Fisher & Paykel Intuitive ECO

[easyspindry]

In case anybody is interested, I just sold my Whirlpool Duet set and purchased a Fisher & Paykel (rhymes with Michael) Intuitive set. I like 'em.

The first major problem occurred when I turned on the washer and the lid immediately locked. After telling my salesman "If I can't watch it, I don't want it," and listening to him croak, I figured out how to fool the washer into thinking the lid is locked so I can watch it.

The washer is quiet and very versatile. You can simply turn it on and let it decide water level, wash speed, etc. Or you can have it do whatever you select. There's even a button for "Traditional Wash."

Also, if you have selected an automatic cycle and decide in the middle of the cycle that you want to change something, it's easy.

When the agitator starts, there is a full 360 degree rotation. It really moves the clothes.

The motor is DC. There is no transmission. The agitator is hooked directly to the DC motor, and it is the motor that is rotating one way and then the other.

The spin is 1000 rpm.

The top load dryer is great. I have been surprised at how comfortable it is loading clothes from the washer to the dryer. That top load really makes a difference.

The dryer is quiet and efficient. Mine is gas fired and will dry a normal load of clothes in 20 to 30 minutes.

Every 4.5 minutes, the drum stops and reverses the rotation. This keeps tangling at a minimum -- especially good with sheets.

I know it's not old, but I have been intrigued by these machines and am enjoying exploring them.

Any questions?

Jerry Gay

 

[DADoES]

Have you found diagnostic mode? ;-)

What are your models? I have an IWL12 (and DEGX1). I'm curious if there are any programming/cycle differences on the newer IWL models.

 

[appnut]

Glenn, from reading the newer model Manuals, no differences.

 

[easyspindry]

The model numbers are:

Washer -- IWL 16
Dryer -- DGIX2US

 

[easyspindry]

Can't seem to get all 4 pics to post simultaneously.

 

[easyspindry]

Here's #3.

 

[easyspindry]

And #4

 

[DADoES]

Nice!

I have one minor complaint about my dryer: The cycle signal isn't loud enough. Easy to miss the mid-cycle "damp" notification.

The following applies only to the washer, being as I don't have the Intuitive series dryer (although the button sequence to trigger diagnostic may be the same on the dryer - if you're curious, remove the two screws at back of the control panel and flip the panel forward to open it, there may be a technical service sheet inside that outlines how to access diagnostic mode).

This also also assumes that the sequence of buttons on my IWL12 is the same as your IWL16 --

Diagnostic Mode
1) Press and hold Lifecycle, then press Power at the same time. Note that this will work both if the power is initially turned off, or if a cycle has already been started.

2) The LCD backlight turns on but the screen is blank. Press Lifecycle again.

3) The Options Up/Down buttons will then scroll between several screens of information.

4) If a cycle is in progress, during the wash fill periods, one of the screen reports the instantaneous water temperature in the mixing chamber, and the target temperature the machine "wants" to hit via ATC.

5) Press and HOLD How Dirty? up button to turn on hot water. Press How Dirty? down to turn on cold water. Pressing both at the same time will run both hot and cold. Note that running the water AFTER the machine has already filled and started the EcoActive wash period, will cause either hot or cold to run for just a few seconds at a time. Release and press the button again to repeat.

6) Press Fabric Care to alternately turn the pump on or off.

7) Press Home to turn the divertor valve on or off. The screen that reports the temperature values also indicates the status of the divertor valve (Off, Heating, On, Cooling). The divertor is run by a wax motor. Heating and Cooling refers to when it is in the process of changing position to Off or On.

[7a) I may have Home and Fabric Care reversed.]

8) Press Power to exit diagnostic mode. If Diagnostic mode was started while a cycle was running, the cycle will continue normally. If a cycle is not running, the machine will turn off.

After entering Diagnostic Mode, pressing and HOLDING LifeCycle to get a second beep from it, and the using Options Up/Down to scroll enables an additional screen that reports a bunch of numeric parameters WHILE the machine runs auto water level and fabric sensing, AND the instantaneous RPM reading of the motor (my machine maxes-out at reported 1010 RPM spin, be interesting to know what yours does). I have no idea what most of the the numbers mean, but they're interesting to see. Well, one of the parameters is related to how high is the water level in the tub, but I don't know if the number refers to a specific unit of measure or is something arbitrarily electronic.

There's also a keypress sequence that triggers the machine to play several musical tunes. I don't remember at the moment how to do that, will check and report later.

