Know anything about washing machines?

[Midwesthonky]

The other day I got a notice in the mail from Whirlpool reminding me that my washer is nearly a year old, and that I should hurry to take advantage of a special deal they have for me on an extended warranty. Yeah, right!

I also never use hot water to wash clothes. Detergent works well even in cold water. The savings in water use is literally a drop in the bucket compared to the estimated savings in electrically heated hot water.

1. Manufacturers love selling extended warranties because...<gasp>...they are very profitable. When I worked for the appliance company, we analyzed the extended warranty database as part of a MBA class project. Very interesting. But not the point of this thread. Extended warranties are profitable for the sellers.

2. Glad you mentioned "hot" vs. "cold" water as there is much that people do not understand about this. When you choose the temperature on the wash load, you are thinking about the temp that comes out of your tap. Not so. The electronic controls monitor the water temperature and blend the incoming water to get close to the set temperature. Hot isn't always straight hot water unless you have your water heater set low. Cold isn't straight cold. It's a blend to get the to the desired temp. If your washer has a heating element in it, it will use that to hit the desired temp as well. So for us in the upper Midwest, tap water temp for cold might be around 50 degrees or less. Yet the washer will blend it with hot water to get around 75 - 80 degrees. The difference between Hot and Warm water is only about 10-15 degrees.

When the industry was forced to meet reduced government energy usage guidelines, one of the first things the manufacturers did was lower the target temperatures for the hot setting. This decreased the use of electrically heater hot water and therefore decreased the energy usage. The feds control the testing so the numbers are based on electricity. So if you use gas or cheaper alternatives, you won't see as much savings.

Glad it's working for you. You git yourself a good deal.

 

[Swerd]

Although it is frugal with water, is there any option to fill it significantly more so that clothes could be left to soak for an extended period?

Yes, you can do that. For washing bulky items, like sheets or towels, it uses a lot more water. There is also a soak setting.

The new washer has a lot of settings, and we had to learn what each one could do. Most settings use so little water that the clothes get wet but never get immersed in soapy water. At first, we couldn't believe that would ever work, but it did. The washer is smart enough to determine how much water to use based on the amount of clothes you put in.

We also learned to limit the amount of detergent we use. It is possible to use so much that it doesn't rinse out well.

We leave the door open when it isn't in use, and we never use fabric softener. After nearly a year, we have had no mold at all.

 

[sawzalot]

Swerd, how come you avoid the fabric softener, I have the front loading commercial style that requires HE detergent but wifey uses the fabric softener on occasion. sawz.
I agree with you guys about the hot water, we never use it, actually my Mom yep I said it, well she never used hot water ever she used to tell me that it will set a stain in your clothes and the cold water will lift it, now she has washed alot of clothes with four sons ,one daughter and two teenage younger brothers of hers all living under my parents roof. The longest lasting washer and dryer combo they ever had was the coppertone lady kenmores from sears and roebuck, those things were around for a very long time.

I guess there was a time when hot water meant "HOT', like enough to sanitize whites and bedding but todays hots would never do that so why bother.

 

[Swerd]

Swerd, how come you avoid the fabric softener, I have the front loading commercial style that requires HE detergent but wifey uses the fabric softener on occasion. sawz.

Fabric softener contains a lot protein. Midwesthonky talked about this somewhere in this thread. The idea is that it deposits on clothes and traps enough water to keep clothes soft. Unfortunately it also deposits all over the washing machine. Mold and mildew love that stuff. Because front loading washers have water tight seals on the door, keeping the door shut between washes makes it ideal for mold and mildew to grow.

I guess occasional use won't be a problem, but it may eventually require using chlorine bleach and lots of hot water to kill all the micro organisms growing in your washer. We just stopped buying fabric softener and use less detergent. Clothes feel ok and we have no mold at all.

 

[sawzalot]

Thanks swerd, we do keep the door open at all times when sitting idle but I will avoid this additive from now on, nothing worse than a nasty washer.

 

[gholt]

We've got the Samsung front loader. it works well. The only big issue I have is that now all the white laundry, slowly turn to dull grey, instead of white. Is anyone else have this issue, or do they know of a fix that would stop it.

 

[Swerd]

We've got the Samsung front loader. it works well. The only big issue I have is that now all the white laundry, slowly turn to dull grey, instead of white. Is anyone else have this issue, or do they know of a fix that would stop it.

Use chlorine bleach occasionally.

 

[Chu Gai]

We've got the Samsung front loader. it works well. The only big issue I have is that now all the white laundry, slowly turn to dull grey, instead of white. Is anyone else have this issue, or do they know of a fix that would stop it.

I've got a front loading Kenmore and have the same problem. What I do is take a big pot of water (I use stainless steel or enamel coated) and fillit up with water to which I add OxyClean powder or equivalent and either washing soda or Borax. I then heat it all up on the stove to aid dissolution. Depending on the water temp for the fabrics, I'll either add them to the hot solution or let it cool down before adding the clothes.

