Thread Number: 71546
/ Tag: Modern Automatic Washers
Water level adjustment for a new Whirlpool frontloader? |
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Post# 946801 , Reply# 1   7/5/2017 at 12:13 (2,486 days old) by RevvinKevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)   |   | |
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As far as I know there's no easy way to increase the water level w/o making the washer think there's an "oversuds" condition. I remember reading something about adding a length of coiled up tubing with a "T" and a certain size (empty) plastic water bottle inline with before the sensor. But I'm sorry I no longer remember the specifics about it. I did try this modification on my 2009 Kenmore Elite FL washer not long after bringing it home, but unfortunately with zero success.
Try running the "Quick Wash" cycle to check #1 the water level and #2 how it's programmed, i.e. if it spins between wash/rinses or only drains. You could try using this cycle if it spins between wash/rinses.
The "Express Wash" cycle on my machine uses a bit more water (photo below), but it also does full speed spins between wash/rinses. I use this cycle (set for heavy soil w/extra rinse) as my default go-to cycle for 99% of my laundry.
I hope this helps. Kevin
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Post# 946802 , Reply# 2   7/5/2017 at 12:18 (2,486 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)   |   | |
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Post# 946804 , Reply# 3   7/5/2017 at 13:10 (2,486 days old) by RevvinKevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)   |   | |
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Post# 946807 , Reply# 4   7/5/2017 at 14:03 (2,486 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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First of all, don't use Normal cycle unless a very small load., Second, and this sounds counter-intuitive, Heavy Duty doesnt' use much more water than Normal due to energy standardards. Personally, I think Cold Water cycle is totally useless and wastes space on cycle dial. Use Towels or Whites and you can adjust the wash temperature to meet load requirements. If you're concerned about a dumbed down hot water wash, use the Sanitize cycle. It won't reach 150 degree temps but may be able to get satisfactory results. Another option for hot water washes is to use Whites, but select extra hot wash temp. Use color last cycle for general clothing items and adjust water temperature. All cycles default to light soil level. If the results are unsatisfactory, increase soil level to lengthen wash time. Again this is all due to energy standards. My 5 y/o Whirlpool, all cycles default to heavy soil level pretty much. Use steam clean option to activate the onboard heater for loads you don't want totally dumbed down hot or warm washes. |
Post# 946841 , Reply# 6   7/5/2017 at 20:30 (2,485 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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David, the cycles whereby the onboard heater is used by default is Sanitary and Whites. Light soil may still not engage it. But using heavy soil most likely will engage it and allows time for the heater to heat water. Opt. for Extra Hot on whites too. Towels and Delicates will engage the heater if a minimum warm is selected as well as steam for stains option. Again, heavy soil level. Color Last does allow changing to other wash temps but no steam for stains option. You can use Whitess for other loads, just chang3e wash temp to warm for those loads that can't tolerate hot water.
I'm fortunate my nearly 6 y/o Duet engages the heater by default on Whites, Allergene, and Bulky Items. Normal and Heavy duty will engage heater if Steam for Stains is used. I've only used Heavy Duty once and Normal occasionally. |
Post# 946885 , Reply# 8   7/6/2017 at 05:29 (2,485 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)   |   | |
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I was thinking my Next FL washer would be a Maxima instead of Duet. It has the powerwash and allergine cycles which I'm pretty sure use the heater and more water.
I think Eco Sanitize Oxy does use a LOT of water - but that's only on models without a heater. I agree with appnut - Use a cycle that uses more water, but adjust the soil level and add steam (if that is available on that cycle) which will cause the washer to HEAT the water |
Post# 946901 , Reply# 9   7/6/2017 at 09:58 (2,485 days old) by Iheartmaytag (Wichita, Kansas)   |   | |
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The amount of water you see in the drum is not the amount that would be used on a full load of clothes. The clothes would be saturated, as the tumbling stops you can see the water level to the boot in most cases, up to the window in others. For an empty washer, this is the amount of water that it senses it is needing. |
Post# 946903 , Reply# 10   7/6/2017 at 11:03 (2,485 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)   |   | |
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Post# 946907 , Reply# 11   7/6/2017 at 13:04 (2,485 days old) by Iheartmaytag (Wichita, Kansas)   |   | |
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Post# 946917 , Reply# 12   7/6/2017 at 16:48 (2,485 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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Only the TOL Maxima has Allergine (to NSF P351 standards). The Sanitary cycle isn't high-temp any more, thus no NSF P172 certification. WP has no Allergine cycle anymore and their Sanitary is like the Maxima. No NSF P172 certifation for Sanitary is useless. I prefer high-temp to bleach. It will remain to be seen what happens with WP's next generation of FLers for their various product lines if Allergine is still around. WP products have already dumbed down so many temperatures in their current FLers vs. mine. Maybe they will have a model with downloadable cycles capability and I could get what I really want through downloads. LG has WP beat all around with NSF P172 for Sanitary and their Allergine cycle is pretty hot too and has some Allergy society certification for the cycle. I refuse to wash in cold water with pets and critters around the house. |
Post# 946920 , Reply# 13   7/6/2017 at 17:01 (2,485 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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"Washers certified to this protocol must remove at least 95 percent of house dust mite allergens and feline dander. The wash water must reach 55º C (131º F, the temperature required to kill dust mites) for at least three minutes and the washer must be easily cleanable, corrosion resistant and designed to avoid accumulation of dirt and debris."
