FL washer water levels
- Thread starter roscoe62
- Start date
Help Support AutomaticWasher.org:
Depends on which cycle you use. Using a bulky cycle will use more water than a delicates cycle, for example. As well, it can also depend on the kind of clothing you put in and how much you put in.
For example, a large load of heavy cotton sweaters or towels will result in considerably more water being used than say, Polyester items.
Personally, I like Huebsch because they are tweakable. Bumping up the water level in a Huebsch does wonders for its rinsing performance.
I just thought I'd add to this.. In a front loader, you don't really want that much water in the tub during the washing cycle because you want to use a very concentrated soap and water mixture to clean the clothing.
Where you want the water to be much higher is in the rinse cycles, because you want lots of clean water flowing through the clothing to get the soap out.
For example, a large load of heavy cotton sweaters or towels will result in considerably more water being used than say, Polyester items.
Personally, I like Huebsch because they are tweakable. Bumping up the water level in a Huebsch does wonders for its rinsing performance.
I just thought I'd add to this.. In a front loader, you don't really want that much water in the tub during the washing cycle because you want to use a very concentrated soap and water mixture to clean the clothing.
Where you want the water to be much higher is in the rinse cycles, because you want lots of clean water flowing through the clothing to get the soap out.
The Duet I refurbished recently does not appear to run a higher water level on Bulky. It does on Delicate. I haven't yet tried Silk or Wool cycles.
mark_wpduet
Well-known member
I always
wondered how much water the bulky cycle would use in that model duet. Mine lacks that cycle. It SHOULD use more water since that's what the point is of a bulky cycle, isn't it? It's supposed to start with soak, then tumble back and fourth very slowly, then start the cycle with more water than in other cycles.
wondered how much water the bulky cycle would use in that model duet. Mine lacks that cycle. It SHOULD use more water since that's what the point is of a bulky cycle, isn't it? It's supposed to start with soak, then tumble back and fourth very slowly, then start the cycle with more water than in other cycles.
The Bulky cycle on my 2010 Frigidaire doesn't appear to use more water--you can press the Max Fill button to get an extra glassful in any cycle--but the recirculation jet operates more.
Any new front-loader that scores Very Good or Excellent for energy use by Consumer Reports uses a small amount of water. While I found it startling at first, I'm used to it, now. The machine does an excellent job and I find no reason to add more water.
Any new front-loader that scores Very Good or Excellent for energy use by Consumer Reports uses a small amount of water. While I found it startling at first, I'm used to it, now. The machine does an excellent job and I find no reason to add more water.
"Normal" level -- Sanitary, Whites, Heavy Duty, Normal/Casual, Bulky, Active Wear.
"High" level -- Delicates/Handwash, Silk, Woolen?, Soak?
@dadoes
The water level in my duet is not that high on the normal cycle, and it was checked long ago as being where it should be. The white cycle seems to use more water in my duet so I've been using this to get better results.
Are you refering to normal and high levels as the soil level for the cycle? So maybe if I use a heavy soil I will get higher water level?
Tks
The water level in my duet is not that high on the normal cycle, and it was checked long ago as being where it should be. The white cycle seems to use more water in my duet so I've been using this to get better results.
Are you refering to normal and high levels as the soil level for the cycle? So maybe if I use a heavy soil I will get higher water level?
Tks
My Frigidaire Affinity (purchased in 2008) never, ever fills with enough water to adequately clean a quilted king size mattress pad. I have to manually add about three more gallons of water. It has no "Bulky Items" cycle. I never had this problem with the Duet we purchased in 2006 and left behind as part of the deal when we sold our other house.
Not referring to soil level.
"Normal" being the level for regular-use cycles.
"High" being the specialty/delicate-type cycles.
Model GHW9400PW4, six years old.
Surprised me that Bulky does not fill higher. It does run a different tumble pattern, with several longer pauses and shorter tumbles at one point shortly after fill is finished. Seems to do pretty well, even so. I've run it three times: two full-size blankets together, and two loads of rugs (mixed sizes). Bulky does not allow the Prewash option, which would been useful for the rugs.
