Thread Number: 59415  /  Tag: Modern Automatic Washers
Spin Speeds
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Post# 820164   4/20/2015 at 14:10 (3,264 days old) by liberatordeluxe (UK)        

Is 800 rpm fast enough to get laundry sufficiently dry particularly cottons?




Post# 820166 , Reply# 1   4/20/2015 at 14:28 (3,264 days old) by dave886 (united kingdom)        

800rpm isn't really fast in my opinion, 1000rpm is the minimum standard in most basic machines today. I couldn't live without my 1400rpm on my machine, which spins for a long 23mins

Post# 820169 , Reply# 2   4/20/2015 at 14:39 (3,264 days old) by whitetub (Montreal, Canada)        

23 minutes of spinning..... I would lose my patience, waiting for the machine to stop.

Post# 820170 , Reply# 3   4/20/2015 at 15:03 (3,264 days old) by liberatordeluxe (UK)        

My Bosch has variable but top speed is 1200. The older hotpoints used to be 800 rpm didn't they and from what I remember washing took a lot longer to dry than what we have now.

Post# 820174 , Reply# 4   4/20/2015 at 15:42 (3,264 days old) by dascot (Scotland)        

It's the length of the spin rather than solely the speed which will determine how dry items get. I remember tests in the 90s where AEG / Bosch / Siemens lower end machines with slower spin speeds did better than Hotpoints / Aristons and others with 'fast' spins that only got to the top speed for a short amount of time.

What machine do you have that it does a 23 minute spin cycle? That's excessive!


Post# 820175 , Reply# 5   4/20/2015 at 15:48 (3,264 days old) by mrboilwash (Munich,Germany)        

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I remember in the 1970s and even in the 80s 800 rpm was considered a high spin speed for an automatic and those washers were considerably more expensive.

Of course by today`s standarts a residual moisture content of about 70% isn`t that great, but back then it was good enough for most people to finally ditch their separate spin drier.


Post# 820176 , Reply# 6   4/20/2015 at 15:50 (3,264 days old) by henene4 (Heidenheim a.d. Brenz (Germany))        

I doubt it's 23 minutes full speed.
Time indeed plays a role, but even the longest 1000rpm spins don't get close to 1400rpm. Meanwhile, a short (approximatley 60 second) 1600rpm burst does an about equal job to an average 1400rpm spin cycle in my experience.
But there is the factor of drum size and as a result actual drum speed as well as the size of the load as well.
If the tub is bigger in diameter, it factly spins faster at the same rpm than a smaller drum. Higher speeds mean higher G-force.
If the load is bigger, more laundry per surface area means more force per area equals better extraction.
For me, 800rpm are just about right for big blankets and woolens. That or less for actual delicates. 1000 for crease care, 1200/1400 for everyday loads and a long 1600rpm for everything that goes into the dryer.


Post# 820202 , Reply# 7   4/20/2015 at 18:57 (3,264 days old) by murando531 (Augusta, Georgia - US)        

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The time of spin has a big effect on the difference in performance between machines. The Bravos spins at 1100 rpm when set to Max Extract, but that speed is only actually acheived in the last 1-2 minutes of the final spin cycle. I've found that since the machine was replaced, and I'm doing everything I can to alleviate stress points where I can, the "Medium" spin speed tops at around 800 rpm, and adds more time to the spin. I can't tell a difference at all between the dryness levels of clothes spun at max speed vs. medium. And like henene said above, tub diameter plays a huge role in that as well. The WP top load agitator washer I have also spins at about 800rpm I believe, but there's a HUGE difference between how dry the two washers leave the load at the end of the cycle, because the Bravos has a much wider tub, and the WP doesn't spin as long as I would like it to.

In my opinion, a lower spin speed paired with a longer period of time is just as effective as supersonic speeds in a short burst, but I do strongly believe that keeping the spins slightly lower will do wonders to help bearings last longer. In the handful of loads I've done so far with this replacement machine, I've set the spin to medium, and it actually defaults to that on most cycles unless changed and the memory keeps the setting, and I've not noticed a bit of difference in dry times, but I do feel more at ease in that I'm not putting unnecessary wear on the drive system. The 1100rpm spin is quite entertaining to watch and hear, but I don't see any point in the damage it could cause overtime if it doesn't really make a big difference, and waiting a few more minutes for the load to finish doesn't bother me in the slightest.


