Thread Number: 71785
/ Tag: Modern Automatic Washers
My 4 y/o LG made front loader |
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Post# 949628 , Reply# 1   7/23/2017 at 12:23 (2,466 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)   |   | |
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'worked on'....that's the key there!....
many of these machines look nice, and most likely will work well for many years..... WAIT!!!..until you have to work on one....even something as simple as replacing a pump....and what you have to take apart to get to it....talk about Mission Impossible! I started to understand why so many are just tossed rather than fixed..... |
Post# 949673 , Reply# 3   7/23/2017 at 17:33 (2,465 days old) by whirlykenmore78 (Prior Lake MN (GMT-0500 CDT.))   |   | |
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To a TL. For years all I wanted was WP/KM DD machines. 1.5 years ago I took a leap of faith and ordered up a Speed Queen frontload set. 0 regrets, cleaner laundry, less linting, better rinsing( I can do up to 5 rinses), much faster spinning (1200 vs 640 RPM)and greatly lowered utility and chemical costs.
WK78 |
Post# 949676 , Reply# 4   7/23/2017 at 17:45 (2,465 days old) by henene4 (Heidenheim a.d. Brenz (Germany))   |   | |
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The germans have been doing it for pretty much ever... If the Germans keep something for more then ~15 years you know it works. |
Post# 949684 , Reply# 5   7/23/2017 at 18:28 (2,465 days old) by richimaor (Baja California, Mexico)   |   | |
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I agree with the fact that Germans have been doing it better, one clear example are Miele products, compact but outstanding machines in every way possible... |
Post# 952098 , Reply# 6   8/8/2017 at 00:56 (2,450 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
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Post# 952130 , Reply# 7   8/8/2017 at 09:29 (2,450 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
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Post# 952177 , Reply# 9   8/8/2017 at 13:54 (2,450 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)   |   | |
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I had guests come this past weekend to stay. I pulled both the comforter and the queen size sheets and four pillow cases off of the guest bed upstairs. I put the comforter in my LG and started it first and then I put the sheets and pillow cases in my 1947 GE Automatic. The sheet set in the GE washed (I selected 12 minutes of wash time, 3 to 20 is the range), dried in the Wards gas dryer and then put back on the bed before the LG even finished the cycle. After I finished making the bed with the sheets/pillow cases and I went back to the basement and the LG was in the final spin. I did give me a good laugh at the idea that it still wasn't done. It took 90 minutes in the GE Harmony dryer to completely dry the comforter, nearly two hours after I made the bed with sheets was that comforter ready to go on the bed.
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Post# 952368 , Reply# 10   8/9/2017 at 17:35 (2,448 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
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Post# 952613 , Reply# 12   8/11/2017 at 15:36 (2,447 days old) by stricklybojack (South Hams Devon UK)   |   | |
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Post# 952630 , Reply# 13   8/11/2017 at 19:22 (2,446 days old) by whirlykenmore78 (Prior Lake MN (GMT-0500 CDT.))   |   | |
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Post# 952997 , Reply# 16   8/15/2017 at 09:50 (2,443 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)   |   | |
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Hey Nick, I should point out this is a really thick comforter so it normally takes about 90 minutes to dry in the Harmony dryer, longer if I don't take it out and reverse it about 60 minutes into the dry cycle. I used the normal cycle in the LG which is 1:10 minutes. I don't understand why you cannot select the fastest spin on the Bulky cycle, makes no sense what so so ever. If anytime you need a super fast spin speed its with bulky items.
