LG Dryer DLEX4200B

[roscoe62]

Hello,

Trying to optimize energy usage with my dryer, so I dried the same load of towels on two cycles, both defaults to Med-Hi heat setting.
The first was the Towels Cycle on More Dry and the second cycle was the
Normal Cycle Normal Dry (This used the AI feature, if I put it on More Dry the feature turned off). I noticed the normal dry cycle dries it in less time,
40 minutes, compared to 55 minutes on the towel cycle. Is the Normal Cycle using AI dry it using less energy? Also I noticed the Normal Cycle tumbling seemed to be faster with less lint on the filter at the end of the cycle.

Any help would be appreciated, Tks

 

[combo52]

Less energy consumption drying clothing

The normal cycle that turned out to be quicker almost certainly used a little less energy, but if you really wanna know, you can attach a kilowatt meter to the power supply for the dryer and run some real tests.

I doubt the dryer tumbled faster. I’m not aware of this dryer having a variable tumble speed very few dryers do.

John

 

[appnut]

I have had this dryer since August 2021. Nmassman44 has the DLEX4000 model. From what I gathered from comments over time, the Normal AI cycle is similar to the old LK Soft Heat dryers. The heat gradually decreases as the load dries on Normal. I've been extremely pleased with my dryer. And no, tere's o variance in tumble speed.

As with most modern electronic controlled dryers, cooldown is regulated by a thermostat that reaches a certain temperature and cooldown will be longer until the load reaches that temperature. And it annoys me the load isn't totally cooled down so I turn the the dryer on air fluff to utilize the remaining heat in the drum for about 20-30 minutes .

My vent is right behind the dryer and is right out the short vent hose length. And fully not obstructed.

 

[roscoe62]

Ok good to know on the energy front, Thanks.
I also noticed the cool down is not as long on this dryer like the other LG dryer I had, which also had steam function.The water went into a drawer compartment and left wet spots on the clothes leaving them more wet than dry at the end of the cycle and having to do a re-dry. This model seems to be better on the steam cycle with the connect from the faucet, I usually put it on for 10 more minutes on ultra low to finish a steam cycle.
I will say, any dryer is a great comfort compared to our ancestors who were dictated by the weather to get laundry dried. Both my grandmothers first clothes washer was a wringer washer powered by a gasoline motor, thank goodness for progress

 

[appnut]

I will add that once a cycle is finished, I will 99% of the time go turn the dryer on to air fluff for 30 minutes so as to use all the residual heat, why waste itI did that for the Maytag Dependable Care dryer I had for 27 years. Also for that dryer, Ialways used the perm press cycle because the cool down was twice the amounty of time as the regular electronic sensor cycle. Plus I usually had the Press Care extended tumble on too.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

normal cycle

I thought the normal cycle used medium heat.

 

[appnut]

No, normal is medium hi. Towels is also medium hi. Medium heat is the heat level for both bedding & perm press.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

older models

Maybe I was thinking of the older models. Why does lg still say that normal cycle uses medium heat for sturdy fabrics?

 

[appnut]

Every recent l g dryer that I have seen of the front load variety and not top low dryer states that normal is medium high temperature

 

[henene4]

Keep in mind LG likely does a lot of behind the scenes temp modulation - so med high on towels might be 10F or so different from Normal med high.
Further, normal dry on one cycle might be a bit different from normal dry on another cycle.

In general, with vented dryers, lower temps and longer dry cycles are more efficient. Keep in mind that the heater has 10x the power as the motor - at least.

There was at least on tumble dryer over here that was vented and just used cold air over an 8h cycle to reach peak efficiency - perfect for overnight stuff.

There used to be a kind of Eco setting on some US dryers that reduced heating while extending dry time.
And, in general, the lower you can set the trying target and still be happy, the less wear on machine, clothing and your wallet.

 

[combo52]

Close dryer operating efficiency

At typical 240 V vented US electric clothes dryer has a heating element that’s about 15 times the electrical consumption of the motor.

Yes, the lower the temperature and the longer the runtime will give you greater operating economy. However, you will wear out your clothing and the machine if you go to extremes.

G E in the early 60s had a button on their fancier dryers that said economy which changed the heating elements to 120 V and required three times the runtime but only required quarter of the heating element wattage did about 15% and operating cost. But at the cost of wearing out the machine at least twice as fast and it certainly wasn’t good for your clothing.

In general vented dryers are the most economical to operate and almost everywhere A natural gas dryer costs less to run after that heat pump dryer is extremely efficient, but generally somewhat slower usually about twice as long or more And condenser electrically heated dryers tend to be the most expensive to operate.

 

[wishwash]

Do these dryers utilize a "touch sensor" in the drum or a humidistat of sorts?

 

[henene4]

These should be typical conductivity sensors.

But even with those, there's a wide array of how they are used.
Some older timer models with those literally just stoped the timer motor if any conductivity was measured.
More modern designs can check for average conductivity and number/time of readings. That somewhat allows them to narrow down if it's a large rather dry load (many counts, low conductivity) or a small rather wet load (fewer counts of high conductivity) etc. etc.

With LGs controls, I wouldn't be surprised if there's some more convoluted algorithm going on...

 

[roscoe62]

Normal AI not so good 2nd time around??

So this past weekend I used Normal AI to dry the same size load of towels and the load was not completely dry like last time I used it, any idea what's going on with that? I finished drying them on Speed Dry using Med-Hi heat setting for 20 minutes.

 

[appnut]

I just use Towels cycle for intended purpose. Simple, no brainer. Love my LG dryer.

 

[appnut]

Samuel, there are numerous Youtube videos on replacing the sensor on LG dryers and that will show you the design and location of the sensor.

 

[roscoe62]

The go to

Towels cycle I usually use, one notch above normal dry.

 

[qsd-dan]

LG dryers uses a sensor in the front bulkhead just like Samsung (same design as LG), Maytag SOH, GE's, and Whirlpool/Kenmore dryers with the lint filter in the front door. As with all front/rear bulkhead sensors, accuracy isn't pinpoint, especially with smaller loads as the fabrics are less likely to rub against the sensor. At least the sensor is located opposite of the air intake unlike 29" Whirlpool dryers that have the air intake, exhaust, and sensor mounted on the rear bulkhead. If Whirlpool mounted the sensor in the front bulkhead, they would be a hell of a lot more accurate.

With all of that said, I love the hell out of my electronic controlled Maytag HOH's for dead on accuracy (3 large sensors mounted on all of the baffles, in the direct path of clothing). You'd think someone would figure out how to turn the entire stainless steel drum into a gigantic sensor for dead on accuracy by now.

Given the complaints in the comment section, not everyone is satisfied with the sensor operation in their LG dryers.

 

[logixx]

"You'd think someone would figure out how to turn the entire stainless steel drum into a gigantic sensor"

We had an Electrolux dryer many years ago that must have worked something like this. The baffles were plastic but the drum was devided into two halves (front & rear). It would even sense one item (like a sweater, for example).