Thread Number: 38642
Two Videos I found of People modifying their FL washer to use MORE water (Samsung)
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Post# 573216   2/3/2012 at 02:30 (4,437 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)        

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I came across these two videos of a Samsung FL washer modification. The 2nd video is a lady who decided she would also try it with her same model washer.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO mark_wpduet's LINK





Post# 573217 , Reply# 1   2/3/2012 at 02:32 (4,437 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)        
And.....

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I like this lady! She sounds about as nervous as I would be if I were attempting this. She was saying her husband is going to KILL her is she kills the washer

CLICK HERE TO GO TO mark_wpduet's LINK


Post# 573231 , Reply# 2   2/3/2012 at 05:48 (4,436 days old) by tolivac (greenville nc)        

Guess folks are finally getting sick and tired of washers that try to clean loads in only tablespoons of water--we need MORE of that universal solvent to get the job done!Bet soon the washer builders will put in pressure switches that don't have adjustment screws.

Post# 573250 , Reply# 3   2/3/2012 at 07:28 (4,436 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)        

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A few already have........Frigidaire!....no suprise there, ever since WCI took over, one screw up after another.........they could ruin a Wet Dr**m, and take the water from that as well.....idiots!

Post# 573356 , Reply# 4   2/3/2012 at 15:54 (4,436 days old) by pierreandreply4 (St-Bruno de montarville (province of quebec) canada)        
well my toughts on this and this is my only and final post i

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well here are my toughts on this if pepole went more water in there washer they should just buy a good old fashion 1970 to 1990 top loading washer i have a generation 1 whirlpool duet that uses little water and i get clothes clean as same as if i had bought a top load washer of the same year as i do not see anything wrong in having not much water my duet washer the way its made sends water inb the tub with detergent and the only time it has to had more water is to cooldown the clothes and also the risk of raising the water level could cause a)the washer to completly break down in other word drains the water from the machine and stop leaving on the counter display an error code or b)cause the machine not to start from the start. So i think its completly ilogical to raise the water level in a front load washer. this is what i think you can get clothes clean the same as if they where washe in a topload washer.

Post# 573370 , Reply# 5   2/3/2012 at 16:51 (4,436 days old) by mrboilwash (Munich,Germany)        

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The lady is gorgeous, I really felt with her when I watched and she didn`t go over the top with the water level I think.
I just wonder if it was that wise to remove the flow restrictor. Who is to blame if a hose comes off and the whole place is flodded ? Al Gore ? Tony ? Samsung ?


Post# 573371 , Reply# 6   2/3/2012 at 16:53 (4,436 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)        

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Did you hear the guy in the first video say that he has REALLY dirty clothes from his job & after running a complete cycle (before he did any modifications) that the water was still dirty draining from the washer on the second AND sometimes third cycle?

He didn't strike me as someone who had no clue how to do laundry.


I don't know. But I do think there is a definite cut off point with the water and some of them have gone way too far....Not necessarily in the wash, but definitely in the rinses. It blew my mind with the thread about the roper rinse rash. I mean, it uses the MOST water in the wash cycle and less in the rinses. That's like A$$ backwards!

I do know that I washed REALLY dirty caked with dried mud from 4 wheeling in a wet field, in my Duet.. Definitely the dirtiest clothes I've ever put in there since I had it. I ran soak first, then washed in heavy duty xtra rinse & everything came out really clean.........but my duet uses more water because I modified it like 5 yrs ago (not by much- perhaps 2 to 3 more gallons per fill)........and it hasn't done any damage to the machine & it really helped....though it doesn't use nearly the water he has his using. The water level he has in that video is way too high....but based on comments section, he has lowered it back to just to bottom of the door, which is better. Also, in the 2nd video, I thought the water level was PERFECT! That's the exact water level I tried to get in my Duet.....but I could never get it exact, so I left well enough alone


Post# 573453 , Reply# 7   2/4/2012 at 00:02 (4,436 days old) by Iheartmaytag (Wichita, Kansas)        

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That water level was pretty high. I wonder if he will show us the videos of the bearing repair later.
Maybe not, I was just thinking that with the water level that high it would risk getting more water in the bearings. How does the water seal work on a FL? Is it a lot like a TL seal?


Post# 573461 , Reply# 8   2/4/2012 at 00:51 (4,436 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)        

I judge the water level by the amount of lift.  If there is too much water the clothes just slosh around and really don't get washed.


Post# 573515 , Reply# 9   2/4/2012 at 11:15 (4,435 days old) by peteski50 (New York)        
Water Level!

