Topic 'Re: self balancing washing machine' in forum 'Home Improvement' - dslreports.com

Re: self balancing washing machine

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:46:05 EDT

anon posted :

said by aannoonn :

Much more important, it reduced our water consumption by 2,000 gallons per month.

Jeez are you sure? The difference ALONE is the equivalent of about 50 loads a month!

Your math: 2000 gallons / 50 loads = 40 gallons per load.

Sorry, a traditional washer uses a lot more than 40 gallons per load. Remember that it has to fill twice for each load (3 times if you do a second rinse). So, yes, 2000 gal/month is about right.

Re: self balancing washing machine

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:53:54 EDT

anon posted : one of the best- made in germany. »www.us-appliance.com/miele2.html

Re: self balancing washing machine

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:53:28 EDT

anon posted :

said by tmh :

OMG! The F&P washer is the most finicky SOB washer on the planet. Bar none. We have a similar model (no center post), and you need a tire balancer to have the arranged load just right. 3 pairs of jeans in a full load will do it. It goes out of balance about 1 out of 3 washes. Once there was absolutely no arrangement that would convince it to spin. We actually had to take out some clothes, sopping wet, and spin them in two lots.

Interesting... another bad review for F&P. Good to know. And my brother and SIL love it. I enjoyed using it too, albeit only 8 days. Maybe you got a bad model? Theirs are less than a year old. It's possible they've gotten better? I'm still sticking with my front load HE LG... but still think top loader HEs might have an advantage in some regards. Too each their own, though.

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:30:42 EDT

anon posted :

said by JALevinworth :

My brother and his wife have a Fisher & Paykel set, both top loading. Very similar. We used them staying there during the last power outage. The washer is same as you describe, and the dryer is high speed which whirls up like a jet (but not as loud, lol), then reverses after a while, then reverses again. Those are supposed to be very good (don't know much), but pricey. Made in New Zealand I think.
-Jim

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:42:25 EDT

alkizmo posted :

said by aannoonn :

Much more important, it reduced our water consumption by 2,000 gallons per month.

Jeez are you sure? The difference ALONE is the equivalent of about 50 loads a month!

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:21:37 EDT

anon posted : My new Kenmore/Whirlpool HE top-loader has never gone out of balance. It plays a little tune when you turn it on, and when it's done. Much more important, it reduced our water consumption by 2,000 gallons per month.

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:12:16 EDT

fifty nine posted :

said by Jack_in_VA:

Instead of mounting our front loaders on pedestals we stacked the dryer on top of the washer. This freed up a space to install shelves. Worked out great for us.

Won't work for us. My wife is 5'0".

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:00:04 EDT

telco_mtl posted :

said by 8744675:

I have a front loader, which spins much faster than top loaders. It starts spinning slowly and if it detects that it's out of balance, it stops, throws in a little water and starts spinning in the other direction to try to redistribute the load. Sometimes it will go back and forth for 3 or 4 times and then starts spinning up slowly and sounds like a jet engine at full speed!

It would be harder to do on a top loader, since it can't shuffle the clothes around in a vertical tub.

the new HE top loaders manage to do it, when i got mine i was curious about the odd noises so i defeated the interlock to watch it with the lid open, very very very cool

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:57:49 EDT

8744675 posted : I have a front loader, which spins much faster than top loaders. It starts spinning slowly and if it detects that it's out of balance, it stops, throws in a little water and starts spinning in the other direction to try to redistribute the load. Sometimes it will go back and forth for 3 or 4 times and then starts spinning up slowly and sounds like a jet engine at full speed!

It would be harder to do on a top loader, since it can't shuffle the clothes around in a vertical tub.

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:42:32 EDT

chamberc posted : Our Samsung is just that.

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:21:06 EDT

anon posted : Nice idea.

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:44:15 EDT

Jack_in_VA posted : Instead of mounting our front loaders on pedestals we stacked the dryer on top of the washer. This freed up a space to install shelves. Worked out great for us.

