Fisher Paykel Smartload Dryers

[pulsator]

Well, it finally happened, our old reliable Whirlpool dryer died. Naturally, it just had to die at a most inconvenient time for me, I have no clean (or at least dry) clothes for tomorrow! The dryer has developed a horrible squeal as it runs for some time now. I have been to afraid to open it up to see it I could put some WD-40 anywhere to fix it. Anyway, it has also gotten into this bad habit of not turning the drum for a few seconds after it starts. I know that this is a sign of a worn belt and I think that's what broke. I had just taken out my towel load and put in a load of shirts. I set the timer, hit the start button and there was a faint snap and then a loud bang. I'm guessing that the snap was the belt and the bang was the idler pulley. Looking at the outside, it seems that one would have to completely disassemble the dryer in order to get a new belt on. A task in which I would rather not attempt. I guess it's all up to mom tomorrow morning, as we both are running low on clothes and she DESPISES having her clothes cleaned at the laundromat. I am pretty sure the dryer is out of warranty, I'd say it's about 6 years old, but it recieved a lot of heavy use as for 4 years of that time, we were a 7 person household and we dried EVERYTHING on low heat. it may have taken longer but it's gentler and clothes seem to come out softer and fluffier. Anyway, back to original subject of Fisher Paykel Smartload dryers. We have the Fisher Paykel GWL11 and I think mom is gonna wanna buy the matching dryer. How much more of a match can you get than having the machines look identical? lol! So, to those of you F&P Smartload owners, how well do these dryers perform? Are they worth the extra $330 dollars? Or should we just go with the regular front loading F&P dryer? Thanks a bunch!
-Jamie

 

[SactoTeddyBear]

Re: Sorry to hear:

Jamie, I'm thinking that Glenn "DADoES" would be the best source for info about the F&P Dryer{s}. If you don't know for sure, he does have the Top-Load F&P Dryer, I believe he bought not long after they became available.

I know that the Top-Load Dryer idea is great, whether or not your able to stoop or squat down or able to reach farther inside a normal Drum opening of a Dryer. I would look into the Top-Load F&P Dryer, if it were me getting a new Dryer and to better Match a F&P Washer.

Are you going to keep your Whirlpool Dryer anyway and replace the Belt on it? If you do and "BTW" if you are going to look into doing any Lubing of the Parts, I don't know if WD-40 would be best. I've always used Turbine Oil, that I found out through Sears Parts Department, quite some time ago. If the Belt is the only Repair that you've ever had to do on the Whirlpool Dryer, I would say to look into Repairing it, by getting a new Belt and maybe even new Drum Rollers and Belt-Tension Pulley and keep it going as long as possible. I'm not trying to say don't look into the F&P's or even any other new Dryer, but at least if anything for a spare just "FYI" in case another Dryer might go out at some given time. You really can't never have too many spare Washers and Dryers around, to get you through a crisis like this one you've got of having Wet/Clean Laundry waiting to get Dried.

Good Luck, let us know which you do end up doing and which Dryer you end up getting.

Peace and Happier Laundry Times, Steve
SactoTeddyBear...

 

[andrewinorlando]

Jamie -

Just keep in mind, the F&P front load dryers are actually built by GE with an F&P control panel. It's the smaller of the GE dryers, and when I had my last GE dryer of similar model, I had a lot of trouble with the machine bundling clothes into a ball while drying - especially sheets. Don't know if anyone else had similar experiences with these dryers or not. Can't speak for the top load dryer, but maybe a better choice?

 

[tumbler]

Repairs to WP dryer

Actually, you don't want to use a liquid lube on the front or rear felt drum supports; those should be sprayed with a "dry silicone" lube. The solvent carrier evaporates and leaves the dry silicone lubricant behind. Using WD-40 there will ruin the machine. You can try lubricating the drum support roller(s) and idler with WD-40, though a spray PTFE (similar to Teflon) lube would be better. Get a can with one of those little red straws to get the lube where it needs to be. A better bet, though, if you're going to the trouble of disassembling the dryer, would be to simply replace the roller(s) and idler pulley (and spray a little PTFE into the new ones!) Lubricating the motor is another matter-chances are that it's still got a few years left in it. Unfortunately, appliance motors are now welded or epoxied together, so you can't open them up to resaturate the wicking around the bearings. The best you can do is apply a couple of drops of oil to the shafts where they come out of the motor end-frames. If possible, use a good grade of light machine oil containing PTFE, if you can find it. (For my business, I mix up my own using SAE 20 non-detergent oil with a little Friction-Master PTFE assembly oil mixed in). Otherwise, leave the motor alone other than cleaning the lint out of it, and hope for the best.