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I would be greatful for the water lever to be just below the door boot so you can still open the door. I think to much water defeats the purpouse. I wish they would let the consumer make adjustment with a switch.
Peter


Post# 573526 , Reply# 10   2/4/2012 at 12:15 (4,435 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)        

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there can be excessives in both directs....too much OR too little......and each washer is gonna be a little different.....but no matter what, there should be sufficient enough to splash around....one to clean and rinse the clothes effectively, and the other to keep the machine clean......

the solution to a clean machine is not running an empty machine, with additional cleaner......just wash in warm/hotwater, and enough of it....problem solved before it starts.....

on my Frigidaire, once I increased the water level about 3 inches, one, it cleans better, and two, theres no balancing issues that it used to have......balance rotation to the left, and then to the right>>>>>>>>>and takes off high speed, for the full 12 minutes....clothes now packed to the sides of the drum, they never were when I first got it.......


Post# 573530 , Reply# 11   2/4/2012 at 12:47 (4,435 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

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When he drops the water valve flow restrictor into the machine is a perfect illustration of the reason to unplug any machine before attempting any service or modification. That was wildly irresponsible considering he's preaching to a largely unqualified audience.

Good points about the flow restrictor and the seal and bearing. Does this Samsung have a temperature control? Removing one restrictor could cause a huge imbalance in warm water temperature and there is no reason for a faster fill. The washing ability of the machine is indeed hampered by too much water. The clothes getting clean depends a great deal on the lift-and-drop action of the drum. I experimented with adding water manually through the dispenser drawer in the Duet I had, and as mentioned above, cleaning performance dropped off dramatically with too much water. Rinsing, soaking, etc. is another matter but too much water can quickly reach a point of diminishing returns in a front-load washer. Pete is right, I would have raised the water level to just below the door boot.

With the machine unplugged.


Post# 573613 , Reply# 12   2/4/2012 at 23:59 (4,435 days old) by qualin (Canada)        

I think that realistically, rather than using a simple pressure switch, they should be using a digital pressure switch, which can dynamically adjust the water level depending on the cycle being selected.

ie. Selecting a heavy soil option means that the water level is higher by default than a light soil option. Or selecting a bulky/bedding cycle would result in a very high water level.

It wouldn't hurt either if the machine could load sense and determine that a very heavy load should need more water by default than a very light load. :/

The rinse portion of the cycle should also have a higher water level than the wash cycle for the reason that it just works better.

I think Kenmoreguy's Samsung does that, doesn't it?


Post# 573733 , Reply# 13   2/5/2012 at 15:17 (4,434 days old) by AZREOSpecialist ()        

It's too bad people are modifying their machines to perform as advertised, thereby letting the manufacturer off the hook. I believe the person who made this video was also still within his warranty period. Instead of modifying his machine to take more water, he should have returned it and given his money to a manufacturer who makes a machine that can actually work as advertised. Vote with your dollars!

The other thing people should be aware of is that this will VOID YOUR WARRANTY. Also, you are running the machine outside of the parameters for which it was designed if you raise the water levels so high. This also violates the primary tenet of how front loaders clean laundry - lift and drop. With so much water in the drum, there is very little drop. The clothes are just rolling around in the water, which is no different than what a top loader does.

While this guy has received positive ratings with his video, I don't think this is an advisable or desirable modification.


Post# 573742 , Reply# 14   2/5/2012 at 15:58 (4,434 days old) by RevvinKevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)        

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In my humble or not so humble opinion, the washer in the first video that "Tony" modified has WAAAAAY TOO MUCH water in it!   IMHO that water level will severely shorten the life of the shaft seal, bearing and the machine.   Not only that, but the mechanical agitation and cleaning ability has been reduced because the the clothes are now just "rolling around" in the water.    No more "lift and drop", no more actual "tumbling".   It's like putting your clothes in a large bucket, filling it with water and just sloshing it from side to side.... that is NOT going to get your clothes clean.

 

The water level in the 2nd video is, in my opinion, a MUCH better balance between more water and the tumbling action needed for good cleaning, though it was under loaded.

 

My 2009 Kenmore Elite FL (last of the Whirlpool built washers) has an electronic (circuit board) water level switch and cannot be modified like this Samsung could.

 

If "Tony" wants THAT much water when washing, he should return the machine and buy a top loader.