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:37:18 EDT

anon posted :

said by talz13:

said by JALevinworth :

Interesting and good to know. We're pretty happy with our front loading LE HGs, but still I did notice the top loading F&Ps hardly rumbled at all doing wash. It pretty much sat still in comparison. Our LG does vibrate far more during the regular cycle and then if off balance, jumps around a bit before the "try to relevel" mode kicks in. Especially with a load of jeans. The drum type does seem to make a difference in balancing... which makes that type, not brand, worth looking into I would think.
-Jim

I ended up going with the HE top loading LG pair. With the front loaders I was concerned that I would want pedestals to go with the washer, and couldn't just have the washer on a pedestal, so I would need one for the dryer as well. That was going to add up to another $400+, on top of the front loaders already being more expensive...

We're still happy with ours but I think if we did it again, we'd go with the top loading model. We didn't have pedestals initially (like you said, too much $), but a friend getting rid of ones gave them to us. Even so, wifey (and I agree), dragging wet clothes out the front, they can sometimes hit the floor no matter how careful. It was nice on the top loaders to drop from one to the other top load dryer.

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:34:41 EDT

talz13 posted :

said by JALevinworth :

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:23:55 EDT

anon posted : ~~LE HGs~~ HE LGs

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:22:23 EDT

anon posted :

said by talz13:

said by JALevinworth :

When I was shopping for washer and dryer, F&P was one of the lowest on the list for reliability on CR. I ended up going with LG, and I love the "laundry's done!" song! Oh, and it does a good job on the clothes, too.

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:09:44 EDT

cdru posted :

said by alkizmo:

Didoo.... didooloodoodoo or something :p

Don't know if it matches "Didoo.... didooloodoodoo" but here's what our LG does:

»www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKrc1tONIVA

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:05:14 EDT

talz13 posted :

said by JALevinworth :

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:01:02 EDT

ncbill posted : Switched to a top-loading HE washer (LG) - no central agitator either.

Plays a merry tune when turned on & when load is done.

Twice the capacity of the old top-loader, no stinky rubber boot to clean as with front-loaders.

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:57:37 EDT

Jackorama posted : I'm always running to hit the off button when the melody starts, but our Parrotlet likes it. ;)

My dryer is a old Lady Kenmore compact that I have shut off the buzzer because I kept thinking someone was at the front door. Our apt. buzzer makes the same noise. Scares the crap out of me every time. :p

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:56:04 EDT

fifty nine posted :

said by cdru:

said by Jack_in_VA:

Never had any problem with unbalanced load since 2003 with my front loader HE Whirlpool.

Same with our LG front loader as well. And alkizmo , it does play a little melody when it's done.

My Brother and SIL have a Samsung washer/dryer that does that. It's cute the first few times then annoying after a while.

Ours does a chime like when you forget the lights on in your car.

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:47:45 EDT

alkizmo posted : Nah I don't like THAT melody.

The ones from China and Japan had the same melody.

Didoo.... didooloodoodoo or something :p

Okay I'm getting ridiculous. I'm building a laundry room with noise dampening insulation, it's not like I'll hear it.

As for those with buzzers that are freaking loud, you should hear my GE dryer. It sounds like a apartment building lobby door buzzer and I can hear it from the opposite side of the house, one floor up.
I already turn off the buzzer, but the knob for it gets bumped to "LOUD" all the time. I'm gonna glue that damn button but I'm afraid I'll need it when my laundry room is finished.

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:42:04 EDT

Jackorama posted :

said by alkizmo:

said by telco_mtl:

i have just bought a top loader HE machine by whirlpool that does exactly what you describe!

Sweet! Does it make a sweet little beeping melody when the cycle is finished? DOES IT? DOES IT?!?!?!?!?!

When my old Maytag washer kicks it (Which it is in kicking it mode) then I'm upgrading to the asian soft beeping lovely machine happy times.

This is the machine I have and it plays a song when it is done.

»www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdFH6iLF···=related
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Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:35:12 EDT

anon posted :

said by alkizmo:

The washing machines I saw in China and Japan were AMAZING in load balacing.. and noise!