Post# 820224 , Reply# 8   4/20/2015 at 21:18 (3,264 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        

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Too many variables to the OP's query to give an answer without further information.

Dry enough for cottons to what end? Hang dry? Tumble dry? Tumble dry using less energy? Damp dry for ironing?

High extraction speeds in both commercial and domestic laundry serve to reduce energy use. That is with less residual moisture less heat is required by the ironers/for ironing or tumble dryers to evaporate. In much of Europe where energy costs are high and resources scarce it makes sense to increase efficiency by extracting as much water from laundry as possible. Again this makes the drying less energy intensive.

However there are limits.

My AEG Oko-Lavamat goes up to 1800rpms but the chart in owner's manual shows what you can find elsewhere; there is a gradual diminishing of returns in terms of remaining moisture from say 1200 to 1800 rpms. Main difference comes from 800 or less rpms to 1000 or 1200 rpms. This drop off around the 1200 mark to the point of being a one percent or so difference between that number and 1800 rpms.

However there are several other factors to consider.

Long high speed extraction is hard on laundry and can also be for the machine. The latter is especially true if it often does such spins with heavy and unbalanced loads. Just look at how many older front loaders with "slow" final spin speeds that are still around with their original bearings. Meanwhile plenty of high speed washers barely last five or so years. Of course there are other contributing factors such as design and build quality....

Spinning things too fast and or for too long can create creases that no amount of ironing or tumble drying will remove. It certainly makes the job of ironing more difficult as one has to shift all those creases. You notice most "no iron" shirt programs have low and or special spin designs to avoid creating creases. My Lavamat does 1200 rpms for final spin with that program but only for about two minutes.

If using a condenser type dryer, then yes, you want to get as much moisture out of laundry as possible. In fact the only time one really uses the 1800 final spin with the Lavamat is for laundry going into the Lavatherm dryer.


Post# 820264 , Reply# 9   4/21/2015 at 04:11 (3,263 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)        
Is 800rpm adequate...

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In a word Yes it can be for any fabrics but depends on how you wish to dry clothing in terms of speed, efficiency and cost!! years ago 800 was all we had and you didn't know any different, you either used a separate spin dryer or they stayed on the line longer - mind that was when any Uk produced Hoover Hotpoint and Servis did a cotton wash in under an hour and you could get it on the line by 10am - now you would have to have a wash going by 7am to achieve that...

Personally I love the large 8kg 1400 spin ratio or the 5 - 7kg 1600rpm, there is a difference on drying times and costs with lower speeds and certainly from a 1200rpm spin of any size, spinning time is also a big factor although most programmes operating on 20 23 mins are usually a vary profile spin action , tumbling whilst throwing most of the water at low revolutions, the main spin is usually around 9 mins continuous and usually building in spin speed - i.e. 1600 usually for the last few mins.

I think inertia is also a key factor, the 800 spin of an 80's Zanusi with and induction motor used to slowly coast up to 800, and brush motor say from Hoover used to go from 0 - 800 in a few seconds and I think that g force always produced a better extraction by models I used with the same bedding!!

Am just using a Hoover slope front Keymatic with a bevelled middle tub and slanted drum spinning @ 740rpm and its amazing how good the extraction is.!! And think of all those spinners whizzing at 2,800 we even spun woollens and delicates in them but just adjusted the time!!!

Its all in the Spin, Time, Revolutions and Inertia!! - Happy Spinning.


Post# 820268 , Reply# 10   4/21/2015 at 04:34 (3,263 days old) by richnz (New Zealand)        
Does it not depend on the radius of the drum?

A larger radius drum doesn't have to spin as fast to generate large g-forces on the clothes. I find 1600rpm leads to wrinkly clothes but 800rpm takes two days on the clothes horse to dry.

Post# 820270 , Reply# 11   4/21/2015 at 04:50 (3,263 days old) by arbilab (Ft Worth TX (Ridglea))        

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Um, diameter has much less to do with it than RPM. Velocity is squared, diameter is not. My Chinese twinnie has a very small drum (~8") but at 1300rpm gets towels dry enough to use-- or dry in 20min with a standard residential dryer-- in 2 1/2min.

