a whole lotta agitation goin' on!

[daveamkrayoguy]

Noticed that along with the agitator that the basket in my washer moves to--was this always happening or is there something not normal?

-- Dave

 

[DADoES]

 
Nope, the spin brake should hold it stationary.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

That’s what I thought—it used to be that only the agitator moves, but now the basket is also moving...

— Dave

 

[DADoES]

 
Something apparently is broken, perhaps related to the situation you reported a few days ago.

Set it to spin and trip the lid switch by hand ... does it spin OK?

Let the lid switch go to stop it, does it brake to a stop properly ... or coast down leisurely?

 

[gelaundry4ever]

What brand is this machine?

Is it belt or direct drive? What's going on with the brake or transmission?

 

[maytag85]

Reply #4

Direct drive, Kenmore. The Kenmores had the side opening lid and have a different agitator from the Whirlpool direct drive washers.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Well get this:

Now with this load, only the agitator is moving and this time, the basket is actually sitting still...

(yes, a direct-drive Kenmore is what I use)

-- Dave

 

[wayupnorth]

Dave, you need to add more water. That DD is beating those clothes to death.

 

[washdaddy]

agreed- more water

If that's all the water you are using and that machine is agitating at high speed it's beating the heck out of those clothes. Raise the water level to either it's next setting (if preset levels) or adjust higher.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

More Water?!

But in another thread I was told I was using too much water and to use less--it would prevent unbalanced loads and of course reduce my water bills...

Also I do all my wash at low speed agitation and high speed spin except for work clothes--opposite, I thrash everything around at high speed and use a slow spin...

-- Dave

 

[qsd-dan]

As long as you're not underloading the machine, full loads with the highest spin speed is the most efficient way to use a top loading washer. Larger loads are generally more balanced during the spin cycle.

 

[DADoES]

 
That's plenty water for the small loads he runs per the previous examples and discussion about it.  As I recall he was previously using too much water for the load sizes *and* forcing a spin-drain by opening/closing the lid which sometimes caused the items to float/congregate into a wad and promote off-balance.

Video(s) would clarify the basket rotation situation.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Here is the previous-ly discussed thread on one-sided loads, not to mention coaching a-plenty on water level adjustment for most-efficient usage...

As for a video, I can see if my phone or iPad are compatible with aw.org's syste, as I had attempted vid' since the past, but never got to work here, try again...

-- Dave

Your ONE-SIDED Wash Loads

Is there a way to prevent them? Often the load is unbalanced and I can't always rescue my washer, thumping and banging from the beating it takes from an unbalanced load in time... And usually it's the OTHER SIDE of the tub the load of laundry is impaled against, so how funny it is to get a...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[DADoES]

 
Videos can't be uploaded directly into posts.  They must be placed at some other online sharing service.  Most common is YouTube.

 

[pierreandreply4]

i agree 100% with the use of more water

i would agree with everyone in using more water and what kind of detergent do you use powder liquid pods and the next time you wash you can open up the front of your washer to check at the same time if certain parts needs to be replace and it will also aloow you to check for potential or possible leaks

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Next time,

I'd try fast agitation and fast spin for heavy-duty everyday items like jeans and towels.

 

[DADoES]

 
Slow agitation for a longer time gives better results (particularly with enzyme detergents) and less fabric wear than fast agitation for a shorter wash time.

Fast agitation is rarely needed for small loads in a direct-drive.

Whirlpool figured that out and nicely programmed the Catalyst to automatically adjust agitation speed per the selected water level.
- Heavy Duty and Whitest Whites run only Medium/(Slow) agitation on the two lowest water levels (Med/Small & Small).
- Normal runs Medium/(Slow) on Medium level, Low/(Ex-Slow) on Small and Med/Small levels.

Catalyst 3-speed agitation labeling
    High = high motor speed
    Med = low motor speed
    Low = ex-low motor speed

 

[yogitunes]

in this load here, a little more water would not hurt, but you dont have to go excessive with it...3 or 4 inches more would be fine...

and if the speed selection is Slow Wash/Fast Spin.....all is fine....

there are days/times the brake does not engage, or slips some during agitation....if it happens on occasion, no big deal, but if it starts to happen more, then it may be time for a rebuild of the brake package...

if it comes to that, might as well swap out for a new Neutral Drain kit, and a new motor coupler, inspect your pump at that point.....from there on, your good to go for many more years of washing...

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Here's what all that made me fill her to the max give or take a t shirt or two...

I hope the threads didn't suffer any wear, and as my mother had been on my back over, besides the clothes not getting clean was it not wearing out the machine...

-- Dave