The 1947 GE top-loader finished in 33 minutes and with a 9 minute final spin at 1140rpm without needing any special routines to balance itself, it just simply spins. The sheets are so well spun out of that machine that they took less than 20 minutes to dry. For a total of 0:52 minutes to wash and dry. 10 minutes to make the bed 1:02, back downstairs to the basement with 8 minutes left to go in the LG. I have little doubt that the sheets were perfectly clean, soft and smelled wonderfully from the GE. I think the LG is excellent at cleaning, but I don't have very dirty things to wash overall. The dirtiest things I have are yellow micro-fibre cleaning rags from Costco. They never come out completely clean from any washer of mine even from the LG on sanitary-steam. So I haven't really noticed any marked improvement in cleaning ability using the LG over any of my other best vintage top loaders. Of course a lot of this can be attributed to major improvements of detergents over years. I mainly use white Tide-Free Pods and Liquid. Also the idea of the sediment at the bottom of my solid tubs is very rare, a few of times a year I'll wipe something out with a paper towel, but again it hardly ever happens. I have never once needed to vacuum out a washer in 20 years of having these early machines. |
Post# 953002 , Reply# 18   8/15/2017 at 10:55 (2,443 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)   |   | |
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No the GE or any other machine outside of my 1965 Wards would not be able to wash that comforter, the capacity isn't large enough. I used to wash it in the Whirlpool Combo, but since I got rid of that machine in my quest to downsize a bit and was offered the LG, I decided to give it a try. And while I absolutely agree with you Henrik that the LG excels in "cleanliness per resource" versus 70+ year old machines, this makes the modern machines perfect for the masses/non-washer enthusiasts in the 21st century. However many of us here are washer enthusiasts, myself obviously included.
While I think the LG is excellent overall, my experience with having these machines lined up side by side and using them has been that it's simply not that BIG of an improvement in performance over the best of the early standard-capacity machines. My opinion is not based on memories from 15 or 20 years ago, I'm actually using these machines simultaneously side-by-side. Again some of this excellent performance I attribute to the best of the modern detergents. I'd like to see how well the LG cleans using Dash or All from the 1950s/1960s formulations, I suspect not as well. However where the LG falls dreadfully behind the vintage machines is simply in the enjoyment factor. Granted that is my opinion and others may thoroughly enjoy watching their HE/FL wash clothes, it just doesn't do it for me. This is a very important factor in doing laundry for many of us here. I can easily stand over or be around a vintage washer and observe or casually observe the entire 30 minute cycle and thoroughly enjoy the experience of washing clothes. I cannot do that with the LG, the cycle is too long and too repetitious to be of any enjoyment for more than a few minutes. While some may poo-poo the idea of washing clothes needs to be fun, if that wasn't the case, this website and social-network/community would not exist as it does today. So at the end of the day if I could only have one washer, it would not be a modern HE anything, it would be a vintage top-loader that cleans nearly as well, rinses better, spins just as well if not better, does it all in half the time and is high on the enjoyment factor. |
Post# 953014 , Reply# 19   8/15/2017 at 13:47 (2,443 days old) by nmassman44 (Brooksville Florida)   |   | |
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This is what I do when I use the Bulky cycle on my LG washer...I use the Turbo Wash feature to make sure that the front of the load like a comforter gets thoroughly drenched and washed properly. The Bulky cycle only limits one to a Medium speed spin which is a paltry 600 rpms...not fast enough or long enough. So when the washer ends, and it turns off. I open the door,, close it, then touch the power button. Then I touch the Spin speed button and that will give one a Spin Only cycle of 17 mins. Then I touch the start button and let the washer spin the comforter to extract even more water.
One thing though, I never use those dreaded pods since they always seem to get some of the wrapper in a fold of a shirt or towel, worst is sheets. I don't think they have the oomph to really get clothes clean. I use Persil and Tide on occasion. Persil mostly, liquid for colors and PowerPearls for whites. Persil does especially well in LG washers I find. |
Post# 953019 , Reply# 20   8/15/2017 at 14:14 (2,443 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
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Uninmatic1140, the reason your LG top load washer spins slow on the bulky cycle, is LG top load washers don't have the best suspension system, or any HE top load washer. There are several videos on YouTube about LG and Samsung top load washers that have exploded, due to the lack of a suspension system. If you take the front panel or cabinet off of a vintage top load washer, you will notice there are springs underneath the tub, to absorb the slightly off balance loads. The only good top load washers that are sold today would be Speed Queen. I don't like those HE top load washers and dryers that can cost up to $2,500+, and won't even last up ten years.
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Post# 953059 , Reply# 21   8/16/2017 at 05:10 (2,442 days old) by brucelucenta ()   |   | |
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Unimatic1140 is talking about an LG front loader. |
Post# 953094 , Reply# 22   8/16/2017 at 13:27 (2,442 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
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Post# 953095 , Reply# 23   8/16/2017 at 14:03 (2,442 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)   |   | |
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Yes Sean, Bruce is right, I am talking about an LG Front Loader, not top loader. Not all vintage washers use springs in the suspension, Whirlpool/Kenmore belt drive machines are one example, Philco ball-point balancing machines are also another without springs. Frigidaire Unimatic washers (1947-1963) used one heavy duty spring, but it was more to act as a snubber, and only one part of the suspension. Modern LG machines use shock absorbers which I think is a good design, Bendix front loaders also used heavy-duty shock absorbers. My guess is the reason for the exploding washers has more to do with cheap/thinner metals and use of plastics than anything else.