The normal "wash" level on mine covers about half of the perforated area of the drum. What's shown as "normal" in the pictures above corresponds to the normal "rinse" level on my European Duet. The shown "high" level is used on mine, I think, to wash and rinse on Bulky Items, which allows a prewash on my Duet, and on some other delicate cycles. The highest water level is achieved on Hand Wash, Perm Press cool-down and during the cool-down rinses on Bulky Items when I wash a full load of towels.
This is the highest level (towards the end of the video):
This is the highest level (towards the end of the video):
mark_wpduet
Well-known member
That water level looks exactly like my Duet. But the Bulky cycle starts with SOAK cycle, doesn't it? That's what the manual says for that model.
mark_wpduet
Well-known member
Oh Dadoes
Forgot to mention. My model is the GHW9300 (or 9350) the model just under that, and there is a hidden cycle on mine which is a TRUE clean washer cycle and NOT the diagnostic test cycles.
For whatever reason, I mentioned this a long time ago and some who have these models can't get it to work....but you can try to see if it works on this one.
One MINE you have to select the RINSE/SPIN cycle
Then set temp to warm/cold
Spin speed to low
End of cycle signal to softer
press extra rinse (three) or (four) times. You'll see the timer go to 45 minutes then the machine will start filling for a bit, then it will drain.....then, once drained, it will beep and on the timer it will display AB, which is add bleach. You just add 3/4 cup bleach or a clean washer tablet.
On your machine, it might be different since you have extra buttons. Instead of pressing extra rinse three or four times, it might be prewash. Not sure.
Forgot to mention. My model is the GHW9300 (or 9350) the model just under that, and there is a hidden cycle on mine which is a TRUE clean washer cycle and NOT the diagnostic test cycles.
For whatever reason, I mentioned this a long time ago and some who have these models can't get it to work....but you can try to see if it works on this one.
One MINE you have to select the RINSE/SPIN cycle
Then set temp to warm/cold
Spin speed to low
End of cycle signal to softer
press extra rinse (three) or (four) times. You'll see the timer go to 45 minutes then the machine will start filling for a bit, then it will drain.....then, once drained, it will beep and on the timer it will display AB, which is add bleach. You just add 3/4 cup bleach or a clean washer tablet.
On your machine, it might be different since you have extra buttons. Instead of pressing extra rinse three or four times, it might be prewash. Not sure.
To Roscoe62
The Huebsch has a single pressure switch, so it consistently fills for both wash and rinse cycles in the same way. Ideally, they should have two different pressure switches, one for washing and one for rinsing... but I guess Alliance felt that one was good enough.
I guess I'm a little surprised that it is the other way around for a Duet, but the higher water level makes sense.. more water would equate to less mechanical agitation I suppose.
IMHO, for the Huebsch machines, it's best to adjust it in such a way where, when it is empty, the water just comes up to the lip of the drum. (ie. The Baffle is fully covered in water)
When the washer is filled with water absorbing clothing, the water level will revert back to the "factory full" water level before the switch kicks in.
Does it affect washing performance? I have no idea.. I can certainly tell you that it did certainly affect rinsing performance.. The need to do an extra rinse isn't as necessary anymore with the higher water level.
The Huebsch has a single pressure switch, so it consistently fills for both wash and rinse cycles in the same way. Ideally, they should have two different pressure switches, one for washing and one for rinsing... but I guess Alliance felt that one was good enough.
I guess I'm a little surprised that it is the other way around for a Duet, but the higher water level makes sense.. more water would equate to less mechanical agitation I suppose.
IMHO, for the Huebsch machines, it's best to adjust it in such a way where, when it is empty, the water just comes up to the lip of the drum. (ie. The Baffle is fully covered in water)
When the washer is filled with water absorbing clothing, the water level will revert back to the "factory full" water level before the switch kicks in.
Does it affect washing performance? I have no idea.. I can certainly tell you that it did certainly affect rinsing performance.. The need to do an extra rinse isn't as necessary anymore with the higher water level.
