Thread Number: 4065
Danby Opinions? |
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Post# 95275 , Reply# 1   11/22/2005 at 21:24 (6,700 days old) by mayken4now (Panama City, Florida)   |   | |
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Post# 95294 , Reply# 2   11/22/2005 at 23:52 (6,700 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
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Post# 95475 , Reply# 9   11/24/2005 at 06:58 (6,699 days old) by stephenr0 ()   |   | |
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Thanks for the welcome. I can't say that I have much experience with vintage machines, but I do have a Danby. I like it. It basically seems to be a good value. Steve |
Post# 95517 , Reply# 10   11/24/2005 at 13:41 (6,699 days old) by mistervain ()   |   | |
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Steve whats the water level like on your Danby? |
Post# 95551 , Reply# 12   11/24/2005 at 21:55 (6,698 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Danby washers like Miele's no longer have the "extra water" option. IIRC this feature was discontinued on North American sold models a year or so ago. The button is still on the panel though, but it has been renamed and does something else. Think Danby had to drop the extra water option in order to gain the Energy Star rating. Launderess |
Post# 95602 , Reply# 16   11/25/2005 at 11:34 (6,698 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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Mistervain, regarding underarm odor residue, I would suggest adding some 20 Mule Team Borax or Borateem as an additive. Tomturbomatic does this to his shirts during the summer for this reason, makes htem very clean smelling. Tom has done this for years. I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way, but don't put all the blame on the machine's design. Is enough detergent being used; how hard is the water; is the fabric being washed in hot enough water.
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Post# 95652 , Reply# 18   11/26/2005 at 05:08 (6,697 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)   |   | |
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Mistervain, It's a general misapprehension that you need lots of water in the wash phase in a frontloader. It's important that while tumbling the clothes fall on the side of the drum, not in the water. In that way they get a similar treatment as clothes beaten on a rock, but more gentle than that. If you have ever watched people in other countries do laundry that way you will have noticed that the rock on which they beat the clothes is above water level, not under it. Beating the clothes on a rock that is in the water isn't very effective, the water would cushion the wash effect. Ofcourse you the clothes need to be wet, some kind of circulation system helps with that. As for rinsing, that's a whole different story. BTW, may I ask what detergent was used in the Kenmore FL? |
Post# 95679 , Reply# 20   11/26/2005 at 11:09 (6,697 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Underarms stains on shirts need to be treated BEFORE laundering for best results. White vinegar for old stains, liquid detergent or pre-treatment product for fresh. If you use liquid detergent, subtract the amount used for pre-treatment from the total for laundry. Or, just pre-soak your shirts in a tub with a good enzyme product for an hour. Regarding commercial untis: there are "soft mount" commercial washing machines about which have built in pump/drain systems and some even run on 120v/single phase power. If you want "more" water for washing shirts, get yourself a twin tub washer, vintage or modern. Not exactly "automatic" washing, but you have more control over the washing process. Launderess |
Post# 96092 , Reply# 21   11/29/2005 at 09:40 (6,694 days old) by washoholic (San Antonio, TX)   |   | |
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Steve, welcome to our club! Jon is right about the Danby not having a way to raise the water level in the rinse. The water plus button raises the water level in the cotton wash cycle. The water level is automatically raised in the other cycles, the rinse and in the pre-wash. Steve, I’m not sure where you’re getting your information about the government not letting Danby raise the water level anymore, but my Danby has the water plus button rather than the gentle wash button and it’s energy star compliant. I purchased it from a Danby dealer. I have seen the ones with the gentle wash button at places like Home Depot and have only seen the ones with the water plus button at dealers. The dealer told me that dealers are the only ones that carry the model with this option, and do still have them (my information is coming from what the dealer said which may or may not be correct). I tend to believe Laundress more since I’ve never seen Laundress write anything that was incorrect or grammatically incorrect on this site. Jeff |