With a drum roughly 3x larger, my ElectroFrigiWhite FL @800rpm takes twice as long to dry the same load. However, for longevity the machine is programmed only to spin top speed for the last 2min out of 6.

But see 'twinnie' above. 1/3 the diameter, half again the speed, almost same time at top speed, twice the results. Of course, the twinnie can be manually balanced such that strain is minimal (it ain't rocket science, becomes intuitive). A fullsize TL can also be manually balanced if needed. A FL can be manually redistributed after waiting for the door to unlock but the results are hit/miss as the machine will repeat the distribution portion and may make the same mistake again.


Post# 820287 , Reply# 12   4/21/2015 at 07:02 (3,263 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Spin Speed and Water Extraction

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Spin Speed is by far the most important factor, then comes diameter of the tub, and finally the length of the spin cycle.

 

Hi Andrew, the main bearings will not be hurt by really fast spin speeds nearly as much as your dryer will running longer trying to dry wetter clothing.

 

In the repair end of things we basically NEVER see bad bearings in a washer unless the water seal failed and water got into the bearings.

 

The single biggest reason for water seal failure in almost any washer is mineral, scum, and other buildups around the seal area. This is ALWAYS caused by bad washing practices that leave all this crap behind. It can also be caused by running the machine with little or no detergent in the water, which is a reason to avoid over rinsing clothing especially if your water is not completely soft.


Post# 820299 , Reply# 13   4/21/2015 at 09:31 (3,263 days old) by henene4 (Heidenheim a.d. Brenz (Germany))        
G-Forces, Radius and speed

"Velocity is squared, diameter is not." Sorry, but that is the dumbest thing I heared today, and I had a conversation about human rights with somebody today who said that not everybody has the equal right to live. Don't ask, it basicly was his job to do so.

You can't throw scales into the room and argue about squareing and such. Its simply not possible to make a point with that. No. Simply no.

And: F(centrifugal)=(m*v²)\r=m*r*(v\r)². Now, with the first, you right. It seems that v (velocity) is more important. HOWEVER you work with rpm. If 2 drums spin at 1400rpm, but one is bigger than the other, it has to spin faster. Further, as the second part of the formula shows, r is another multiplicator.

Lets do some examples:
Washer one has a drum radius of 20cm, spins at 1400 rpm.
Washer 2 has 20cm as well, but 1600rpm.
That means 40 pi cm circumfrence. Washer one has a speed of about 30m\s. Washer two boild down to 33,5m\s.
Washer three and four have a slightly bigger drum of 25cm radius and 1400󡀀rpm respectable.
So, 50 pi cm circumfrence, equal to 37m\s or 42m\s each.

Using the formula I get 716m\s² for washer one, 893m\s² for washer 2, washer 3 871m\s² and 1123m\s² for the fourth one. That equals about 72G, 91G, 89G and 115G. Now, that's not a lot compared to some others, somebody might correct me if I'm wrong. But I doubt it.

But now, thats just pure force. One would have to check surface area as well. If the load is concentrated on a smaller area, thats more force per area. That may be why your smaller spindryer is extracting more water: More laundry per area. Thus more force.



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Post# 820304 , Reply# 14   4/21/2015 at 10:56 (3,263 days old) by kb0nes (Burnsville, MN)        

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Here is a handy little nomograph which is nice if you want to skip the math. This came from a site discussing relative G-force of laboratory centrifuges so the high end of the RPM scale is HIGH.

The formula I always used is:

G-Force = 1.12 x R(radius in mm) x (RPM/1000)^2

Indeed increases in both Radius and RPM increase G force, but RPM more so.


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Post# 820313 , Reply# 15   4/21/2015 at 12:18 (3,263 days old) by dave886 (united kingdom)        
@DASCOT

I have a LG F1495KD first 3mins of the cycle is draining and tumbling, then it does one spin up to 1000rpm for 8mins then slow down to 400rpm then spins to gradually rises up 1400rpm spin for 5mins. Out of owning a zannusi 1400rpm, hotpoint 1600rpm, samusumg 1400rpm, LG has the best spin cycle, because my clothes have never felt drier & have less creases compared to using those other machines. Yes it sounds crazy 23min extraction cycle, and spinning at 1400rpm for 5mins, i guess thats one of the benefits of owning a direct drive washing machine. With todays technology anything possible

Post# 820316 , Reply# 16   4/21/2015 at 12:35 (3,263 days old) by aquarius1984 (Planet earth)        

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Im confused... 3 + 8 + 5 = 16 minutes for the spin programme. Im confused. why is that 23?