My LG front loader will shake and make quite a bit of noise at full-speed if the load is over 50% unbalanced. It will produce more vibration than any vintage washer of mine that spins over 1100rpm. My Frigidaire Unimatic washers will vibrate at 1140rpm, but not a severely and no where as noisily as the LG FL, the GE washers are amazingly solid at 1140rpm, but the snubber pads can be a bit noisy. Again I think this has to do more with the cheap/thin metals used in modern machines than any design flaw in the suspension. My boyfriend has a LG toploader, we were in his kitchen the other day and up from the basement came this loud vibration noise of his machine in full-speed spin. I was actually surprised that it was as noisy as it was and I had previously made sure it was perfectly level. He hates that washer after seeing my machines and wants me to get him an agitator top loader. I have a good lead on a TOL Wards 20lb machine which I'm going to restore for him, a truly excellent 70's washer design (performance and capacity-wise that is) which he can use in conjunction with his top loading LG. I'll be willing to bet he stops using the LG after getting used to the Wards. One thing I like to do with my LG front loader is starve it from cold water by turning off the cold water line. I don't use it for anything but the sanitary cycle anyways. My hot water heater is set at 150F and the LG likes to mix a bit of cold water in. Nope, not allowing that to happen, when I select hot I expect to get hot, hmmmmmmmph and nothing else missy! Also I like giving it 3 hot rinses with WaterPlus selected. I want the bleach in the first rinse to be in hot water anyways. After the final spin when it unlocks, I open the door and steam pours out. I love removing steaming hot things from that washer and the washer dries itself out much faster than with cool or cold water for rinses. It also smells wonderful for days after doing that. Mike I really like those scent-free white Tide pods. While I have never tried them in the LG, they work wonderfully in my vintage machines and not once have I ever had any plastic pouch residue left over. I'm not surprised that they sometimes wont melt in a modern front-loader, simply not enough water. I do remember experimenting in the LG once by placing two 1960's Salvo tablets into the drum. The Salvo never dissolved! I heard knocking as those tablets tumbled for over 40 minutes without melting properly, I had to stop the machine and remove them in the first rinse. I then put a fresh set of two tablets in the Westinghouse Laundromat and they dissolved within 60 seconds in warm water. |
Post# 953102 , Reply# 24   8/16/2017 at 14:37 (2,442 days old) by nmassman44 (Brooksville Florida)   |   | |
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I find that if the pods are used in a top loader that does use a good amount of water then there is no issue with dissolving. Since I put the SQ washer aside and have been using the LG along with my Frigidaire built GE front loader, that using those pods can be a pain if I just toss them into the drum as directed. What I do is pop them into the dispenser tray and let them dissolve there. The LG will use hot water for the main detergent area and cold for the prewash area. Both sides are flushed regardless of cycle. I will have to agree that the hot washes are dumbed down some. On Bright Whites cycle the hot water temp doesn't go beyond 120 and my water heater is at 150F. But that said, I don't seem to have any issues with wash performance. I do choose the TurboWash feature for all cycles since I love having that final spray rinse in the last spin.
If your LG doesn't have the TurboWash feature then your results will be different. Granted my LG is not top of the line...I have the 3570 set...It works rather well and I never have an issue with vibrations. Some times it will take a bit for it to balance, but when it does its usually pretty solid. I do find if the washer thinks that there will be an issue that it will choose a slower spin speed. In some ways that is ok, but when one is used to feeling laundry come out of the washer well spun at 1200 rpms, there is a big difference weight wise compared to a load that was spun at just 600 rpms. |
Post# 953111 , Reply# 25   8/16/2017 at 15:41 (2,442 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
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Robert, the reason your LG front loader mixes cold water when you select hot, is all HE top and front loaders have Automatic Tempatire Control (ATC) where it adds cold water when you selected a hot wash tempature, and even adds more cold water than hot water. My Maytag A810 has Cold/Cold Warm/Cold Warm/Warm Hot/Cold Hot/Warm tempature options. Newer machines don't really have a warm rinse option. The laundry detergent I like to use Tandil Original Scent Laundry Detergent which is Aldi's version of Gain Liquid, and has the same smell as Gain! Works really well in my Maytag A810 washer. I'll post a photo the Tandil Laundry Detergent, and my Maytag A810 dryer set.