I then let it sit for a day or two using a wooden spoon to turn the pile over a few times. Then wash as usual. FWIW, hanging them out on the line in strong sunlight helps in keeping them white.

Something else I've found is to determine where the trap for your washer is. You might have to remove some screws. Access it and clean it out. In mine I found all kinds of things: money, bobby ions, busted up pens, etc. it was such a mess, and I also had problems with draining that I replaced the little impeller pump and the drain assembly. Forgot who I used...maybe repairclinic.

 

[darien87]

Oh yeah. The best part about the Samsung washer is the song it plays when it's finished.

Washer Song - YouTube

That song sounds familiar. Our LG dryer plays a cute little song too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCbZB1C5Q4U

 

[TLS Guy]

A washing machine repair record update, for a Whirlpool Cabrio (top loading, no agitator, digital controls) washing machine. It was originally designed by Maytag before that company went belly up and Whirlpool bought them.

The 1st house repair call was Tuesday 3 Dec, the control mother board was ordered the next day, Wednesday 4 Dec. It arrived Saturday 14 Dec, and was installed today on Monday 16 Dec.

That new board cost $571 installed. The $80 house call charge from 3 Dec was rebated. That was 12 days, nearly 2 weeks without a washer!!

The washer is 11 years old, nearly 12. The only thing that needed repair was the digital control board. The washer’s mechanical & hydraulic parts have stood up well. (Fingers crossed!) Replacing that board cost nearly as much as the entire washer cost 11 years ago. Welcome to the brave new world of digital home appliances!

Count yourself lucky you could still get the board!

 

[Swerd]

A washing machine repair record update, for a Whirlpool Cabrio (top loading, no agitator, digital controls) washing machine. It was originally designed by Maytag before that company went belly up and Whirlpool bought them. The 1st house repair call was Tuesday 3 Dec, the control mother board was ordered the next day, Wednesday 4 Dec. It arrived Saturday 14 Dec, and was installed today on Monday 16 Dec. That new board cost $521 installed. The $80 house call charge from 3 Dec was taken off that charge.

That was 12 days, nearly 2 weeks without a washer!! The washer is 11 years old, nearly 12. The only thing that needed repair was the digital control board. The washer’s mechanical and hydraulic parts have stood up well. (Fingers crossed!) Replacing that board cost nearly as much as the entire washer cost 11 years ago. Welcome to the brave new world of digital home appliances!

Attention Mods: Please move this post (now #71) to just before post #70. It was originally there until I pulled a bone head move late last night. Blame it on tapatalk.

 

[Swerd]

Whatever happened to the days when the Maytag repairman had all the needed parts on his truck?

 

[Swerd]

– Had to delete this post as it was also caused by a bone headed tapatalk user.

 

[Alex2507]

Whatever happened to the days when the Maytag repairman had all the needed parts on his truck?

What truck? Remember he was always bored from hanging around because the machines never broke? He probably didn't know how to fix sh!t.

 

[highfigh]

1. Manufacturers love selling extended warranties because...<gasp>...they are very profitable. When I worked for the appliance company, we analyzed the extended warranty database as part of a MBA class project. Very interesting. But not the point of this thread. Extended warranties are profitable for the sellers.

I worked for a WI-based big box store and we sold extended warranties , based in-house. The company was required to be bonded and put up what amounted to 'seed money' and customers had a choice between 3 year and 5 year coverage. For many items, it was wasted money but for the durable goods and expensive stuff, it could pay off. I was working in the car audio department first, as an installer and later, as an installation department manager- they REALLY wanted sales to sign people up and if they didn't, we could and we received commission for these sales.

Since car stereos are in a hostile environment, it really paid off- if they bought it, the warranty covered any problem that wasn't caused by physical damage and it also covered removal and reinstallation if we had installed it. If they didn't buy the warranty, they would be charged $15 per piece that needed service but if they paid our department, those costs were waived and would be, for the 3 or 5 years. One R&R was $5 less than the 5 year plan.

When the install department managers had meetings to discuss budget, the extended warranty revenue was shown and it was a large amount- any money that was left after all service and repairs had been covered was revenue/income and taxable- it was actually a big slush fund.

Several comedians have joked about being offered an extended warranty for a $29 toaster. I buy from places like Harbor Freight and they'll offer it for something that's ten bucks.

 

[Swerd]

What truck? Remember he was always bored from hanging around because the machines never broke? He probably didn't know how to fix sh!t.

This guy?

Back in the late 1970s, as a newly wed, I bought a used & refurbished Maytag from a local Maytag dealer. I couldn't afford a new washer, and used washers advertised by owners were actually more expensive. The refurbished Maytag cost less, was delivered & installed, and came with a 90-day warranty!

A few years down the road, it needed some kind of repair, a balance problem, if I remember. I called that same dealer, who sent a repairman. He was younger & stronger looking than the guy in the advertisements.