Post# 820321 , Reply# 17   4/21/2015 at 13:20 (3,263 days old) by henene4 (Heidenheim a.d. Brenz (Germany))        

Its dascots Hotpoint I think that shows 23 minutes. LG excludes balancing time and usually displayed 17 or alike at the start of the spin.

Our Whirlpool\Bauknecht does a short 200-400rpm spin first, then check for balance again and either rebalances or goes on with its spin routine. It speeds up to 400rpm for bit, then to something between 400 and 1000 (I think 600 or likewise) for a bit, then to 1000 for another bit and then up to 1400rpm for the first time. This first birst takes about 5 minutes total. These first 1400rpm are held for 90 seconds. Then it slows down to that medium spin again. After 90 seconds it speeds up again to 1400rpm for 60-180 seconds depending on load size. The whole actual spin usually takes 10-12 minutes, with all fluffing times and the first spin its supposed to take 19 minutes until finish, but that's barley ever accurate. Either its faster or slower, but barley ever on the spot.

The AEG starts at 17 minutes. First minute is draining, At 16⏿ minutes, it balances to a roughly ok point. After a short burst to a maximum of 600rpm (it either aborts the burst before it reaches 600 or stops spinning just as it reached 600). If the spin was not aborted, it stays in distribution mode, senses the load again and the decides. If rebalancing is necessary, it slows down completly and starts distribution. Once it started spinning, it does a short stop at 600rpm to check for balance again. It either aborts again and repeats or goes on with spinning. If it decides it is well balanced, the time advances to 14 minutes and it speeds up to 1000rpm. If the spin is aborted from this point on, the washer stores a fault code. That never happend to us, though. At 12, it goes up to 1200rpm. At 11 or 10, it goes to max speed (either 1400 or 1600 rpm). This is kept for 150 seconds usually. Sometimes it might be 120, sometimes 180. Again, depending on load size. At 7 minutes, it slows down, fluffs and goes to unlock.

The Panasonic had a nice, verry clear and verry blockish spin sequence. Every non-delicate cycle (which means any cycle except Outdoor, Delicate and Wool) followed the same basic spin design.
It was based on the long Cottons spin (only used when a Cotton cycle was selected). Spins were akways the same, idependent of load size. At 21 minutes, draining started. Once drained, it advanced to 20 minutes and distributed for the first time. This extended to 18 minutes, where it stopped countdown. If a balance liad was achieved (sensing wasn't picky at that point), it did a first 2 minute 400rpm burst. Tha lasted throughout minutes 16+17. At minute 15, that restarted again. 3 minutes for balancing, 2 minutes 400rpm spin. At 10 minutes left, the ultra-sensitive sensing began. It stayed at 10 minutes rebalancing until almost perfect balance was achieved. The, it started speeding up with a equally stepped profil, reachin full speed at the 5 minute mark. At minute 2, it started slowing down. Minute 1 was for 4 fluffing tumbles, and then it unlocked the door.
If one selected a non-Cotton cycle , it basicly just cut of the first 2 spin bursts.
On Speed mode, it canceled the first 2 bursts, the fluffing and speeded up the speeding up process, which placed the magic balance mark at 7 minutes with an total estimate of 10 minutes.
On Eco mode on Cottons, the balancing was simmilar to Speed, the ramp up was equal to Cottons without option, but it doubled the time at max speed. As one could select options on seperate spins as well, that was my preffered option for respinning loads. Total time 14 minutes, magic time 13 minutes.
The Easy Iron option used the same spin sequence on any cycle one could set it. It would do 6 (I think) burst over 19 minutes, with the first half being low speed and the second half high speed (no higher then 800rpm). Rebalancing the load each time, it could not only take abit, but clothes came out questionable dry for an easy iron option.
The three extra cycles behaved in 2 ways: Delicates and wool simply took the last Cotton spin intervall and cut out any part of the ramp above their maximum speed. That left Delicates with 8 or 6 minutes with 800rpm max and woolens with 5 minutes at 500 max.
Outdoor used a 31 minute, non-adjustable spin. It maxed out at 800 and used several rebalances, spin patterns and timeshifts to remove water from watertight items. It was pretty over-engenered and didn't do so well either.


