Coin-op Equipment

[mixfinder]

Since arriving at my current location, south of Seattle, there have been 5 repair calls on the Speed Queen washer and dryer in the building, in one month. The washer is very loud, has an indexing tub and does a 7 minute wash, a spritz of water during first spin, the rinse and then a 9 minute spin, which is slow and very rumbly rickety sounding, a bit like an old wooden roller coaster. I was surprised the timer advances during the fill and pause so looking at the minute counter would give you the idea the cycle involved more actual wash time. The dryer is quiet, capcious and without fault, when it runs.
I asked the last tech if he thought they hit their life expectancy. He looked at the model number and identified them as 10 years old. I asked him what brand they were replacing the used machines with.
He extolled the wonder of the Mayatg front loader. Thought it was a dream machine and felt they were extremely reliable. He said for years, his company had used Maytag top loaders for the same reason. However, in the last year they have switched back to Speed Queen because the replacement unit cost of Maytag was prohibitive.
I am able to reach under the right rear lip of the lip and find the switch which I can depress with my fingers and watch it wash.
The tech's words for your consideration.
Kelly

 

[peterh770]

Both SQ and Maytag make a very good coin-op TL washer. I prefer the Maytag. The SQ's always seem loud to me and it doesn't take very long for them to start looking beat up.

SQ makes two distinct models; one for coin-op stores, one for routes. Apartment complexes usually get the route machines. The wash cycle is longer on these machines. The short 7 minute wash makes me think you have the coin store model. Altho' with the computerized models, one could probably alter the program to get the same results. The countdown timer is a different timer from actual program timer. The countdown timer usually runs from an average of the total cycle time including fill time, while the program timer stops and waits for the water level to be satisfied. There may be some "points of standardization", like after the rinse fill, to true up the remaining time in the cycle.

The tub should not index. The clutch or brake is going bad. 10 years is a little old, but not too bad in an apartment application. TL generally last only 6 years in a coin-op store.