LG Front Load Question

[washerdude]

I've been using the LG WM4370HKA for a couple weeks now. I like it for the most part. I think the rinse is truly reminiscent of Maytag Neptunes with the drum turning and making the water flow through the outer tub to clear out the suds. But one thing does bug me a little, the turbowash sprayers located on the 4 and 8-o-clock position don't spray at full intensity like they do on the rinse cycle when the machine is in the main wash phase. They seem to start up, spray at a good intensity then reduce pressure and you can hear air passing through the re-circulation pump and don't spray nearly as hard at all and sometimes barely touch the clothes. Who else experiences this with their LG when they select turbowash on the normal cycle? I've seen videos of the WM3770 and WM3570 performing and they never seem to experience a pressure drop with the spray nozzles during the main wash on the normal cycle.

 

[nmassman44]

I think why your machine is doing the reduced pressure for the TurboWash jets during rinse is the fact that those jets can kick up some sudsing. I notice it with my LG 3570 washer with some loads like towels and jeans. I believe that your machine is running normally in this instance. With my machine the TurboWash option is defaulted to on Cotton/Normal, optional on other cycles. I use TurboWash with every cycle and load since I love the spray rinsing during the spins between deep rinsing and during the final spin. I am amazed at how well the washer rinses the clothes. I do use a softener in the final rinse to kill any suds that might survive.

 

[littlegreeny]

The normal cycle uses the least amount of water per DOE requirements. The pressure is reduced because the water level is only high enough to saturate the clothes. How long are you watching the cycle because it should eventually add enough water for the Turbowash to work properly.

 

[rolls_rapide]

The apparent lack of spray force could also be due to, perhaps, too much detergent, or a too sudsy detergent. I've experienced that on two different makes of machine with recirculation pumps.

Another thought: Is the sump filter clear of any obstructions?

 

[henene4]

Was just thinking, but pretty certain that LG uses a simple single speed recirculation pump.

Only variable speed recirculation pump I know of is in Mieles current PowerWash 2.0 models.

 

[washerdude]

The detergent does not suds up to a visible point at all (Tide HE Turbo Powder). This washer is still very new so I don't think the filter has anything inside of it. In the last 3-5 minutes of the main wash, it adds cold water to use as a cool down and then the nozzles appear to spray at full intensity until the first drain/spin cycle. The clothes do saturate on the normal cycle, I just thought that the force of the spray would be more consistent as that's how it was in models like the one I own.

 

[littlegreeny]

It sounds like it's working normally. I assume the Turbowash works just fine in all the other cycles?

BTW, the water it adds in the last few minutes is to flush the bleach dispenser (the spray nozzle and bleach dispenser are connected to the same solenoid).

 

[washerdude]

I think for the most part yes. I've only used Normal for the most part and bulky/large for comforters and turbowash appears to work fine on that.

 

[mark_wpduet]

This is normal

and the spray jets are spraying all the time

http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=hagvrfgZuaY

 

[washerdude]

I think maybe the loads i'm washing are too small for this thing LOL. When it saturates the load, it compacts it so much that its easily only filling 1/4 of the tub where as I've seen videos of this thing performing with probably more than what I put in..which would then explain it would logically use more water thus spraying at the full intensity. Deans video looks like with the load saturated it comes near to the 1/2 full point of the tub. I guess I'm still used to the Maytag Neptunes capacity which was at the previous rental I lived at, an entire hamper of laundry filled the tub up.

 

[mark_wpduet]

Actually

I would think that the water to load size ratio should be the same. Say you have a small load vs large load - obviously, it's not going to use the same amount of water, but the ratio should be the same - and thus, the jets should operate the same - this is my thinking at least. I don't know. I'm probably wrong though, LOL. In that video I posted, it doesn't look like a particularly large load to me either... I will say that I have seen some LG turbo wash videos where the jets do exactly what you're describing during the wash, but not the rinse. Almost like the wash water level isn't deep enough for it to recirculate through the full tumble before it shuts off...

 

[mark_wpduet]

now see on this one

this looks like a larger load, on the normal cycle with turbo wash, but with cold wash option....and the jets don't spray the full tumbles. The die down before the full tumble is over. It's like WHY? It's the same cycle? If anything, cold wash I would think would use MORE water, causing the jets the be stronger than just regular normal. I dunno.

http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NOhhkgkjDw

 

[logixx]

Cold Wash probably uses less water for "concentrated cleaning". Frigilux described something similar for his Maytag's cold-water cycle. The rinses always seem to use more water than the main wash.

 

[rolls_rapide]

Having looked at both the videos, I agree that the rinses must be using more water than the wash portion.

I suppose you could try slowly pouring additional water through the powder drawer, to see if it makes any difference - maybe a couple of pints.

 

[washerdude]

I did try that with a very small load before on this washer and the nozzles did appear to work without dying down. LorainFurniture's video of his WM3770 has to be the closest model to my WM4370 in terms of capacity and revision. His unit appeared to not only have a longer spin cycle but also the jets appear to be running at full force for the entire main wash. Granted it is a larger load so it would explain more.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

kenmore elite

My Kenmore Elite front loader does the same thing. I use the accelawash all the time. This is normal.

 

[washerdude]

Nice to see all the responses, thanks for the help.

 

[dudleyfuddpucke]

I know this thread is a little old, but hoping to necro it because I recently purchased a WM3770 and see the exact same thing described here, so I am a little curious.

On the "Normal" setting the recirculating pumps (I hate the term "turbo wash," even though I love the feature) more sputter than spray, regardless of temperature setting. I quickly concluded this was due to low pressure because the water level was so darn low. Adding some additional water (my utility sink is right to the left of the washer, so a 2' hose reaches easily into the detergent dispenser) quickly cures this and the jets spray at full temp.

The pressure and jets are at full force during the rinse cycles, so clearly the washer uses way more water rinsing than washing. They are also at full force during most other wash cycles, including Bulky, Sanitary, etc.

So is it just that Normal uses an extraordinarily-low amount of water during wash? It would seem so, and even though rinses seem outstanding I wonder if it saturates the clothes enough to clean properly? Has anyone used this setting on these washers long enough to verify they clean well?

Normal is the only setting other than Sanitary that allows the Very Hot (onboard heater) setting to be engaged, so in the end it does matter (unless I just use Sanitary for everything I want to be really hot). Not sure I want to be manually adding water all the time either.

Curious what other's experiences with LG washers with the Turbo wash feature are.

 

[mark_wpduet]

Wait?

the normal cycle is the ONLY cycle that engages the heater other than Sanitary? That surprises me since normal is probably the most energy efficient cycle that I often avoid. I thought they had other cycles that used the heater like cotton, towels, etc.