Post# 820324 , Reply# 18   4/21/2015 at 13:57 (3,263 days old) by Michael (London /England)        
Spinning

I remember when the Hoover electronic 800 deluxe came out in about 77/78.
The ad went something like this... a lady would say Buying a new automatic? ask about the spin speed..the new hoover electronic deluxe spins at 800 rpm to get your washing drier. with that the lady would twirl her finger and it would wiz round!
My Miele 5964 spins at 1200 rpm on the minimum iron programme and I have to say, all the washing comes out really dry! Out of all the machines I have owned, this is the only one that doesn't require an extra spin on this programme and no creases either!


Post# 820407 , Reply# 19   4/22/2015 at 04:27 (3,262 days old) by robliverpool (england Liverpool)        

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I bought a creda spin dryer a few months back that spins at 2800rpm as my beko washing machine only spins at 1400rpm and it doesn't remove anymore water than the washing machine does.

Post# 821466 , Reply# 20   4/29/2015 at 17:11 (3,255 days old) by DaveTranter (Central England)        
800 spin

An 800 rpm spin probably removes more moisture than a single pass through a mangle/wringer, but not enough for economical drying (see my post from a couple of years ago on the subject of 'Spin Dryers'). My Electrolux WH818 leaves laundry too wet to place into a tumble dryer. It's line dry only for anything washed in it.
The Good Lady's 1450 rpm Zanussi delivers laundry almost ready to iron dry.

Hope this helps

All best

Dave T


Post# 821485 , Reply# 21   4/29/2015 at 19:33 (3,255 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
IIRC

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Best mangles/wringers can do would equal 400 rpms in a spin cycle.

Keep in mind there are limits to how tight you can make mangle/wringer rollers before causing problems for both the device and or anything being put through.


Post# 821541 , Reply# 22   4/30/2015 at 10:23 (3,254 days old) by thefixer ()        

Well, the ubiquitous Whirlpool direct drives only spin at about 650rpm as does my 13 year old GE and they get the water out just fine.

Post# 821559 , Reply# 23   4/30/2015 at 14:41 (3,254 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
Being as we are a land of "ahem" cheap natural resou

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Which are or at least thought to be infinite, high final spin speeds haven't mattered as much say compared to Europe. Once clothes dryers became the norm for most households excess moisture was just "baked" out of laundry.

Our local Laundromat just got refitted with new SQ front loaders that give a much better extraction. Previous units left some items very wet IMHO. Indeed have often said things spun in my Miele and taken to dry finished faster than loads washed there and then dried.


Post# 821627 , Reply# 24   5/1/2015 at 03:49 (3,253 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)        

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Some Asko's spin at 2000rpm's...but that's the Volvo of the lineup. Mine just goes 1000, but that's not a problem for my GE gas dryer.

Post# 821747 , Reply# 25   5/2/2015 at 09:14 (3,252 days old) by Practigal ()        
Perhaps you can explain....

The old TL Maytag apparently maxed out around 800 rpm, laundry certainly felt damp....drying time for towels 40 minutes on regular heat....now with the new Electrolux FL max rpm is reportedly 1400 and the laundry is almost dry coming out....why should I expect drying times in a condensor dryer to be an hour or more with so much less moisture involved? Also why is a condensor more efficient when it seems to be using more electricity to run that additional length of time?

Post# 821749 , Reply# 26   5/2/2015 at 10:06 (3,252 days old) by logixx (Germany)        

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Condensing dryers are just slower than vented ones - that's just their nature.

Whether vented or condenser is more efficient depends on whether you mean a regular condenser dryer that uses cold air or a modern heat pump condenser dryer. The regular (air) version is probably always the least efficient. Vented dryers use a little less energy. Heat pump dryers are, despite their long cycles, the most efficient. Of course, there are many variables: a normal condenser gives off hot air that could help heat your house, a vented dryer can suck out AC'd air etc. etc. And if you have a gas dryer, it might be even cheaper than an electric heat pump dryer.


