Agitator versus non agitator top loaders

[freewestinghous]

In a thread here about HE top loaders it is mentioned that so little water is used that clothing probably does not get cleaned. Also a mention that the tub turns with wash motion.

Reading on line one finds mixed opinions on whether clothes get clean or not in a HE washer. I know one family that has a recent new HE top loader and they claim it has no problem getting their clohing clean - sorry - don't know the brand.

I am having to move to an old folks subsidized low income apartment house and purchased a tiny portable Haier Washer which does not have an agitator. Unlike a HE washer it fills with an appropriate amount of water and does a good job of cleaning clothing even on the short quick wash cycle. The stainless steel drum does turn with wash motion. Clothing wear does not seem to be a factor like in a top loader that has an agitator and would be close to wash action in a front loader. However in a small portable washer weight is a factor and a front loader design is not accepable do to it's out of balance spin and the required weights needed to keep it from walking across the floor.

I owned an appliance store back in the 1980's and sold many many used Westinghouse front loaders and new White Westinghouse front loaders. They were my top sellers because I knew how to sell them on their advantages. I sold so many new ones that I had to buy them from other appliance dealers to satisfy the demand. The other dealers could not sell them because their sales people were stupid.

As to a small top loader that does not have an agitator - I think that works fine. When you starve the water level like in the HE machines - I think the result will be mixed or questionable.

As to a tub moving with wash action - the old Frigidaire stack units had the plastic agitator molded into the tub. Cable drive for that which was not long lasting.

 

[cfz2882]

asian impeller washers

does the haier's impeller rotate in one direction only or does it reverse rotation
at timed intervals-i think many of the '70s/'80s japanese impeller washers just
rotated the impeller in one direction.

 

[freewestinghous]

Drum - impeller movement

The stainless steel drum and impeller fastened in the bottom move in an agitating motion. The movement is approx 3/4 turn one way then 3/4 turn the opposite way. It is enough to roll the clothing as in an agitator washer. I had never owned a top loading machine that did not have an agitator so was surprised at the wash action of the tiny Haier portable. The motor stops and reverses and then the same for the wash action. That way no real transmission is needed.

 

[coldspot]

I got the same washer right now. It works great and fast at that, But I have not seen the tub turn at all only in spin. So off to run it empty and watch it. lol

Did you put the wheels on it? If so do you find it a pain to lock them if you move it?

 

[qualin]

I recall commenting in another thread about how I couldn't really see HE washplate (ie. Impeller) style washers getting clothes clean.

Some people I've heard of deliberately run their impeller-type machines with "Old Fashioned" top loader water levels, getting decent results in the process, as well as using the Fabric Softener setting to get a high water level rinse.

As I don't own one of these machines, I can't really comment on them, but watching a few youtube videos really has me scratching my head, wondering how on Earth anything can get clean if it's just moving back and forth inside the tub.

I personally prefer the old style agitator in top loaders, especially ones with fins that go all the way to the top without using an auger. Mind you, this is personal preference. Believe it or not, you can still buy machines with this type of agitator!

 

[qualin]

I'm posting a link here which shows an LG Waveforce washer doing it's thing.

What really turns me off is how the clothes just move back and forth and there is barely any turnover at all. I can see how the spin/spray method would help in getting the clothes clean though.

Turnover works so much differently in a center post agitator washer..

 

[coldspot]

I find things get clean great. I am not a bog fan of haier unit a lot better then there first state side ones in about 2003 that played jingle bells at the end of every wash. I had one of them back them still good but they were not built right thing if it got bumped it would flip over. lol

There new units are built with more weight and wider casing. The tub is the same as the motor and the rest but now has a computer older unit was timer type,

The way it cleans is the tub itself is like a wash board along with the Pulsator. In there washers you can see the turn over and the cloths getting moved around unlike a few others I seen where the cloths just set there.

I can say I think the clots come out as clean as a reg top loader or even a front loader I owned all of them.

1 bad thing haier did the older units spin at 850 rpm the new ones 700 rpm. Not that big of a deal but I did notice it right away. Also they will not wash with the lid open the old ones would, But the lid is clear on the new one.

 

[freewestinghous]

Haier has more wash action than an HE top loader

The videos at youtube of the HE top loaders show very little wash action and almost no water turbulance. The tiny Haier portble washers use a normal water level and the pulsator in the bottom of the tub moves 3/4 rotation in each direction. So there is tremedous water turbulance which moves and rolls clothing.

I suppose HE means low water useage. Unfortunately the full size HE top loaders are plagued with very little pulsating action and low clothing movement. If the pulsator in the bottom of the tub had more movement and more rapid movement they would show a better wash action.

An agitator is not necessary in a top loader if it followed what the Haier washer does. That is probably to expensive to incorporate into a full size washer and it would not be classified as a HE washer. No agitator means a more compact tub size and narrower cabinet.

Randy

 

[qualin]

HE Washer stuff

I think an HE Washplate-type washer can be used as a "Regular" washer like the Haier.

I think the trick is to fool it into using another cycle which forces it to use more water. (Like the Towels or Comforter cycle I think?) As well as always enabling the Fabric Softener option so it always uses a full tub of water during the rinse.

I believe the GE HE washers have a manually selectable water level, but if you use the "Auto" setting, it uses very little water and results in very little turnover and cleaning action.

Does anyone else on this forum have their thoughts on "Fooling" an HE TL machine not to be an HE machine? (As dumb as that sounds. )

 

[kenmorebd]

My mother has a ge with auto load setting or mannuall selection. If she uses the knits setting with auto load the washer fills pass the normal highest wash level. That would get alot of rollover on the normal wash.

-Andrew

 

[twinniefan]

Pulsator action

My L.G. T.L. has a pulsator wash action combined with 3 mini pulsators on top of the main pulsator and an indexing washtub and I find it gives pretty good rollover and cleans quite well.
The machine determines the water level and recommended detergent dose, but I can override the auto water selection by pressing the water level key until it is on the water level I would prefer, I do tend to follow the dertergent dose recommended though and find it usually is sufficient.

 

[qualin]

Hi Twinnie, care to post some pics of your LG TL? I've never heard of pulsators inside pulsators before.

 

[foraloysius]

pulsators inside pulsators

My LG Turbodrum has that too. Here's the thread with pictures of mine.

Addition to my collection: LG Turbodrum

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...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[twinniefan]

Ask and ye shall receive

Hi Qualin, here are some pics, hope you enjoy them.

 

[twinniefan]

No.2

No.2

 

[twinniefan]

No.3

No.3

 

[twinniefan]

No.4

No.4, as you see ,it is pretty much the same as Louis,s model, just a slightly larger capacity, had it for just over 2 years or so now, very happy with it.
Cheers.
Steve.

 

[qualin]

That's unique, it looks like it would be effective.

 

[jetcone]

I still say

 you can't beat a Jetcone, Three Ring or Kelvinator for top loaders. John (mother superior) loves his Calapso. I can't believe it rinses at all but I've never used one so I really can't say.