Post# 96097 , Reply# 22   11/29/2005 at 10:05 (6,694 days old) by washoholic (San Antonio, TX)   |   | |
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Post# 96118 , Reply# 23   11/29/2005 at 14:14 (6,694 days old) by mistervain ()   |   | |
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JEFF thanks for the info....what's the highest your water level gets? Could you post a picture of it during the wash? And when did you buy your Danby? |
Post# 96136 , Reply# 25   11/29/2005 at 15:52 (6,693 days old) by washoholic (San Antonio, TX)   |   | |
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I bought mine about a year and a half ago, and I love it. It holds more than you would think. It holds a 10 lb. cotton load. I put 10 lbs. of towels in and it seems to work a little hard, but they all came out clean. The drum volume is 1.69 cu. Ft. My Neptune is 3.34 cu. Ft. (1.69 + 1.69 = 3.38) so it’s about half the size of the Neptune. I tried to put a king sized comforter in it, but it just won’t fit through the door (the drum is bigger than the door opening). Here is the water level on the cotton cycle. It is well below the door (washing is a long john top and bottom on each picture). |
Post# 96137 , Reply# 26   11/29/2005 at 15:56 (6,693 days old) by washoholic (San Antonio, TX)   |   | |
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The water level on the cotton cycle with the water plus button pushed. It is just at the door and the door can still be opened without a flood. I use this for washing my 2 roommates work clothes. They are plumbers and sometimes their clothes are covered in dirt, mud, sweat, or plumbing glue. The Danby does take out odors, too. The water plus button seems to cause a showering effect which is great for washing work clothes. I do not use with towels since it seems to cause excessive foam.
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Post# 96139 , Reply# 27   11/29/2005 at 15:57 (6,693 days old) by washoholic (San Antonio, TX)   |   | |
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The water level in the perm press cycle is just above the door. The machine will always let you open the door about 1 to 2 minutes after the power button is in the off position, but if you open it now you better have a mop handy. Also, I have noticed that when a full load is washing the machine uses more water. The clothes absorb the water and if you stop the washer for a few minutes the water drains out of the clothes and the water level rises. |
Post# 96140 , Reply# 28   11/29/2005 at 16:02 (6,693 days old) by washoholic (San Antonio, TX)   |   | |
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Post# 96148 , Reply# 30   11/29/2005 at 16:41 (6,693 days old) by mistervain ()   |   | |
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Thanks for the photos Jeff. The perm press cycle has the kind of water level I am looking for. Hopefully these models are still available? |
Post# 96149 , Reply# 31   11/29/2005 at 16:57 (6,693 days old) by washoholic (San Antonio, TX)   |   | |
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Post# 96151 , Reply# 32   11/29/2005 at 17:01 (6,693 days old) by washoholic (San Antonio, TX)   |   | |
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Post# 96154 , Reply# 33   11/29/2005 at 17:14 (6,693 days old) by stephenr0 ()   |   | |
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Yes, I did. Thanks. Now to see what I can figure out. Steve |
Post# 96174 , Reply# 35   11/29/2005 at 18:45 (6,693 days old) by washoholic (San Antonio, TX)   |   | |
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Mistervain, I’m not sure if these models are still available. It sounds like the dealer may have sold me an old machine, but that’s okay because I like this one better. I called the dealer today and they are out of business. They only do service now. The availability probably depends on your area. Put your zip code in the dealer locater page at the Danby website, or check with your local Home Depot. The link is the Danby site. Good luck, Steve. I thought about adjusting the screws on the water level control, but I’ve never seen one like that before. Let me know what you end up doing. Jeff CLICK HERE TO GO TO washoholic's LINK |