Post# 822796 , Reply# 27   5/10/2015 at 14:31 (3,244 days old) by liberatordeluxe (UK)        

I found when I had a Hotpoint for a short time the 800 rpm speed was good because it spun for a decent amount of time. I usually use 1000 or 1200 on Bosch and is ample. Washing doesn't take long to dry in summer or winter with the central heating or log burner on.

Post# 822847 , Reply# 28   5/10/2015 at 19:54 (3,244 days old) by rapunzel (Sydney)        

710 rpm for my SQ top loader. A full load in the dryer is done in an hour, partial loads dry faster. If one line dries spin speed ought not matter all that much.

Post# 822851 , Reply# 29   5/10/2015 at 20:58 (3,244 days old) by warmsecondrinse (Fort Lee, NJ)        
Condenser dryers

I'm a little confused on terminology. The condenser dryer I had used a trickle of cold water in to condense moisture out of the wet, heated air from the laundry drum. This dryer did NOT give off hot air into the house. AFAIK, all condenser dryers currently for sale in the U.S. work the same way. What is the name of this type of condenser dryer?

I assume this is not an "air" condenser dryer. Is there a thread somewhere explaining how they work?

Thanks,

Jim


Post# 822853 , Reply# 30   5/10/2015 at 21:06 (3,244 days old) by warmsecondrinse (Fort Lee, NJ)        

My Maytag TL spun at about 750, IIRC. A full load of towels took about an hour in the GE gas dryer I had. The GE HE Hydrowave Eco-B.S. spun at just under 1000. I'd wash in the Maytag then rinse&spin in the GE. Clothes spun in the GE took about 15 minutes less to dry than if I put them in directly from the Maytag.

Jim


Post# 822858 , Reply# 31   5/10/2015 at 21:33 (3,244 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)        
@Jim

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That would be a water cooled condenser dryer.

Post# 822864 , Reply# 32   5/10/2015 at 23:51 (3,244 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
Condenser (Ventless) Dryers In USA

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Maytag, Hotpoint and Frigidaire all had "ventless" condenser dryers back in the 1950's. The first two were water cooled and the last used the same air/condenser coil system found in European (non-heat pump) condenser dryers today. The Frigidaire only extracted 50% (give or take) of he moisture according to CR, the rest was sent into the room.

By the 1970's or sooner no American appliance manufacturer offered condenser dryers of any sort. But in the 1980's or early 1990's you started to see imports of European versions by Asko, Miele, Creda, Malber, Equator and maybe a few others. Malber and Equator used water cooling systems, and the rest closed condenser coil systems.

As to why condenser (non-heat pump units) take longer and consume slightly more energy than vented dryers is a simple matter of physics and design.

With a vented dryer a constant flow of heated and dry air replaces the moisture laden air that is sent out of the dryer. This results in slightly faster drying times. OTOH condenser dryers are like air conditioners or refrigerators with only "half" a cooling system. That is they rely purely upon the difference between ambient room temperature air and what is inside the dryer to remove moisture. Because the air circulating is often somewhat still moisture laden it cannot pick up as much when it returns to the clothes. Much depends upon the climate/air temperature and humidity levels of the place where the condenser dryer is located.

It comes as no surprise that condenser dryers are popular in Northern European countries where outside venting isn't possible. During the colder months those countries provide the ideal climate (cool to cold) so the dryer can take in such air and thus "condense" more moisture out of a load of laundry.

OTOH during a hot humid NYC summer, or really any place where it is warm to hot and humid a condenser dryer will take ages to finish a load if it can complete it at all. You can get good results by turning on the air conditioner (provides that aforementioned cool and dry air), but then you are not only using energy to dry laundry but to cool the house and make the dryer work.

Can only use my AEG condenser dryer from about November to March or early April. Once outdoor temps begin to climb into the high 50's or above it just isn't worth the bother. As it is my "compact" Whirlpool portable will dry a full load faster than the condenser dryer.

Being as all this may again condenser dryers weren't about energy efficiency from a start. More how to solve a problem of using a tumble dryer where venting wasn't possible.