 

Kevin


Post# 573743 , Reply# 15   2/5/2012 at 15:59 (4,434 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)        

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Mine is still within warranty.....actually I have a 10 year warranty, 6 more to go......after getting mine, and complaining to the company about the low water use, they sent a guy out several times, to which there is no adjustment he can make......and the company is satisfied with washing a 4 towel test load with that low amount of water, NOW, if YOU can make Frigidaire give me a refund, let's do it, because they are only offering 50.00 coupon towards another machine that they sell......

so if I am stuck with this machine....hell yes, I am modifying it!...to work the way it should.....effectively!!!.......

what they don't know won't hurt them!

agreed that guy added too much water, but a few more gallons is exactly what some of these machines need....

I am placing a VOTE with my money.....I complained to Frigidaire, and word of mouth advertising, and refuse to buy another one of their machines!......


Who's making the customer happy....this guy?.....or the company?......

the company should be paying him!!!


Post# 573835 , Reply# 16   2/6/2012 at 00:13 (4,434 days old) by qualin (Canada)        

I guess the biggest problem is, if everyone is making their machines that way, who are you going to buy from?

I bought Huebsch (aka Speed Queen) because I felt their front loaders used more water than the competition. However, not everyone is willing to pay what I did so that they can get effective cleaning action.

I agree that having to modify your machine just to get to work the way you want it is in theory, very wrong. Only because the engineers that designed it are far more knowledgable than a lot of people on this forum. (No offense!)

I personally would love to see engineers from WCI, Whirlpool, etc hanging around on this forum and see why they think the way that they do. Do they design it that way because "The beancounters told us we had to.", or do they design it that way because they think that's how it really should be done?

It's hard to imagine, but there is an incredible amount of engineering that goes into building a machine. I seriously doubt an engineer would design a machine which is ineffective unless there were other influencing factors.

I think that hacking a machine is pretty neat in principle, but in all honesty, doing anything to the machine may make it work in ways the engineer didn't intend to.

When I originally bought my Huebsch, I was tempted to raise the water level, but then I realized that even though the water level isn't as high as I thought it should be, the clothes still get very wet and they get cleaned even better than what our old top loader did.

So, IMO, if you really feel that a company should be designing a machine with higher water levels, the best people to speak with are the people who engineered the machine, not with customer service reps and not their supervisors.

Now, if only we could get a plant tour...


Post# 573847 , Reply# 17   2/6/2012 at 05:23 (4,434 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)        

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Yes......Just a "FEW" more gallons?

I agree! Tony had his filled with way too much water. The second lady had the water level (to me) is what I would call perfect. And even the water at "the level she had hers" is still significantly LESS than a conventional TL by a good amount!

I think what bothers me most about HE FL washers is the rinsing. In a perfect world of HE Front Load Washers, it would be LOW water wash (more concentrated detergent and just saturated clothes)....Then.... rinses with rinse levels at about the level her washer's water level set on. Still using MUCH less water than a conventional TL, but still very effective in washing & rinsing and definitely NOT overkill on the water....

Like I said, I tried to get the water level in my Duet at about what she had hers on, but I couldn't. It was either one extreme of the other. What amazed me in my duet was when it was filling with water 1/2 way up the window, it didn't leak a drop! Luckily, I did get a couple of more gallons for each fill. I did see a difference, especially in towels. I noticed that even with the little bleach I used, that whitest whites with extra rinse still had somewhat of a bleach smell. When I made this adjustment 4 or 5 yrs ago, just the additional couple of gallons of water with much more sloshing sound and that was the first thing I noticed. Very little if any bleach smell on whites. Obviously me making that adjustment hasn't harmed my machine since it's approaching seven years now and clean as a whistle inside.

I keep hoping that when mine finally dies that the manufacturers would add deeper rinse options to the HE FL machines....but so far, they haven't. I think WP DUET did for a short time, but they took that away.

Another thing I never understood! A few years ago when Whirlpool introduced the Duet Sport ( a smaller, cheaper version of the Duet) it used a very deep rinse on the heavy duty cycle, almost half way up the door! Made no sense to me that one of their versions of Duet did that, yet the more expensive one didn't.

Sorry.....I'm beyond rambling at this point....Too much coffee


Post# 573849 , Reply# 18   2/6/2012 at 06:00 (4,433 days old) by newwave1 (Lincoln, United Kingdom)        

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Hey Guys

Well I read this thread and watched the videos. The first guy has no idea. That is far too much water. The second lady well she got it good. If you watch the video I've attached of my Hotpoint front loader on a synthetic cycle (perminent press to you guys across the pond) this cycle uses a similar water level without any modification. However the cottons (Normal cycle) does not but it will refill until everything is completely saturated.