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Post# 953112 , Reply# 26   8/16/2017 at 15:44 (2,442 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
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This is my Maytag A810 washer and dryer, and my favorite laundry detergent.
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Post# 953117 , Reply# 27   8/16/2017 at 16:29 (2,441 days old) by brucelucenta ()   |   | |
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Yes, that set is similar to what I had before replacing them with my LG made front loader & dryer. The LG holds easily twice as much as the Maytag did. |
Post# 953199 , Reply# 29   8/17/2017 at 08:36 (2,441 days old) by nmassman44 (Brooksville Florida)   |   | |
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One thing I do notice on my LG washer is that the hot wash on the Bright Whites cycle will start out at 90F or so and the heater brings the water temp up so it gives like a "profile wash" as some stains release at different temps. I find it works quite well and I always use the next step up from Normal soil on the soil level selector to give the load a tad more time to wash. I find that the heavy soil level is overkill.
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Post# 953220 , Reply# 30   8/17/2017 at 11:10 (2,441 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)   |   | |
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While my LG does not have the "Tubro-wash" per se, it does have a recirculation nozzle/system. The recirculation is very helpful in getting the entire load saturated as relatively fast.
As for the vibration in this machine, I wouldn't consider it a "problem", it simply makes more noise than it would perfectly balanced. No different than a vintage machine, except the vintage machines that spin over 1000rpm seem to not make quite as much overall vibration. Again I just attribute it to the construction materials and it's really not a big deal overall. I know it's not just this machine LG, I've seen Duets and Maytag FL do the exact same thing at 1000+ rpm. Here is my LG... |
Post# 953238 , Reply# 31   8/17/2017 at 13:12 (2,441 days old) by RevvinKevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)   |   | |
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Post# 953239 , Reply# 32   8/17/2017 at 13:14 (2,441 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)   |   | |
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Post# 953240 , Reply# 33   8/17/2017 at 13:14 (2,441 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
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That's is a decent LG front loader. I remember our front loader would spin so fast, it would sound like a jet taking off! My Maytag does not spin as fast, but the tub is more shallow, and it does spin a good amount of water out. Maytag top load washers always had a a spin speed of about 700rpm, while Whirlpool/Kenmore had a slower spin speed of about 500rpm. My Lady Kenmore Portable Belt Drive Washer has a fast spin speed of about 900rpm.
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Post# 953345 , Reply# 34   8/18/2017 at 03:14 (2,440 days old) by nmassman44 (Brooksville Florida)   |   | |
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Hold on...Maytag washers like he one you have only spin at 618 rpms...and some final spin cycles like on the 510 that I had long ago were not that long so I had to run another spin cycle to get out more water.
I remember that washer model from a few years ago....that washer has the RollerJet wash vanes. Mine does not have that but it has the same design vanes in the back of the drum. The newer LG washers have done away with that design and have a more conventional vanes design. One thing I find with the design is that loads of jeans and long sleeved shirts are prone to tangling. It can be a pain for the washer to spin a load that is tangled up into a wad. Nothing thrills me more than having to take the entire wash load out in a ball and have it drop into the laundry basket and have to untangle the load before as I throw the clothes into the dryer. That was sarcasm...lol |
Post# 953379 , Reply# 36   8/18/2017 at 09:06 (2,440 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)   |   | |
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I have never experienced the LG tangle anything as of yet but it is interesting to hear it has that ability.
Yes 618rpm is the fastest a Helical-drive maytag will spin as desgined. I do know some members here have changed the drive pulleys to the 50hz European parts and that will bring the spin speed up over 700. Early Frigidaire washers can tangle, but proper loading/sorting will minimize that down to a rarity, at least in my experience. In 1957 when they started to put loading instructions under the washer lid, the Frigidaire Unimatic rose all the way up to #1 in 1958 Consumer Reports testing. I suspect the reason was CU simply followed the loading instructions. |
Post# 953387 , Reply# 37   8/18/2017 at 09:34 (2,440 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
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