Case in point many new apartment developments in NYC are featuring laundry facilities with condenser dryers. This is mainly because the laundries are being located where access to an outside wall (for venting) isn't possible. When you are converting a former Verizon, Woolworth, MET Life, building and or dealing with other issues involving creating apartments in the City you have to think outside of the box.

All this being said condenser dryers do leave things with a wonderful scent. They also leave terry towels and other items more fluffy and soft than vented dryers IMHO. That however in no way endears them to me that much more.


Post# 822891 , Reply# 33   5/11/2015 at 05:55 (3,243 days old) by arbilab (Ft Worth TX (Ridglea))        

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One has a WP/KM dryer with wheels? So does this one. If one accounts for its smaller capacity (rather than cramming 18# all at once), one finds drying times quite satisfactory.

Sure a 'full' load takes 2x 40min, which is only a practical disadvantage if one's time is more valuable than electricity of which it uses less than half (per min).

Since one (first person) moved into a goobermint geezer compost heap which disallows private laundry gear, one (third person) could acquire the 1984 Lady Kenmore for a donation to the antihistamine fund plus shipping.


Post# 822920 , Reply# 34   5/11/2015 at 10:15 (3,243 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Spin Speeds

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Hi Jim, Traditional Dependable Care MTs only spin at 610 RPMs on a good day, while this is still much better than an old WP belt drive it is a far cry from 750 RPMs.

 

Which brand of water cooled condenser dryer did you have?


Post# 822922 , Reply# 35   5/11/2015 at 10:25 (3,243 days old) by oliveoiltinfoil (England, UK)        

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My bosch rates as 53% moisture left in clothes after a spin, which is relatively low. Even an 1,800 spin is down to 48 - 50% but it depends on how long the machine spins for and the size of the drum.

Post# 822982 , Reply# 36   5/11/2015 at 19:33 (3,243 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
To Put It Another Way

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When CR tested dryers in the late 1950's the two water cooled condenser dryers took 47 minutes to nearly one hour to dry an average eight to ten pound wash load. They also used copious amounts of water to do so.

OTOH gas and electric dryers at best only took 27-30 minutes to do the same, with the worst nearly as bad as condenser dryers at nearly 47 minutes. Fastest dryers were those with "Speed" in their brands/names such as the offering by Lady Kenmore and Whirlpool (IIRC).

Two factors; final spin speeds of both top and front loading washing machines of the time were poor compared today. You also had a good many homes still using wringer/semi automatic washing machines. So even with a "hot" dryer you still had on average more moisture to evaporate out of laundry than today.

The other thing and this is something I didn't know previously is that many early dryers didn't offer venting to the outside and or it was an option. Plenty of machines simply spewed lint and moisture laden air right into the same room as the dryer. Unless a fresh supply of cool make up air was allowed into the room one assumes drying times may have suffered.

The best and even middle of the line condenser dryers are better sealed than those of the past, but they still will take a quarter to twice the time of a vented dryer to accomplish the task at hand.


Post# 823949 , Reply# 37   5/18/2015 at 00:42 (3,237 days old) by warmsecondrinse (Fort Lee, NJ)        

I had an Equator 3600(E?). It was the model with the lint buildup issue. Once a month I'd have to take the top off, remove a fan cowling and scopp out all the lint. Outside of that rather famous (as I recall) design flaw, I had no problems at all.

Mind you, I actually read and followed the manual after a few unsatisfactory washes. I also scoured the internet for tips and tricks. The user reviews were about 90% negative. However, even back then I could tell that most of the people writing either didn't know how to use the machine or had inappropriate expectations.

I'm apparently one of the few people who had an overall positive experience with Equator.

I just wish someone would make a separate 120v condenser dryer. with that and a combo one could do a load, put half into the dryer and let the combo dry the other half.


Post# 823961 , Reply# 38   5/18/2015 at 02:35 (3,237 days old) by oliveoiltinfoil (England, UK)        

oliveoiltinfoil's profile picture
My Bosch Serie 6 is a 1400 spin 8kg drum and the clothes come out noticeably drier than my previous Hotpoint Aquiltis which had a 1200 spin, but didn't spin for as long.


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