I don't like high wash water levels. A good detergent in a small amount of water is much more potent than in a massive amount of water combined in motion with a decent tumble speed achieves excellent results in warm water alone without pretreatment. I have 2 small kids who have thrown everything at this machine and it always comes good.

I do like your US front loaders and would love to one day get the chance to see and use them. I like the LG's I spent a damn lot of money of one which is now the other side of the country sat in my ex's kitchen! grr!

I also like the duets as with everything I see differences of opinion which leads me to my point what works for one person doesn't always work for another but I'd definitely say a water level higher than the door glass in the main wash phase is unnecessary. The rinse phase however....now that's another story!!!!

Darren


CLICK HERE TO GO TO newwave1's LINK


Post# 573850 , Reply# 19   2/6/2012 at 06:18 (4,433 days old) by newwave1 (Lincoln, United Kingdom)        

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I forgot to mention it's a large capacity 9kg which I'm not sure what that is in Cubic feet.

Post# 573916 , Reply# 20   2/6/2012 at 14:40 (4,433 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)        
I think we all Agree to Dis-Agree......

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we do modifications all the time, as needed...some good, some bad......trial and error......

I have a 1993 Ford Taurus SHO, already a powerful machine, had it modified, by the dealer, a factory power chip....increased my horsepower, torque, and mainly gas mileae drastically.......

believe me, these machines are built and designed to withstand a little extra kick, and NO, were not talking of a spin speed from 1200rpm to 4000rpm.....but if a little more speed, a gallon or two more of water, can make a huge difference in cleaning and performance...plus satisfy your needs...whats the harm?.....

even my Maytags have the 50hz set up for increased speed.......

even a new SpeedQueen top loader....how many of us have raised the water level back up to where it belongs....all we did is reverse what the manufacturer did......and your gonna tell me that I am exceeding what this machine was originally designed to handle......


Post# 573977 , Reply# 21   2/7/2012 at 01:31 (4,433 days old) by qualin (Canada)        
To Yogitunes

Now THAT is a good question.

The Speed Queen TL debacle is something we'd need to speak with an engineer about. Only because, did earlier Speed Queen TL's have this water level, or did they really do it just to reduce the water consumption on the specs?

I've seen videos of 50 hz Maytags, it's quite impressive, but it makes me wonder why the engineers didn't fit the pullies (sp?) by accident and say, "Whoa, this is awesome, we should do this on all our machines!" Perhaps one engineer would have said, "Well, the transmission won't last as long if we do that."

To Newwave1:

One thing I have noticed about American appliances as opposed to European ones is that European ones tend to have a very long wash cycle in comparison to American ones.

Take the dishwasher for example. Our old Roper took about 40 minutes for a cycle. My Miele takes about 2.5 hours for a cycle, but it's also a lot quieter too.

There's one member on here who has the german version of a Whirlpool Duet. The Whirlpool does the cycle in about an hour, but the german version does it in 2.5 hours, even though both of them use about the same amount of water. (I guess I'll need my memory refreshed on this!)

I agree that more water = more cleaning power. I suppose this is the reason why top loaders can clean an entire 18 lb tub of laundry in 8 minutes and rinse it in another 5, as opposed to a front loader which takes 30 minutes to wash and another 20 minutes to rinse.


Post# 573991 , Reply# 22   2/7/2012 at 05:13 (4,433 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)        

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I found the older thread showing the Duet Sport during rinse. This was not even the top of the line Duet. Check out the factory set rinse level on the heavy duty cycle. You may have to scroll the see the picture. No clue why Whirlpool did this for only one model of their FL machines.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO mark_wpduet's LINK


Post# 573997 , Reply# 23   2/7/2012 at 06:52 (4,432 days old) by Logixx (Germany)        
There's one member on here

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who has the german version of a Whirlpool Duet.

Hello there!

It has a high-efficiency and high-performance cycle that cleans a heavily soiled and tightly packed load according to the European Energy Label. This cycle runs at 140F with two rinses for almost four hours. Now, if I deselect the preset options like Eco and Heaviest Soil, it already shaves one hour off that time. I can also run a full load (lightly soiled) at 140F in little over two hours when I select another cycle. Or I can run a 2/3 full load in one hour on Daily Wash, which would be the exact equivalent to the Duet's Normal cycle.

It really depends on which cycle and options I want. By the way, I played with some new washer at Sears when I was in LA and some of these new Allergene cycles and all also take over two hours.

Water levels on my washer are usually low. For a normal rinse, the water covers the perforated part of the tilted drum. Enough for me and if I need extra rinsing, I can add up to two extra rinses. The Direct Inject really makes short work of saturating the whole load.

Alex



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