My 4 vane was used only for the mini-basket. Like many here, I had an unfounded prejudice against the 4 vane. So one day last year, Harry, at your prompting, I did an experiment, and was shocked at how well the 4 vane performs.
Moving large beach towels in and out of the tub using the Visimatic wringer, I switched the agitators, at small medium large and extra large, testing one, then two, then three, finally four really enormous towels, using both agitators at all four levels. Although the turnover patterns and water sounds were different, both agitators did a visibly competent job.
Just last week I washed a huge mixed dark winter load using the 4 vane, but I replaced it with the ramp for the rinse, and this time, with this load, the 4 vane did a better job. The only thing that came to mind was that the wash water was warm with the 4 vane performing wonderfully, and the rinse water was very cold with the ramp and one pair of lined nylon gym pants had a stubborn bubble. I should have given the rinse more time and maybe the load would have smoothed out; three minutes was not enough.
After the first test, I shook my head at how dumb I had been to think that, after decades of vigorous activators , GE would insert an incompetent performer. They did not. When I get to it, I will figure out where this prejudice came from. I can't adequately convey how utterly stunned I was to learn the power of the 4 vane. And now after this accidental test, the 4 vane won the prize, though the test was accidentally rigged in its favor--softer warmer water and longer turnover time.