Mark, the Bulky cycle (at least on this unit) does not include a soak period. Start of it is normal tumbling and fill. A few mins in there are a few longer pauses in the tumble pattern but then it goes back to the typical tumble/pause/tumble rhythm.
Yes GHW9400 has the cleaning routine. It's outlined in the instruction manual. Unfortunate that the original owners ignored the instructions, didn't take care of it ... but that's typical.
Bud, Whirlpool's design includes a flow meter. My understanding is that the water level pressure switch detects three levels: minimum/(over)suds, normal fill, overfill/flood. The electronics uses the flow meter to measure the additional fill for two higher operating levels (for the cycles and functions that use higher levels) beyond the pressure switch "normal fill" trigger point -- additional 50% and additional 150% fill by volume. This is why people attempting to adjust the pressure switch for a higher fill may get a surprise when it fills 50% and 150% beyond the adjustment.
mark_wpduet
Well-known member
Oh --
I tried to adjust the switch SEVERAL times. There was a forum with detailed instructions and pictures of exactly what to do. I tried and tried and I could NOT have a happy medium to save my life. There was one time after many adjustments that I thought I had it to exactly where I wanted it. The water level was about what is pictured above for the "delicate" cycle.....and it worked great for a few loads. But then I did a whitest whites cycle, and it kept filling and filling and filling and there was way too much water. It was like 3/4 up the glass and the clothes were just rolling it water. It didn't give me an error though and I let it finish doing it's thing, then I decided to adjust it back down and I haven't messed with it since. The thing that baffled me is the comments I kept reading about people successfully making the adjustment. I never could get it right, so I gave up. I still am happy with my machine and haven't thought about adjusting it in a long time.
I tried to adjust the switch SEVERAL times. There was a forum with detailed instructions and pictures of exactly what to do. I tried and tried and I could NOT have a happy medium to save my life. There was one time after many adjustments that I thought I had it to exactly where I wanted it. The water level was about what is pictured above for the "delicate" cycle.....and it worked great for a few loads. But then I did a whitest whites cycle, and it kept filling and filling and filling and there was way too much water. It was like 3/4 up the glass and the clothes were just rolling it water. It didn't give me an error though and I let it finish doing it's thing, then I decided to adjust it back down and I haven't messed with it since. The thing that baffled me is the comments I kept reading about people successfully making the adjustment. I never could get it right, so I gave up. I still am happy with my machine and haven't thought about adjusting it in a long time.
mark_wpduet
Well-known member
Forgot to ask
Dadoes - what does your manual give as the sequence to do a clean washer cycle? There were several on this board that has the machine you have and they couldn't get it to work on their machine. Trying everything. It didn't make sense to me that my machine would do it and they had basically the same exact machine that wouldn't. So perhaps it's a different sequence for your model than mine? I think "Matt" in Michigan was one of the ones that had the 9400 (like yours) and he couldn't get it to work. Here's the thread. It's OLD!
http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?36263
Dadoes - what does your manual give as the sequence to do a clean washer cycle? There were several on this board that has the machine you have and they couldn't get it to work on their machine. Trying everything. It didn't make sense to me that my machine would do it and they had basically the same exact machine that wouldn't. So perhaps it's a different sequence for your model than mine? I think "Matt" in Michigan was one of the ones that had the 9400 (like yours) and he couldn't get it to work. Here's the thread. It's OLD!
http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?36263
Same sequence you've already outlined:
Rinse/Spin Cycle
Low Spin
Softer Signal
Warm/Cold
Extra Rinse 4 presses
It starts immediately if the door is already closed, no need to press Start.
The tech sheet stashed in the machine says Kenmore Elite HE units (circa 2006) also have the cleaning cycle but a slightly different key sequence:
Rinse/Spin Cycle
Low Spin
Warm/Cold
2nd Rinse
Cycle Signal 4 presses
I imagine whether a given machine has the cleaning cycle depends on the control board software revision.
