A Question of Rollover???

[mrb627]

I see a lot of people posting about best rollover and worst rollover. So, here is the question of the hour.

How do you define proper rollover?

How many times per minute should a properly loaded machine turn the load over?

Discuss... ... ...

 

[tomturbomatic]

Man, that reads like an essay question. The only words missing are "compare and contrast."

 

[gyrafoam]

IMO moving the water through the fabric is more important than how the fabric moves.

Two of my old machines do a great job of cleaning with a very full load, yet both of them may or may not provide the best rollover. They are a (standard size) solid-tub SQ and an old Maytag Highlander. Very aggressive agitation.

With four pair of fairly new jean (stiff fabric) they provide little rollover, yet, you better have your goggles on if you open the lid because neither machines show the fabrics much mercy. There is a lot of splashing going on and that wash water is really getting powered through those fabrics.

The same can be said of a standard-capacity Whirly BD . Either the original straight-vane or the Surgilator straight-vane may not provide a lot of rollver, but you can believe it will get that load clean.Same with the straight-vane equipped Kenmos'. Very aggressive agitation.

Now an old Unimatic or Multimatic will certainly roll that load over at a very high rate, but if they begin to tangle the fabric the areas within those folds may not get the same level of cleanliness that the more exposed areas may get.

When GE came out with that straight-vaned Activator in about 1965 or so, it provided pretty lame rollover AND did not move the water around very much either. I am convinced the fabrics down in the turbulence at the bottom of the tub got a good bit of fabric damage because they just sat there being scrubbed by those little squared-off fins.

Later on with the advent of their large-tub machine, GE re-designed that Activator and gave it much (larger) taller fins.
Now the water really moved around---and so did those clothes.

So in my mind it depends on the machine whether or not I think the amount of rollover is "proper".

 

[yogitunes]

There's a loaded question thats asked a lot

IMO....it's based on load capacity and bulk, for most standard capacity machines I use the 1 bushel basket method, what ever dry clothes fit into a basket with a slight mound, that's a load, Large capacity 1 1/2 busel basket, another way is to drop clothes into a machine, and when you reach the top of the tub, that's a full load, Do Not Pack them down!....but every machine does not handle each load the same, one machine may really turn them over and over, others may move the load slowly....agitator design has a lot to do with it also...and agitator stroke or arc....

odd that my mothers GE V12 with the ramp activator, lid instructions for loading, reommended large items on the bottom like sheets or jeans, then towels or shirts, and final socks and washcloths, like they are not going to roll over but stay in their place for the top vanes are not as aggressive as the bottom part is......

I just don't understand people who wash a small load with a large fill level, and then comment on the great rollover, yeah, if I wash one item at a time, I would have great rollover too.....I do have a lot of laundry, and even with 3 sets, I don't want to spend all day sometimes washing, so I have to wash "reality" loads, and make sure I don't overload and that the clothes are moving freely..........

 

[mrb627]

Rule of Thumb

My rule of thumb with a top loader was to load the clothes to the depth of the waterline minus the height of the agitator fins. This became easier with the advent of the infinite water level control. This allows plenty of room for the clothes to move around freely. I was always told that the agitator was designed to propel water and not beat your clothes so there should be enough room for your clothes to move out of the way.

 

[whirlaway]

Good Rollover

I love to watch the machine wash,if you didnt have a very good rollover that would take away lots of the fun.My 55 Kenmore has great rollover,but I think with any machine dont overload them.Ive talked to so many people and they admit to overloading the machine and now with so many frontloaders its even worse. Bobby

 

[gyrafoam]

Thats a good rule of thumb.
And yes, I tend to underload. Also, I don't wish to put a strain on any of my aging "treasures" either!