Anyone here have experience with Maytag TL Centennial Washer?

[ken]

So I wont make a long story longer but I took the opportunity to buy the house located two houses down from mine. The washer comes with it. It's a fairly new Maytag top load Centennial with an impeller in the bottom.

All washers I've used have been traditional TL with a conventional agitator. Would like to know if there's anyone here who has experience with a Maytag Centennial and their opinion of it.

I watched a video of one washing some pairs of jeans and although I don't want to seem judgmental from that little clip the jeans seemed to be balled up and not moving that much. And with the little water that was in the tub I wondered what kind of wear the vanes of the impeller were causing the fabric by their back and forth rubbing.

 

[LaVidaBoem]

Same Action Same Body as Cabrio w/Impeller

Those are simply twins to the Cabrio/Oasis...with a mechanical look to the controls; however, they are not mechanical, same Motor Controller as the Whirlpools/Kenmores.

 

The Later ones w/agitator are a little better, but not as effective as the WTW62XXX thru WTW66XXX with a true dual action agitator.

 

One of the hidden benefits of many of the Centennials was the opening of the lid during fill...it would override all level controls, and fill the machine to the top,...any cycle.

 

I don't think the later ones with the skinny neck agitator do that....

 

However, with the bulky setting/Heavy Duty...they can be made to wash quite well over the "normal" setting with very low water.

 

I think I have seen one of the videos as you describe...man seems happy with them jeans balled up...

 

I guess it takes all kinds.

 

Hope this Helps,

LaVidaBoem

 

[ken]

Heres the video I was referring to.

http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=zukr7d5uYnI

 

[LaVidaBoem]

That's Her>>

That's the wash action of the Cabrio/Oasis...

 

But that is not the video I was speaking of...

 

I'll List it...the newer model with the skinny agitator.

 

I wouldn't be afraid of the machine; sometimes, the Maytag model may be on sale a little cheaper than the Cabrio.

 

Hope this Helps,

LaVidaBoem

 

Post Script: I am not endorsing the vid...its actually pretty lame...

http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ae-bBVh7C0

 

[ken]

Don't know how impressed I am. Guess I'll wait and see how it performs and then decide. I know I don't even have to ask whether or not the temperature of the wash water is dumbed down.

 

[brucelucenta]

Seriously?????

Unbelievable that this is even considered a washing machine.

 

[midcentnurse]

That's ridiculous! Worthless. That's. Not. Cleaning. Anything!

 

[joeypete]

My friend has one that came with his house and it was his first experience with an HE washer. He said however it cleans well and is perfectly happy with it. Give it a try and see for yourself. If you don't like it, get a new one. Just be sure to follow the cycle descriptions...it matters it those types of machines.

 

[mopar65]

HE Maytag Centennial

I have repaired many of these washers and have used many. They are VARY VARY hard on fabrics! To the point that if you put in towels 90% of the time when you pull them out they will be ripped or have holes from the agitator. The only good thing is they are easy to fix.

 

[joeypete]

I never had issues with fabric damage in my Kenmore version. Large loads I used the Deep Wash cycle that used more water. If your machine has a that type of cycle, it will be more of a non-HE wash.

 

[mopar65]

hard on fabrics

When I get home I will up load some pic's of towels that were washed one time that were ripped. After looking at the washer it appears (to me) that the edge of the towels gets stuck between the agitator and basket that in turn rips them.

 

[mopar65]

Pic

 

[henene4]

Wow, that's bad.

This type of damage reminds me of something hitting the clothes deflector (little triangle thing) on a FL door boot during high speed spin.

I doubt that got cought in the area between wash plate and tub. To actually catch the towel in that spot, it would have to "bend", basicly get pulled in double layered, if you know what I mean, simply due to the spot being pretty much "in the middle" of the towel. The tub would have to pull the towel in in the middle of the spot, and to get ahold, it has to "pinch" the towel.
And there would have to be immense play to get a towel in there when pinched as described.

That either looks like a pulled string scenario. Or bluntly overloaded. Or a rough spot in the tub somewhere.

 

[midcentnurse]

It's a baby seal face!

 

[LaVidaBoem]

Only guessing>>

You can't deny a picture...

But I have never seen that here.

 

Mopar>>

On the belt drive Centennial, if the mode shifter is not working correctly, it would leave too much space, during agitation, causing the clearance between impeller and drum to be excessive, allowing clothes to get caught.

Usually, the mode shifter fails completely, not allowing for the clearance mentioned.

 

Curious, but I still say that is not typical...I have seen all these impeller models overloaded to the hilt...yes, it can scrub the dickens out of fabrics, but usually a dress shirt mixed with a towel load, or heavy items, will be the item that gets severe abrasion.

Anyway, not doubting you...at all.

More water to float the load is what is needed, given the option, unless the fill is way off, and excessively low.

 

Thanks for the pic,

LaVidaBoem

 

 

 

[mopar65]

The pic

That towel was brand new in a washer that was less then a year old and only 4 of them in the wash. We have other things (pants and sheets) and what not that look the same. When it comes down to it you have to have water to keep your items from getting eaten and clean.

 

[iheartmaytag]

My nephew and his wife

Have the Kenmore version.  They call it the towel shredder.  I though it was because she ALWAYS overloads.  

 

[murando531]

You have to keep in mind that this design, the VMW platform, is nothing like the true Oasis design of the Cabrio, Bravos, and Kenmore Oasis machines, aside from similar cosmetic features. Especially when it comes to the actual wash action. The belt drive VMW is only able to use 2-3 different agitation "intensities", usually a long 2-3 rotation oscillation used in the Bulky and Clean Washer cycles, and then a medium/normal 360 degree oscillation in the majority of other settings, and then a quicker, shorter stroke used towards the end of the wash and rinse to help distribute the load before spin. The motor is also incapable of "feeling" the load like the direct drive BPM of the Oasis design, so instead of adding longer strokes to help move a large load of towels around when needed, the VMW just keeps chugging along with those same 360 arcs, and sometimes large loads will become "jammed" and can't rollover. It's this problem that causes damage to fabrics, and it's always usually with large or overloaded load.

Like was said above, I doubt the damage could be caused by the fabric getting stuck in the gap between the agitator and tub, especially in the VMW because the tub doesn't float up to disengage like the Oasis. Not that it isn't entirely impossible, just unlikely. I've had baby socks in the Bravos XL that rolled around with the rest of the load, and I was afraid it would go through the crack.

Honestly, this Centennial VMW wouldn't be a terrible machine, you just have to pay attention to loading habits. And never overload it. The top row of holes should be the full indicator. This is for two reasons: first is of course fabric damage, and reducing the likelihood of it happening. Also, a good rule of thumb is to keep fabric weights together; such as jeans together vs. normal tshirts and socks and underwear and such. The second is that with the added resistance the drive system is under with the lower water levels as opposed to the traditional agitator VMW washers that can fill all the way, it's best to keep any unnecessary stress off the motor. It seems the mode switcher mechanism and splutch are the most common parts to fail on these machines.

 

[ken]

Thanks for the detailed explanation. And to be honest what I take away from it, really, is that the added possibility of damage and necessity of closer attention to loading (as opposed to a traditional TL) is as the result of trying to make a washer clean clothes without enough water to do the job correctly.

I think I'll stick with one that uses a proper amount of water to do the job correctly and not have to worry if anything is going to come out damaged or become prematurely worn out. And also being able to throw some pairs of socks in with large items and not having to worry about it.

I'll still give the Centennial a try for curiosity sake but doubt I'll be keeping it.