Regards to the Bulky cycle water level, I have a service bulletin dated Sept 2005 that addresses possible leaking on Bulky (when running a small load) for stated models GHW9250M, GHW9400P, and GHW9460P ... and serial numbers </u>prior</u> to CSS05 (5th week of 2005) ... those are the machines subject to the issue at that time. The fix is to change the control board, which has updated software, version number on the label ending with 2 instead of 1. Presumably serials after CSS05 already have the update.
The version number on my board ends with 4, which corresponds with the engineering revision on the model number GHW9400PW4, although that doesn't necessarily mean there's always a match on that point.
I know our new Miele has a variety of water levels, depending on the cycle. Many cycles can also be customised with a "Water-Plus" selection, to get a higher water level and better rinsing and such.
The "Automatic Plus" cycle fills around to just below the door seal, then fills around 1/4-1/2 up the door for the 2 rinses. Which I have to admit, is pretty good. That cycle can only be used with 5KG of washing though (We got the 7.5KG model).
I dare say that the Intensive cycle has a very low water level, compared to anything else, whereas the Denim, T-Shirts, Delicates and Rinse cycles all have very HIGH water levels. Sometimes, the clothes aren't being taken round by the turing drum, instead they bobble up and down and actually slip around like a conveyor belt!
The "Automatic Plus" cycle fills around to just below the door seal, then fills around 1/4-1/2 up the door for the 2 rinses. Which I have to admit, is pretty good. That cycle can only be used with 5KG of washing though (We got the 7.5KG model).
I dare say that the Intensive cycle has a very low water level, compared to anything else, whereas the Denim, T-Shirts, Delicates and Rinse cycles all have very HIGH water levels. Sometimes, the clothes aren't being taken round by the turing drum, instead they bobble up and down and actually slip around like a conveyor belt!
With the revival of the topic, I once again tried to get my older Duet into a cleaning cycle - tried both posted methods and any variation I could think of - no go. Really odd.
applianceguy47
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2012
- Messages
- 590
I've had a couple of Duets since 2007. I love them.
Just a thought. Water dilutes the effectiveness of detergent. Less water causes the fabric to rub against other fabric pieces, which may be more abrasive. For heavier fabrics that would be good.
Gentler fabrics like lace or curtain sheers, you would want LESS rubbing, and more water flow. And perhaps less chemical reaction of detergent on delicates.
Just a thought. Water dilutes the effectiveness of detergent. Less water causes the fabric to rub against other fabric pieces, which may be more abrasive. For heavier fabrics that would be good.
Gentler fabrics like lace or curtain sheers, you would want LESS rubbing, and more water flow. And perhaps less chemical reaction of detergent on delicates.
mark_wpduet
Well-known member
Matt
It must be what dadoes said .....A software revision? But my Duet is pretty old. It was built Oct 2004, so I would think anything LATER than that would have that built in cycle. Those instruction are not in the manual that came with my washer. I found an online manual with them a year or so ago.
It must be what dadoes said .....A software revision? But my Duet is pretty old. It was built Oct 2004, so I would think anything LATER than that would have that built in cycle. Those instruction are not in the manual that came with my washer. I found an online manual with them a year or so ago.
Mine doesn't have the cleaning cycle, either. Too bad. Would have loved to see the show. Best I can do is to use the diagnostics with water in the drum, which, however, means it would be self-cleaning at 1200 rpm. O_O
warrenkeller
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2011
- Messages
- 72
Here's my old LUX water level
That's from GardenWeb - someone washed her daughter's doll with the Max Fill option. BTW: these paddles must the smallest ones ever. Wonder how they turn a load over on a cycle with a high water level (if the Lux has one).
warrenkeller
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2011
- Messages
- 72
That's me fastonetime from garden web lol
warrenkeller
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2011
- Messages
- 72
Yes the paddles were small and I had asked Chris Polk about why my manual at the time for the 70 j series showed the bigger paddles with the blue holes. He basically said the iq touch uses the same drum as the wave touch. I think the iq touch is 4.2 and wave touch 4.4. He said the paddles make up the -/+ the .2 cf. what a rip off and scam I said. The tub wasn't in fact a larger tub, it was the paddles.
Similar threads