 

[frigilux]

They are sleek, classy-looking machines. Congrats on your new purchase!

Is that a canister of Ariel I see there, Glenn?

 

[christfr]

looks like fun to me..have seen these in the store and always wondered how well the worked. like the look thats for sure. but you know me ill never give up my old kids ha ha..good job jerry

 

[easyspindry]

Thanks for your info on the diagnostics. I haven't had enough nerve to delve into that much detail yet. However, I have heard about the machine playing the American National Anthem or the New Zealand National Anthem. That would be interesting.

I agree that the end of cycle signals could be louder -- but at least the machines wish you a "nice day" when the cycle ends.

The main thing I have had to get used to with the dryer is when the machine stops to reverse direction, I think the cycle has ended and head toward the dryer to get the clothes out -- then before I get there, it starts up again. Just will take some getting used to.

This group is wonderful. I've known about it just over a year. I attended the wash-in in Omaha in 2005 and felt as if I had died and gone to heaven when I walked in Greg's basement and saw the Duomatic.

 

[mayken4now]

Nice machines, have only ever seen them in action one time. Awesome. Glenn knows best on how to coach you.

Steve

 

[DADoES]

Yes, you'll get accustomed to the dryer soon enough. The operational sounds and quirks blend into the background of normal household noises.

I LOVE the 24-hr wrinkle guard.

I've called F&P a couple times to get a drying rack but they haven't yet had it available/in stock, something about it being redesigned...

Which Lifecycles have you tried on the washer? Interestingly, after selecting a Lifecycle, the settings (temperature, soil level, etc.) can be adjusted, they're not locked-in. I sometimes run Sports/Sweaty on shirts/casuals, and with Creasables selected the machine won't start until the wash temperature is reduced from the default warm/hot EcoActive to prevent potential fabric damage. Some of the Lifecycles are programmed for specific agitation speeds rather than going through the fabric sensing process.

I've used Sports/Shoes several times, works very well. It's also suitable for washable stuffed toys.

Sports/Muddy runs some seriously-intensive rinsing. It's the only cycle I've seen (thus far) that has sprays in the final spin.

 

[arrrooohhh]

WOW!

I get excited when I hear/see pictures of Fisher and Paykels in the US. They really are great machines that wash and spin well and are very usable.

The fact that every second home in Australia has one really reduces the novelty of these fantastic machines though. Fisher and Paykel has 30% share of the top load market.

Congratulations on your machine. BTW I think the lid lock only works on spin. As the tub spins during fill the lid locks but you should be able to watch the wash cycle.

 

[DADoES]

arrrooohhh, My IWL12 does not lock during fill. It only locks during spin-proper.

My older GWL08 that doesn't have a locking lid does stop during fill, *and* during water level sensing, and also won't drain with the lid open. Unless the magnetic lid switch is tricked, it can only be watched with the lid open during agitation AFTER water level sensing is complete.

 

[DADoES]

Playing Tunes

Try this, assuming the button sequence is the same as my IWL12:

Demo Mode

1. With power OFF, press/hold Start, then press Power.

2. Indicator lights flash wildly, the LCD backlight flashes a few times, then a lengthy message sequence scrolls across the screen touting the machine's features. The message repeats endlessly if no buttons are pressed.

3. Press/hold How Dirty? up for a few seconds. The demo message and flashing lights stop. A tune plays.

4. To change tunes (there should be three), press/hold Fabric Care for a few seconds until it beeps a 2nd time. Press/hold How Dirty? up again. (Note, tune selection stops working if the soil level selection light reaches the top position during repeated changing of tunes. Press How Dirty? down to reset the indicator to the bottom to continue changing tunes.)

5. UNPLUG the washer for at least 10 seconds to reset out of demo mode. Turning off the power doesn't do it. Cycle selections can be made in demo mode but the machine cannot be started.

I'm sure your DGIX2 has a demo mode as well, you might want to play with the buttons to find it and report here what does it do. My DEGX1 triggers a demo/attract mode via Air Fluff and Power, but being as it doesn't have an LCD the demo simply cycles repeatedly through all the indicator lights.

 

[frigilux]

A washer that plays tunes?! That combines both of my hobby interests. Does it know Bang A Gong by T.Rex, LOL?

 

[DADoES]

Hahahaha! Unfortunately it doesn't take requests, plays only the tunes programmed by F&P's engineers.

(DishDrawers also play music.)