Fisher & Paykel washer
Inside the washer
Inside the dryer

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:06:59 EDT

primeomega posted : We have a set (samsung) we bought about 2 years back that I was told has self leveling. My wife has issues with putting way too much inside the washer. I no longer hear the banging that the old one did, so I guess it works. There are front load HE ones.

And ours does play a nice little melody when it is finished :D

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:57:27 EDT

djrobx posted :

I'm upgrading to the asian soft beeping lovely machine happy times.

LOL. That seems to be a Samsung thing. Their dishwasher plays a melody when it's done the dishes as well.
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Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:36:27 EDT

psiu_nws posted :

said by jack b:

I usually don't have any trouble, either. Once in a while the mrs will put in only one or two things and it won't spin out properly. I've watched it try to rearrange things and after three or four tries it quits.
The only complaint I have with ours is the end of cycle "buzzer" is practically inaudible.

Our Frigidaire front load laundry center does the same thing, will spin down and then give em a tumble or twp. However the buzzer could double as a county wide tornado warning. I can hear it on the 2nd floor (unit in basement). That sucker is LOUD.
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Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:27:51 EDT

alkizmo posted :

said by cdru:

Same with our LG front loader as well. And alkizmo , it does play a little melody when it's done.

Sweet toots! Ya it makes sense if it's a LG. In Japan it was LG, in China it was Haier, but they copied LG stuff.

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:21:43 EDT

cdru posted :

said by Jack_in_VA:

Never had any problem with unbalanced load since 2003 with my front loader HE Whirlpool.

Same with our LG front loader as well. And alkizmo , it does play a little melody when it's done.

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:36:20 EDT

jack b posted : I usually don't have any trouble, either. Once in a while the mrs will put in only one or two things and it won't spin out properly. I've watched it try to rearrange things and after three or four tries it quits.
The only complaint I have with ours is the end of cycle "buzzer" is practically inaudible.
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Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:19:20 EDT
Jack_in_VA posted : Never had any problem with unbalanced load since 2003 with my front loader HE Whirlpool.

Re: self balancing washing machine

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 02:11:42 EDT
jack b posted : Most front loader HE machines will attempt to rearrange the load of laundry if it's out of balance for the spin cycle.

If there are too few items in the drum it may never be able to balance itself, and after a few tries it'll quit trying and stop, the load will come out soaking wet.
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Re: self balancing washing machine

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:22:58 EDT
telco_mtl posted : no melody though. when my GE died after only 6 years i was looking in the second hand market for a 70s or 80s maytag, those things are fetching 150$ to 200$ on the used market because they simply will run forever, my moms was through 2 floods and its a 1976!

Re: self balancing washing machine

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:16:17 EDT
alkizmo posted :
said by telco_mtl:
i have just bought a top loader HE machine by whirlpool that does exactly what you describe!

Sweet! Does it make a sweet little beeping melody when the cycle is finished? DOES IT? DOES IT?!?!?!?!?!

When my old Maytag washer kicks it (Which it is in kicking it mode) then I'm upgrading to the asian soft beeping lovely machine happy times.

Re: self balancing washing machine

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:13:14 EDT
telco_mtl posted : i have just bought a top loader HE machine by whirlpool that does exactly what you describe!

Re: self balancing washing machine

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:01:13 EDT
alkizmo posted : The washing machines I saw in China and Japan were AMAZING in load balacing.. and noise!

They basically don't have that screw drive thing in the middle. So how does it toss the clothes? The chamber has these water jets at the bottom that pushes and stirs the clothes in the water in all directions.

It doesn't wear out clothing as much
It is very quiet (instead of the screw drive going back and forth)
And because of that, nothing gets accumulated in one side, so when it spins to dry, everything is pretty much nicely aligned.
But if it WAS out of balance, the machine would stop, put some water back in, restir, and drain again.

self balancing washing machine

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:21:17 EDT
aurgathor posted : Is there such a thing as a self balancing washing machine, so when the load doesn't align properly, it could move some weights around and balance itself?
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