Post# 96188 , Reply# 36   11/29/2005 at 19:53 (6,693 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Water level switch was indeed the "first" Danby washer to sell in the US. Subsequent models had the water plus button switched out. Proof of this is that the new models still used (or still use for all one knows)the same owners manual as the previous one which list features like the extra water buttton which is no longer there. L. |
Post# 96221 , Reply# 37   11/29/2005 at 22:50 (6,693 days old) by kenmorepeter5 ()   |   | |
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Hello I'm deaf. Can you make the video (movie) about the Danby's wash action (activity), rinse and spin? (run wash tumble of 2 directions drive)....is that OK? Thanks! ;-) - Peter (kenmorepeter5) |
Post# 96368 , Reply# 40   11/30/2005 at 17:54 (6,692 days old) by washoholic (San Antonio, TX)   |   | |
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Post# 96371 , Reply# 42   11/30/2005 at 18:12 (6,692 days old) by mistervain ()   |   | |
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STEVE I'm not electronics-knowledgeable at all but if you rigged it like that couldn't anyone? Meaning would all the Danbys have those same switches you played with. |
Post# 96449 , Reply# 45   12/1/2005 at 19:00 (6,691 days old) by washoholic (San Antonio, TX)   |   | |
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Steve, The water plus button works anywhere on the dial during the wash portion of the cotton cycle between “B” and the cool down. I’ve tested it by pushing the button anywhere in that range and it will fill until the water plus level is reached. “A” (pre-wash) is always the same water level as the cotton cycle w/ the water plus button pushed and so are the rinses in the cotton cycle. The perm press cycle has a slightly higher water level. “K” which is the rinse in the perm press cycle before the only intermediate spin, has the highest water level of all which happens to be the same as the Wool cycle’s water level. Jeff |
Post# 96451 , Reply# 46   12/1/2005 at 19:15 (6,691 days old) by stephenr0 ()   |   | |
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Sounds good, thanks. Steve |
Post# 96467 , Reply# 47   12/1/2005 at 21:42 (6,691 days old) by mistervain ()   |   | |
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Jeff I want your Danby! My condo doesn't have W/D hookups though....:( |
Post# 96820 , Reply# 48   12/4/2005 at 22:25 (6,688 days old) by washoholic (San Antonio, TX)   |   | |
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Patrick, to have a Danby you only need a drain and a cold water hook-up. The Danby works great as a cold fill only washer like the ones they have in Europe. The heater works great to heat the water. It’s actually made by Gorenje. Check out their web site. They are world wide and have a touch screen washer. Jeff CLICK HERE TO GO TO washoholic's LINK |
Post# 96821 , Reply# 49   12/4/2005 at 22:27 (6,688 days old) by washoholic (San Antonio, TX)   |   | |
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Post# 96833 , Reply# 51   12/5/2005 at 00:20 (6,688 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Kitchen faucet connection is easy. You'll need a "quick Connect" faucet adaptor set(found in any hardware store), and perhaps a "Y" connector if the washer needs both hot and cold water lines connected. If the unit does not need both lines connected, cap off the hot water line and connect the one hose to the cold water line. Water temp is selected from the faucet, but the unit will sense wash water temps and "heat" where necessary. If the washer requires both hot and cold water lines, hook up the quick connect adaptor and use the "y" connector to split the one hose off the faucet to two separate water lines, "hot" and "cold". Again water temp will be decided at the faucet and the washer will "heat" where needed. This means if you choose "hot" wash and the water is warm, the heater will kick in (certian cycles only). If you choose a warm wash and the water is too cool, the same. These instructions are for kitchen faucets that are single, if you have two separate taps, you just need two quick connect adaptor kits (one for each tap and hose) and complete installation as usual. Problem with using quick connect adaptors is you are tying up the kitchen sink until laundry is done. You may wish to look into having a plumber install connections under the sink off the existing pipes. This would allow you to do laundry while not tying up the kitchen taps. Launderess |
Post# 96837 , Reply# 52   12/5/2005 at 01:04 (6,688 days old) by mistervain ()   |   | |
