Addition to my collection: LG Turbodrum

[foraloysius]

Yesterday I picked up an LG Turbodrum, a machine that was never sold in the Netherlands. V-axis machines are very rare here. I bought it from an employee of the Dutch embassy in Chile. She moved to the Netherlands and took the washer with her. Then she got a new assignment in Chile and a house with appliances included. So no need to schlepp the washer back to Chile again. Great opportunity to add such a machine to my collection.

Here's a picture of the machine filling. From left to right you can see I selected hot, an extra rinse, the maximum water level, wash, rinse and spin, and the programme called Fuzzy, which is for every day laundry. My towels were the victims for the maiden load.

 

[foraloysius]

Here's the machine with the lid closed. Unfortunately there is no window. And I haven't found out how to trigger the lid switch. It looks like there is a magnet, but the magnet I have didn't work. Perhaps a stronger one will do.

 

[foraloysius]

Washing was done with Ariel Liquid and some Vanish for whites.

 

[foraloysius]

Draining the wash water into the bathroom sink. Because I don't have a hot water faucet for a washer I connected both hoses to the faucet on the bathroom sink. I opened the hot water for the wash and the cold for the rinse.

 

[foraloysius]

After the spin cycle I did an extra Air dry cycle. It spins for 30 minutes and I assume air is sucked through the drum. I didn't noticed any difference with the spin result after the last spin. Here's a picture after the Air dry cycle.

 

[foraloysius]

One load of towels done. The capacity is supposed to be 7.5kg, but I think it holds only one towel more than my Miele frontloader which is rated at 5kg.

 

[mrb627]

Nice Washer

I can remember seeing an animated graphic detailing the different wash motions in this machine.

Good Score, man!

Malcolm

 

[eddy1210]

GASP! A modern machine in your laundry room

Louis, I'm shocked. But it's a fun machine to play with, isn't it? How do you find the turnover?

 

[foraloysius]

Thanks!

It's a good score indeed. The turnover is acceptable but not spectacular. This machine is my first 21st century machine!!

 

[spiralator60]

LG Turbodrum

Louis,

Nice machine! What was the spin speed on the cycle that you used for the load of towels?

 

[paulc]

Louis,

I was under the impression that the "air dry" cycle was to be run when the drum was empty to dry the inside if the machine and stop the machine smelling. I remember our local independant retailer having the 10kg turbodrum machine with the rear control panel in stock, was an interesting machine!

 

[gyrafoam]

Good catch, Louis. That looks like a fun machine.
Does it have a re-circulating filtration system?

 

[aldspinboy]

Hey Louis that is a fun machine i would like to have one for my small kitchen .
They are great for a nice small wash don't ya think ?
I wished the air dry cycle worked was there a difference in the dryer maybe...

Darren k.

 

[rapunzel]

Hi Louis

So, did you have to change the plug? How do you find this washer? Will you now use this as your daily driver? Does it have castors to wheel it about?

Those bathtowels look pretty thick and your washer certainly is full. My SQ, which is also rated 7.5 kgs, takes more bathseets than yours though. Maybe the capacity for the LG is 7.5 kg wet load?

Love your Braun Waterpic - it dfinitely looks vintage.

Take care and have fun with your new acquisition.

Olav

 

[foraloysius]

Questions

Darryl,

I have no idea what the spin speed is. It doesn't say so on the machine and it's nowhere in the manual (or the part I have). The spin speed is not spectacular, I gave the towels an extra spin in the Miele and they came out much dryer.

Paul,

You are probably right. The "Air dry" cycle is probably meant for dry the inside of the machine. BTW, there is also a special cycle to clean the drum. I have to find out how that works. I've noticed it works with only the maximum water level and cold water only. You probably need to add bleach for the max. cleaning effect.

Steve,

This machine has indeed a recirculation filtration system. You can see the little bag in the third photo. After the towels were done there was some lint in it.

Darren,

I think it is rather a big machine, more or less the same size as a European frontloader. I don't know what size a machine would have to be for your kitchen. I would buy something smaller for a small loads machine, like those small Danby's or Haier's. As Paul said the "Air dry" cycle is probably for drying the drum after use.

Olav,

I thought of you when I bought this washer. The name Turbodrum sounded familiar! I didn't change the plug yet, the owner had cut off the third pin on the plug which is the ground one. Because I connect it to an outlet with a GFI there is no problem with that. This machine will not be my daily driver, it uses too much water to European standards, that would be too expensive. But I love playing with it and I sure will be using it now and then. I was thinking of connecting the cold to my thermostatic valve so I can control the cold water temperature. Very convenient for washing sweaters on the wool cycle since that cycle can only be used with the cold setting.

I bet the capacity is smaller than 7.5kg. It holds more than my Miele frontloader (5kg) so I guess it's closer to 6kg than to 7.5kg.

The Braun is definitely vintage. I don't use it very often, I just didn't know where to put it so I use it for putting stuff in. LOL

Louis

 

[jetcone]

It looks like its loosely based

on the Harmony our fearless leader had. But that tub fill way up compared to a Harmonica!

 

[gansky1]

Interesting machine - did you feel it was pretty rough with the towels? "Victims" might be the right term for those poor towels!

 

[hoovermatic]

I am pretty sure that I remember seeing an LG Turbodrum in Gardiner Haskins, Bristol in the early noughties. It looked bigger than this machine and when I opened the bi-fold lid the inside was like the GE Harmony - all stainless steel. It wasn't very expensive and I was very tempted. By the time I made it back to the store it had gone and they told me it was no longer available :-((

 

[foraloysius]

Jon,

I guess there is a connection between the Harmony and the turbodrum, but the Turbodrum has a water level selector, IIRC the Harmony didn't have that. Only a cycle for bulky items or so. I've taken a picture of the inside of the machine so you can see that the wash plate is different.

Greg,

Actually I think this machine isn't very rough, at least not like the Oasis etc. appears to me.

Paul, I don't know what machine you saw, this machine is about 86x54x54. Next to my frontloaders it looks like more or less the same in size.