A big ole boiling pot on top of a range/fire or in a copper should get you there. Plus those vessels are easily kept clean and corrosion free. |
Post# 946924 , Reply# 14   7/6/2017 at 17:26 (2,484 days old) by whirlykenmore78 (Prior Lake MN (GMT-0500 CDT.))   |   | |
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Post# 946991 , Reply# 15   7/7/2017 at 10:01 (2,484 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)   |   | |
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I hope you're right about WP's next gen washers having more options like LG. All these years I've always heard stay away from LG. But everyone seems happy with them in most cases. Watching the turbowash action that even has a spray rinse...not to mention the drain pump access panel right in front....makes no sense to me why WP doesn't try to compete with some of these things. I didn't realize you only get recirculation/powerwash system, allergy cycle on only the TOL Maytag FL washer - and anything below that in the entire WP/Maytag line doesn't have them.
I thought in order for it to be called Sanitary - it had to reach a certain temp (like my current old school Duet) which gets really hot. I didn't realize even sanitary is dumbed down now too. |
Post# 947010 , Reply# 17   7/7/2017 at 12:58 (2,484 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)   |   | |
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This is the water level on my duet in all cycles but delicate and soak.... Sanitary, normal both use this level but near the end of wash add more water that comes up to the boot before draining. My duet also spin rinses. I absolutely love this machine and I hope it never dies....but I know it's going to eventually and I want to get something that has good wash/rinse action like LG. I'll just have to make sure to get it at costco with 4 yr warranty.
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Post# 947015 , Reply# 18   7/7/2017 at 13:20 (2,484 days old) by RevvinKevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)   |   | |
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Correction, these do not do a "spin rinse" (the drain pump is not on), no residential FL washer does.
I have a similar Kenmore badged machine and after slowing from a full speed spin, it stays at a "fast distribution" speed and adds water to the tub to more quickly saturate the clothes. It continues until the water gets up into the tub (you can here the tub baffles smack the water as it turns), where it then slows to normal tumble speed and continues to fill until the normal water level is reached.
Even if these WP / KM washers did do a "spin rinse" it wouldn't be very effective as the water simply "pours" into one part of the tub, rinsing only the garments the water hits, rather than a "spray" which would have a larger coverage area.
Kevin
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Post# 947016 , Reply# 19   7/7/2017 at 13:26 (2,484 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)   |   | |
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I should have explained what I meant by spin rinse. But the method this machine uses I still like. It slows down from spin but keeps a decent speed and adds water (which is not drained) but it does it for quite a bit, pushing the water through the clothes really fast, before slowing down to tumble while adding more water.
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Post# 947069 , Reply# 20   7/7/2017 at 20:12 (2,483 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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I believe my generation of Duets was the last to do the slow spin and spray/fill/add water to each rinse. I've seen newer models whereby it stops spinning completely and then turns the water on to begin filling for each phase of the cycle.
I thought Whirlpool had taken legal action against LG because Whirlpool had the Filter Stream washing in their combos. |
Post# 947078 , Reply# 22   7/7/2017 at 22:37 (2,483 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)   |   | |
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Post# 947111 , Reply# 23   7/8/2017 at 09:22 (2,483 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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Post# 947224 , Reply# 24   7/8/2017 at 20:19 (2,482 days old) by Johnb300m (Chicago)   |   | |
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I can't stay silent anymore reading this thread. (facepalm)
As many might know, I have a Maxima 5100 bought 2 yrs ago. Other than some spin and vibration glitches, it's washed FANTASTICALLY since the day I got it. It's water levels on various cycles are exactly the same as other WP architectures of this vintage. Normal cycle always starts with a very low water level, yet all clothes are always fully saturated, as they scrub away. Approximately 2/3 of the way through the Normal cycle the machine will actually add some water so there's a "decent" pool of water in the drum, but it doesn't reach the front of the drum. At this point, it will also change the wash motion, turn the drum a bit quicker, to tumble the clothes so they land more tangentially on the drum wall, which is gentler than them in the previous segment, rolling and abrading on each other. I seriously fail to understand why so many on here grouse about that. WP has cracked the code to competitive wash performance without having clothes with moderate/normal soils having to swim around in water. I call that innovation if you ask me. It's caused NO performance issues on my end. If I have extra dirty, sediment-laden loads, I'll either induce a manual pre-wash by adding a little soap to a "Rinse and Spin cycle. Then go into the Normal wash as usual on normal soil or heavy soil. Warm or Hot. I know also, that "Hot" on Normal upsets many on here because it's not tap-hot. Ok.....so? There's other cycles on there that will give tap-hot water. Notably the Sanitize cycle. I'll use that for grimy towels or bedding, often on Light soil, since it will ensure a 131 degree wash phase for about 15min. Is it AT 131F for a whole 15min? No..... but further up in the thread, it doesn't sound like it has to be. The heater runs in that cycle, it's tap hot. It uses a bit more water. It works great. I've had to use PowerWash very seldom, like for car and house rags only. All the other cycles have gotten everything else perfectly clean and fresh. Despite the low water levels everyone seems to be clenching their sphincters about. Oh, and that's all without recirculating spray. I'm sure it's a nice added feature, but I certainly don't feel remorseful or dirty not having it. |