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THANK YOU Launderess! I'm going to look into this....and find me a Danby with the water level options! :) |
Post# 96838 , Reply# 53   12/5/2005 at 01:25 (6,688 days old) by mistervain ()   |   | |
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Jeff whats the exact model number of yours ? I don't want to get the version that doesn't have the water plus button. |
Post# 96890 , Reply# 58   12/5/2005 at 09:41 (6,688 days old) by washoholic (San Antonio, TX)   |   | |
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The Danby does have a hot and cold hook-up, so you will need to split the one hose off the faucet to two separate water lines, "hot" and "cold" on the back of the machine, as Launderess mentioned above with a “Y” connector. Designgeek brought up another interesting point. The machine should be placed near the sink in a permanent spot and leveled since you will not want to keep moving it. The model number on mine is DWM5500W as mentioned by StephenRO. The new model has a “-1” after the model number. The easiest way to tell the difference in the models is to look at the buttons on the machine. The 3rd button from the top is either “water plus” or “gentle wash.” As far as hacking it goes, Steve hacked his and it seemed to be very easy for him. Perhaps he will share with you how he did it. On the other hand, I have a friend that has the Danby w/ the “gentle wash” button and he likes his machine. The “water plus button” is a nice feature, but it’s not necessary for clean clothes. Good Luck, Jeff |
Post# 96907 , Reply# 60   12/5/2005 at 11:40 (6,688 days old) by stephenr0 ()   |   | |
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Here's a picture of the timer. |
Post# 96908 , Reply# 61   12/5/2005 at 11:41 (6,688 days old) by stephenr0 ()   |   | |
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Here's a picture of the pressure switch. |
Post# 96909 , Reply# 62   12/5/2005 at 11:42 (6,688 days old) by stephenr0 ()   |   | |
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Here's a picture of my switch. |
Post# 96910 , Reply# 63   12/5/2005 at 11:44 (6,688 days old) by stephenr0 ()   |   | |
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Here's a picture of my completed wiring. You can see the three 3M Quick Connects that I used. |
Post# 96912 , Reply# 64   12/5/2005 at 12:04 (6,688 days old) by stephenr0 ()   |   | |
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Oh, and make sure that you unplug the machine before you try this, in case I need to mention it. :-) Steve |
Post# 97006 , Reply# 67   12/5/2005 at 23:53 (6,687 days old) by mistervain ()   |   | |
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Cool I will keep that in mind .... are there any wiring diagrams I would need besides the instructions? My email is in my profile. Patrick (mistervain) |
Post# 97032 , Reply# 69   12/6/2005 at 08:25 (6,687 days old) by stephenr0 ()   |   | |
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A quick google shows you're right. It's been many years since the class where I learned that. Mr. Tjaden would be dissappointed. :-) Steve |
Post# 97297 , Reply# 73   12/7/2005 at 19:19 (6,685 days old) by washoholic (San Antonio, TX)   |   | |
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The water plus button does not change the water level in the permanent press cycle. “K” on the dial, which is one of the rinses in the permanent press cycle, has the highest water level (see my earlier Post# 96449-12/1/2005-19:00 |||). For the picture of this water level see Post# 96139-11/29/2005-15:57 |||. Jeff |
Post# 97384 , Reply# 76   12/8/2005 at 08:26 (6,685 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
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Post# 97385 , Reply# 77   12/8/2005 at 08:28 (6,685 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
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Post# 98030 , Reply# 79   12/12/2005 at 17:27 (6,680 days old) by stainfighter (Columbia, SC)   |   | |
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I would love to own one b/c it would be the perfect capacity to match my Frigidaire dryer which has 5.8 cu capacity. It seems a shame that Electrolux did not redesign their dryer to match the new larger (3.5cu?) FL. As it is with my older 3.1 cu I sometimes have to dry a full wash in two smaller loads. And I would like the heater function. No Danby dealers locally, I'd have to drive one hour to get one...
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