Goodbye, direct drive WP's

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How fast do these machines spin? For the laundromat guys maybe a viable/safe option has presented itself here. alr2903
 
WP WW WASHER VIDEO

In the posted video the load shown has far too much water for the amount of clothing and it may have a bad tub brake?. Of the hundreds of WWers I have worked on and used I have never seen one with the clothes swimming around like the one shown.
 
I am not real fond of the "World washers" at all and they work a lot like the top loading Electrolux line of agitating washers.I Hate that method all together.Too much water and the movement or "indexing " of the tub during agitation pulls the clothes away from the agitation.
 
De-evolution

I feel somehow that we're taking steps in the wrong direction. At some point did we forget how to build a top-load washer? I wonder what's next, maybe we'll try to hook an engine to the washer, it'll have to be a 400hp V8 and do 1/2 load to the gallon. Or better yet maybe washers will just work on osmosis and because we think it's washing it must be... oh wait!

Say what you will, I will sorely miss the DD washers. I'm am just absolutely disgusted with these new machines, mostly I think because these are "just appliances". If you care how the machine washes or take enjoyment of any sort watching the machine run, there is nothing in it for you period. I recently had a chance to play with a portable WW and this particular one didn't even have a spin only cycle. I also do not like the noise the motors produce, instead of the woo-woo or clunka clunka it like a nylon zipper going up and down. It sounds like some sore of robotics going on in there.

I guess I should just face the fact that I'm just not able to like these new HE TL's yet, and won't have anything especially nice to say about them. I hope they grow on me, but I fear that if that happens, I'll pretty much be done with the hobby.

Annoyed at modern appliances,

-Tim
 
modern washer sounds

Tim, I totally agree with you on the "robotic" sounds of the new washers. My parents recently purchased a top load Kenmore HE with the wash plate(KM version of the Whirlpool Cabrio) and they had it running several weeks ago when I was by for a visit. I kept hearing a low "hum..hum..hum" coming from their laundry closet and finally asked what the heck it was. It didn't even sound like it was moving very fast, but I couldn't tell because the lid locks before it even fills! After having a 90 series Kenmore for over 15 years, my parents love the new machine and they say it works well. I'll reserve judgement until I bring a load of laundry over sometime and try it out myself. Never thought I'd appreciate the "traditional" sounds of an old school washer before!
 
Don't like the sound of that machine at all-and if it has electronic drive operating a reversing motor and it reverses on each agitator stroke-that has got to put stress on the motor and even the belt.Would pass on this design-KEEP THE DD.WP- SHRED the plans for this World machine--and crush the new gear needed to make it-a large Leach 2R would be up to the job!I think for reliability would take a transmission and a belt or drive-and motor that turns in one direction.The constant reversing-I forsee lots of cooked motors,worn belts and blown motor drive circuits.
 
Hydrowave

I think the Hydrowave is much easier to deal with on the sound issue. All you really hear is water movement in the tub.

Malcolm
 
WPs NEW TOP LOAD WASHERS

I am glad that WP chose to make an all new TL washer in this country rather than just abandoning the top load market. Frigidare and SQ are likely to stop making TL washers all together in the next three years or so. The world washers have been around for more than 20 years and have had no motor problems and very few control problems and the drive belt in the new washers has been beefed up to a polly-vee belt and will likely out last the washer. This is the same type of belt that takes the stress of constant reversing heavy wet loads in FL washers and how many people do you know that are replacing many belts on the new FL washers? I don't think our company has sold even two FL washer belts in the last ten years.I know we may not like the new machines as well [ me included ] but I predict that it will be a very successful design for WP and will be more durable than any washer WP has ever made.
 
Motor Reverses for Agitation

That's been the basis of all domestic TL machines made in Australia since the mid 80's.

Some were direct drive, others belt driven and usually done with very low technology. It most cases you ended up with a couple of reduction gears, rather than a reciprocating gearbox. The design has proven to be very reliable with most machines good for 10-15years with no service.

Other than it's change which nobody likes, these designs should be just as reliable as the DD Machines.
 
Only time will tell...Something common is bound to break on these machines->otherwise Whirlpool may have shot themselves in the foot again. Hopefully it's better than the load of Calypsos they dumped out.
 
Been sorely tempted

To dress up my LK Shredmore in the garage with something that will make it look like elvis. It's a thunka thunka shredding love!!
 
Is the entire DD line dead, or is the DD design being phased

I was wondering the same thing, cause I was thinking I had heard someone say in another thread somewhere that we would still see the Roper brand in DD.
 
Right now, the "off" brands are still DD. Estate, Roper, Inglis, Amana, & crosley (independent group) are still DD for now.

Estate is going away shortly. The kitchen appliances are already subbing to Amana. The Estate laundry is still available, but for how much longer, I do not know.

WP has been blowing out the Maytag DD and it is looking like they are about gone. Some models have already dried up at the RDC's.

Only time will tell if the new machine is a winner. So far, I've had one returned out of the 3 I sold. Hopefully that one was operator error.
 

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