines can more than offset additional effort needed to get great results. Just like with anything new, there is a certain time needed for adjustment. If the customer gives the washer and dryer pair the opportunity to work together as designed, they will in most cases be happy with the performance and the cleaning levels offered through new washing technologies." | ||
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Post# 92107 , Reply# 31 11/3/2005 at 16:53 (6,742 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!) |
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This is exactly what I've been saying about new washer instructional videos for several years now. For the most part, they are not instructional at all. LG has about the worst one I've ever seen, Whirlpool Duet is closer to what's needed for most people to understand the functions and capabilities of the washer. For the average user that has no clue (or care) what goes on inside the tried and true top loading washer, to open the door or peer through the glass and see a strange sight or two is a bit offputting. Opening the lid of the Maytag Neptune TL and seeing a "ball" of clothes is quite shocking, perhaps if they had left the clothes stuck to the sides of the basket, it would have been more familiar and reassuring that their worlds had not been turned upside down. Bypassing the lid switches was easy enough, but since the water sprays from nozzles in the top panel into channels in the lid, with it open, the water hits the lid and the front of the observer in a quite embarassing way. I need to experiment with a small piece of rubber or plastic to slip in behind the lid to direct the water flow directly into the tub. | ||
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Post# 92490 , Reply# 34 11/6/2005 at 09:14 (6,739 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!) |
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Small Loads
Actually, small loads in the Neptune TL are quite disappointing. The impeller/discs rotate in the opposite direction you might think in wash/agitate cycles (the 'vane' is not lifting the load at all) and the action is pretty tame with only a few items in the tub. The few items I did in the very first load did move and turn over, OK for lightly soiled or delicate items, but not for heavily soiled items that needed a good scrubbing or thrashing.
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| Post# 92503 , Reply# 35 11/6/2005 at 09:28 (6,739 days old) by mayken4now (Panama City, Florida) | ||
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Post# 92535 , Reply# 37 11/6/2005 at 13:50 (6,739 days old) by dadoes (TX, U.S. of A.) |
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I believe he means that the discs don't rotate in the direction one would assume they should, based on how the large center "vanes" are molded into them ... not that they rotate in the opposite direction during a small load from how they rotate during a large load. Look at picture #3 above. See how the load is shoved up against the back of the wash basket, which means the disc at the right is turning clockwise and the one on the left is turning counterclockwise. Now look at the disc on the right, at the "vane" that is positioned at the lower right of the picture. With the disc turning clockwise, it slides beneath the clothes and doesn't provide any direct lifting force to roll them over. Also reference this picture. The little "nubs" molded into the outer edge of the discs, do provide some rollover, as does friction against the surface of the discs with the ridges molded into them. But a very small load, one, two, or three items, may not get much action. | ||
| Post# 92572 , Reply# 38 11/6/2005 at 19:30 (6,739 days old) by mrb627 (Buford, GA) | ||
Pillows | ||
| Post# 92577 , Reply# 39 11/6/2005 at 21:08 (6,739 days old) by mayken4now (Panama City, Florida) | ||
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| Post# 92649 , Reply# 41 11/7/2005 at 10:50 (6,738 days old) by designgeek () | ||
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Pillows hmm.... Pillows really need a good drenching, but I bet the Maytag would be great for blankets and suchlike that are more readily soaked through without having to be held under water. | ||
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Post# 92661 , Reply# 42 11/7/2005 at 11:36 (6,738 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!) |
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I usually try to wash pillows in a front-loader, preferably one with a higher water level. When I've done them in a Wascomat at one of my commercial accounts, I drench them with a warm pre-wash, then advance the cycle to final spin (OPL machine, no coin box) then restart the cycle again with detergent, etc. I have read in a number of vintage washer user's manuals to open a seam of the pillow ticking and pin shut again - one on each end of the pillow - presumably to allow air to escape. Once ticking gets wet, it doesn't allow air to escape very easily which is why I used the spin cycle to force the air out. I'm going to borrow my sister's video camera and will take some shots of the Nep-TL so everyone can see exactly how it runs. Glenn (dadoes) has the right idea though - discs only run in one direction, opposite of what you might think. All will be clear with video... | ||
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Post# 92756 , Reply# 43 11/7/2005 at 19:23 (6,738 days old) by super32 (Blackstone Massachusetts) |
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Discs
The discs dont really start in same "spot" everytime. The transsmission operates much the same as many other T/L's. One direction locks the gears and allows for spin and the other direction turns the gears for washing. The only key is make sure the discs are re-installed in a certain position if they are removed for servicing. There are 2 arrows, one on each disc, that must line up together upon re-installation. If they are not, they (maytag) warns that it would cause poor washing and extream tangling. Scott | ||
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