Calypso Water Consumption

[DADoES]

I washed this load in my Calypso last night. Normal cycle, with extra rinse. Note: That does not mean a sum-total of two rinses, Calypsos run multiple rinses / water changes. Drained it into my KA toploader for a visualization of how much water the Calypso takes for a complete cycle.

I'll post a pic of the KA in a day or so.

Until then, anyone care to guess how full did the KA get?

The load is shown fresh out of the Calypso, not yet dried.

 

[jaytag]

How Much?

I have a Calypso, just wondering what the "savings" are.

 

[jaxsunst]

extra rinse?

I'm guessing about 30 gallons.

I don't normally use the extra rinse option, but I have been curious on how much mine uses.

 

[Brent-Aucoin]

My guess would be around 15 gallons.
Brent

 

[chestermikeuk]

How Much Water...

Hi Glen, about a third of the KA Tub

 

[jaytag]

Good Point with Extra Rinse

I always use extra rinse, sometimes they come out stiff like it didnt get all the soap out. I even use only HE soaps. I thought it was to use 11 gals or less.

 

[DADoES]

Not much interest in Calypsos.

First, here's a view of the dried load in my F&P. It's an average/medium-size load, and would be about the same in the KA. The KA fills to about half-full on its lowest water level, so I'd probably select a level a few notches higher than Ex Small on the variable water level.

 

[DADoES]

Surprisingly, the KA got filled to the brim of the basket. More than expected, eh? Doesn't seem to be very much less water than the KA would use for two appropriate-size fills and a couple sprays.

The great majority of Calypso water use is for rinsing. If I'm counting correctly, there were five rinses and a final spin-spray. I'd guess that eliminating the extra rinse would cut it to a little less than the normal high level of the KA.

The collected water is quite soapy/sudsy, but the final rinse IN the Calypso was clear. I used powdered Fab, 4 oz. (maybe too much but my water is moderately hard), with 1.5 oz. of oxybooster. There were no suds visible in the Calypso wash.

 

[jaxsunst]

So, running a load to completion in the calypso (sans extra rinse) is the same as a single fill in a traditional TL?

While not as much savings as a front loader, it is not bad. Remember (I think I am right), that the Calypso was the first HE top loader in the American market.

I am happy with my Calypso. Even with Bob loads, it cleans better than my DD Kenmore did, and the faster spin has really reduced my drying time and I'm getting the weeks wash done quicker.

 

[frigilux]

I love these kinds of experiments. Now that you mention the topic, I don't believe the Calypso machines ranked as high as FL'ers for water usage in Consumer Reports. In fact, I don't think most of the new impeller-based TL'ers score anywhere near as well as the newer FLer's in that regard.

You just don't get this kind of real-world information anywhere but from the good people at AW. Thanks for taking time to do this, Glenn.

 

[andrewinorlando]

The extra water use explains its cleaning ability with Bob-loads!! I never found my older Frigidaire Gallery to clean big loads that well, even with the water level coming up to the bottom of the door. Somehow, the center of a large load (Bob load) of towels, for example, just never smelled as "fresh" (clean) as the rest of the load when coming out of the washer. That's never been a problem with the Calypso, short of actually overloading the machine.

Glenn, 4 oz. of detergent in moderately hard water should be just right for a large load...may be a little too much for a smaller load. I use about 1/2 cup Ariel powder for a Bob-load of very dirty whites (with the Soak Cycle). Much less for everything else, also with moderately hard water. Seem to get pretty clear rinses with that, though I've never used the extra rinse feature except for whites because I use bleach.

 

[andrewinorlando]

Also, I think the greatest water efficiency with the Calypso is achieved with large loads, just as with most top loaders, as the incremental water fill between a small/medium sized load and a Bob-load is not significantly more. Once the clothes are wet after the wash, rinse water use is not going to increase substantially for a bigger load. A top loader (which is what the Calypso was designed to compete with) is going to use whatever water the user tells it to use - a full tub will equal about 40 gallons for a cycle, where the Calypso may top out at 24 - 27 gallons for a full cycle with a large load, versus 18 - 20 gallons use for a smaller to medium sized load (approximately). The machine needs the same amount of water in its resevoir to wash a small load as it does a large load...the difference in use is going to depend on the type of fabric and load size being washed, i.e., how much water does it take to wet all those clothes.

 

[jaxsunst]

I have noticed that it works better with large loads. I did a "Whitest Whites" load with 14 towels, and 8 dish towels. They came out perfect. I didn't use the extra rinse, but I did use the extended spin option. They all dried in the old dryer on high in 45 minutes.

 

[jaxsunst]

Oh yeah, I used Liquid Gain up the the "3" line in the cap. 1/2 cup bleach and about two tablespoons of Gain softner.

 

[jaxsunst]

one more time

The Gain was HE.

 

[andrewinorlando]

I agree Jax; it seems to be in its element with larger loads. Not that small ones come out poorly. Big loads of filthy whites come out so dazzling white and clean, that I'm still amazed every time I unload the machine. There seems to be little it can't tackle, given the right washing conditions. I love the way it washes pillows and even the carpeted mats from my car!! Can't do that in a top load or front loader.