A Front Loader That Can Actually Balance a Heavy Load?

[launderess]

Jet

You've seen pics of the AEG set haven't you? Did several threads when they arrived.

If you didn't just say the word and will repost links.

L.

 

[mrb627]

Commercial

Wasn't there a TV Commercial where the yellow pages was used to show a top load machine spin up to speed without banging or tripping an off balance sensor?

We need all FL manufacturers to step up to the plate on that one...

Malcolm

 

[combo52]

Spinning With A Phone Book

GEs new TLers [ 1994on ] could do this easily [ yes even with plastic tubs and those thin suspension rods ] Problem is newer FL and TL washers spin much faster than the old 500-650 range most older TL and FL washers spun at.

FL washers have and always be at a disadvantage when it comes to balancing a load when compared to a TL washer with a good neutral drain, guess this is why you will never see an extractor that is front loading, LOL.

John L.

 

[whirlykenmore78]

Malcolm

I think that commercial was for Maytag.

WK78

 

[mrb627]

Thinking About It

I recall it was an Amana Commercial, possibly...

Malcolm

 

[rp2813]

You know, I never had this problem with the big Duet we had at the other house.  I really, really wish that machine wasn't too large to fit in the laundry room where we live now.  It was infinitely superior to the Fux in every way.

 

I've read enough here about a tilted tub (as the Duets use) being no more capable than a perfectly horizontal tub (like Fux uses) at balancing, but my experience says otherwise.

 

[mrb627]

Tilted Drum Machines

Maybe the larger machines with a tilted wash tub have an advantage when dealing with smaller loads. I guess it would make sense to collect the vast majority of the load at the back/base of the tub.

The Whirlpool Duet that I had years ago used to fart around with balancing before the final spin, but I don't recall it giving up and shutting off.

Malcolm

 

[henene4]

Panasonic...

Never shuts off!
But it takes up to an hour to spin!
2 Things cause this:
1. Weak dampers (have to wait a bit still, but they will be exchanged in a year or so, at least within the first 2 years of the warranty)!
2. The drum design: I know, big washers are known to tangel, but this washer really is designed to tangle! As you may have seen on one of my videos, the paddles get smaller and thinner and less broad towards the front of the tub. This causes a really effective and good performing, hence verry tangling movement of the clothes from back to front on the outside and back to the back in the center of the tub (pretty much as fast as a bad roolover in a TL machine). If you now have big (jeans are perfect because they are more stiff than towels, but towels do this either) and small items mixed, they ball up into a clupm of clothing. But on the other hand, this movements boosts the cleaningpower (espacially on delicates, the clothes swim from the front to the back and the other way arround again and again) and helps rinsing and scrubbing!

 

[whitetub]

When I wash my bath mats (3 of them), I always put in two or three bath towels, and I don't have any problem spinning.

 

[logixx]

I washed my Eastpak shoulderbag today. During the final spin, the tub swung almost an inch to each side but because I had the spin set to Low, the washer didn't care. I don't think it would have worked had I set the spin to Max.

 

[joe_in_philly]

My Kenmore HE3t has more stringent balance criteria for the high and extra high spin speeds than it does for lower speeds. Although it doesn't happen very often, if it is having a hard time properly balancing a load, I change the spin speed to medium and let it spin a minute or two. I then pause the cycle and switch it to a higher speed. It does need to rebalance, but since more water has been removed from the load, it is able to achieve balance more quickly.

If it can't achieve a proper balance after many tries, it will reduce the final spin speed. I can't recall it ever aborting the final spin completely.

 

[suds]

Laundress..

..the AEG's (older and newer) seem to have distribution sorted. I thought I would try something this weekend as in the 15 months of ownership I have yet to have the sides banged or spin cancellation. So I laundered a single down filled bed pillow on the duvet cycle which only has an 800rpm final spin which was fine, distribution and ramping up to final speed took a little over 3mins. I then selected a 1600rpm separate spin - distribution and ramp up took just under 3 minutes - there was some vibration obviously but nothing vicious altogether - hassle free! During distribution she always seem to manage "splitting" the load that it hangs across the drum before she then speeds up, I have noticed this repeatedly with single / larger items as once that happens then final max spin commences.

 

[launderess]

When You Look At Suspension Systems For Say Older

Front loaders such as my Miele 1070 vs the AEG Lavamat at first was shocked at how "cheap" the latter's shock absorbers seemed. then it dawned upon me how it could be so.

The Miele only having a limited amount of electronic controls will spin even the the most unbalanced loads. It will bang, clang, vibrate and whatever but never the less the thing will spin. Thus a very strong suspension system is required IMHO to somewhat control the movements of the tub and deal with those forces.

AEG takes a different approach. Since the motor and other functions are deeply controlled by computer in theory severely unbalanced loads should not be a problem. Either the machine will reduce spin speeds if it cannot get things properly balanced, or won't spin at all. Either way the tub shouldn't have to deal with the same forces as the Miele.