He spent a few minutes checking out the washer, and told me it's balance bushings were worn out. He had those parts on his truck. In a few more minutes, the job was done, and all was right again. I asked how he managed to carry all those parts with him. He said every Maytag sold in the last 20-25 years used the same balance bushings.

Those days are long gone. Maytag is gone, as are the days when a Maytag washer lasted 30 years or more. That's a major sub-theme in this long thread.

 

[Swerd]

I worked for a WI-based big box store and we sold extended warranties …

And now we are bombarded on the phone with offers like this:

 

[GO-NAD!]

I worked for a WI-based big box store and we sold extended warranties , based in-house. The company was required to be bonded and put up what amounted to 'seed money' and customers had a choice between 3 year and 5 year coverage. For many items, it was wasted money but for the durable goods and expensive stuff, it could pay off. I was working in the car audio department first, as an installer and later, as an installation department manager- they REALLY wanted sales to sign people up and if they didn't, we could and we received commission for these sales.

Since car stereos are in a hostile environment, it really paid off- if they bought it, the warranty covered any problem that wasn't caused by physical damage and it also covered removal and reinstallation if we had installed it. If they didn't buy the warranty, they would be charged $15 per piece that needed service but if they paid our department, those costs were waived and would be, for the 3 or 5 years. One R&R was $5 less than the 5 year plan.

When the install department managers had meetings to discuss budget, the extended warranty revenue was shown and it was a large amount- any money that was left after all service and repairs had been covered was revenue/income and taxable- it was actually a big slush fund.

Several comedians have joked about being offered an extended warranty for a $29 toaster. I buy from places like Harbor Freight and they'll offer it for something that's ten bucks.

Normally, I don't do extended warranties. However, when I bought my PJ, AVR and BD player, the dealer offered me one...can't remember the cost exactly...two or three hundred bucks. If I didn't need to make use of the warranty over the five-year term, I would receive an in-store credit for the full value of the warranty. I didn't need to make any claims, so I put the credit towards my Sonos gear.

 

[highfigh]

This guy?
View attachment 71237
Back in the late 1970s, as a newly wed, I bought a used & refurbished Maytag from a local Maytag dealer. I couldn't afford a new washer, and used washers advertised by owners were actually more expensive. The refurbished Maytag cost less, was delivered & installed, and came with a 90-day warranty!

A few years down the road, it needed some kind of repair, a balance problem, if I remember. I called that same dealer, who sent a repairman. He was younger & stronger looking than the guy in the advertisements.

He spent a few minutes checking out the washer, and told me it's balance bushings were worn out. He had those parts on his truck. In a few more minutes, the job was done, and all was right again. I asked how he managed to carry all those parts with him. He said every Maytag sold in the last 20-25 years used the same balance bushings.

Those days are long gone. Maytag is gone, as are the days when a Maytag washer lasted 30 years or more. That's a major sub-theme in this long thread.

My parents bought a new Frigidaire the week I was born in April, 1957. Guess what was still going strong when we sold their house in 2003.

Using the same parts just makes sense, having different parts for every model is stupid and is a great way to cause a company to shut down. I bought Amana fridge and range in about 2009, from a distributor that I used for AV equipment. The fridge stopped cooling and for awhile, the only info I could find on YouTube showed that the 'starting device' had failed & how to replace it. Let's call it what it is- a relay with a capacitor. The 'official' part was close to $100 and there was no way I was going to pay that, so I found one for about $50 and it has been working for over 5 years. The controls stopped allowing adjustment of the temperature, but it's stuck on the one that works well, so it's no big deal. The light bulbs went out and the replacements aren't lasting too long, but they're cheap. Now, the igniter for the oven quit, so I'll have to replace it.

 

[GO-NAD!]

This guy?
View attachment 71237
Back in the late 1970s, as a newly wed, I bought a used & refurbished Maytag from a local Maytag dealer. I couldn't afford a new washer, and used washers advertised by owners were actually more expensive. The refurbished Maytag cost less, was delivered & installed, and came with a 90-day warranty!

A few years down the road, it needed some kind of repair, a balance problem, if I remember. I called that same dealer, who sent a repairman. He was younger & stronger looking than the guy in the advertisements.

He spent a few minutes checking out the washer, and told me it's balance bushings were worn out. He had those parts on his truck. In a few more minutes, the job was done, and all was right again. I asked how he managed to carry all those parts with him. He said every Maytag sold in the last 20-25 years used the same balance bushings.

Those days are long gone. Maytag is gone, as are the days when a Maytag washer lasted 30 years or more. That's a major sub-theme in this long thread.

We have a Maytag washer and dryer that are over 30 years old. I have replaced the drum belt (twice) and the blower impeller on the dryer over that period. Haven't had a single hitch with the washer. I hope I didn't just curse myself by saying that...