lg/kenmore front load washer extremely heavy

[gelaundry4ever]

Hello everybody,
I have noticed that my Kenmore/LG front load washer is EXTREMELY heavy. What is inside the washer that is extremely heavy? It's even heavier than the matching dryer, but even more so than the matching GE set I had. Is this machine full of concrete? It does a great job with its accela-wash (same as turbo-wash) feature, and when I put it in test mode, I set it to the bleach dispenser/active rinse mode and I heard how powerful the active rinse/atomizing rinse nozzle was. Very powerful at full water pressure. I had two laundry pairs prior to this one at my dad's, and this Kenmore Elite has to be the heaviest I've ever seen. Same as my mom's lg tromm. I'm sure the accela-wash has a more powerful pump, but the weight of this machine is like comparing a semi to a pickup.
What are your thoughts?
Jerome

 

[askolover]

Well, you are partially correct.  The counterweights inside ARE made of concrete.  Mieles and Askos have cast iron counterweights inside of them.  Talk about heavy!  My Miele is far heavier than my Asko is though.

 

[paulc]

Fast forward to

7 minutes 48 for an explanation of why the counter weights are in front loaders

http://https//youtu.be/baFaEvBywGc

 

[gelaundry4ever]

balancing system and 6motion/smart motion

What does the lg tromm/Kenmore elite front load washer's suspension have? What does it consist of? Did lg update the motor/drive system or is it still the same?
How many counterweights does the lg front loader have?

 

[combo52]

Speed Queen FL washers also have cast iron

Counter balance weights in them, but CI is no heaver than concrete overall only more durable as it does not tend to crack and fall apart over time.

John L.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

direct drive motor and pump

How big is the direct drive motor? Did they upgrade the drive motor? How powerful is the pump? How many gallons per minute does it circulate and drain? This is especially true if the accela-wash/turbo-wash is active.

 

[washerdude]

LG FL'ers weigh from 202-210 pounds. My WP duet weighed at 245 pounds with the newer ones being 2 pounds less.

The motor I don't think is heavy at all as well as the pump. I think majority of the weight comes from the balancing counter weights. My Maytag Neptune MAH5500BWW is the same weight as my WP duet was, however sometimes when the machine starts spinning, the ENTIRE machine shifts, something my WP duet almost never did.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

pump flo rate and main pancake motor

What is the flow rate of the lg washer pump during circulation and drain? I've been looking for the flow rate but couldn't find any info on the flow rate. Did lg upgrade the pancake motor for the 6 motion? Surely they should be able to handle tough loads.

 

[askolover]

Oh yeah John, I forgot about SQ having cast iron weights too. 

My Miele used to try to walk a little when I first bought it, but I made a playpen for it and now it doesn't walk anymore. 

 

[johnb300m]

If you're SO concerned about the flow rate of a circulation pump, why don't you pull it out of the machine, put it in a 5gal bucket, and time how long it takes to drain the bucket.
Do the math. You'll have your flow rate.

Only LG engineering and the motor vendor will know the flow rate.
It's inconsequential to the customer.

 

[johnb300m]

On 2nd thought, if it's not submersible, DON'T put it in the bucket.
LOL

 

[leononmaui]

I have the Kenmore Elite made by LG.
What is the test mode?

 

[gelaundry4ever]

test mode procedure

The test mode procedure is the hold the spin speed and soil level buttons in and hit the power button. Make sure the door is closed.

 

[yogitunes]

HEAVY?......you don't know what heavy is!.....

until you see 4 guys trying to lift a Westinghouse slant front into a pickup....

even something like a Kenmore Belt Drive has some weight to it compared to their Direct Drive cousin....don't care how out of balance it goes, its not walking from its spot...

plus I don't know of any dryer that needed counter balance weights....

 

[gelaundry4ever]

heavy

My lg made Kenmore front load washer took 4 people to bring into my house. The GE was a feather compared to that.

 

[speedqueen]

Heavy???

How about a 36" (Philco-)Bendix Duomatic, comes in a back breaking almost 400lbs!

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Heavy...

The lg front loader is the heaviest I have ever seen, but I'm sure they're machines that are even heavier than that.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

thundering vibration during spin

I noticed my machine does a thundering vibration noise during high-speed spin you can hear across the house. This is true for the normal/casual, heavy-duty and whitest whites cycles, all of which I use the accelawash option.

 

[sudsmaster]

It's important to make sure all four feet are firmly planted. On the washer, not the owner. Make sure the top of the machine is level, and that you cannot rock the machine side to side and front to back, or even diagonally.

My Neptune 7500 is essentially the same machine mechanically as the 5500, and it has never tried to walk on me. However I have noticed that the floor under it is not the same as the floor in front of it. It will rock when I pull it out of the laundry closet, but it's fine once it's back where it belongs.

Hey, it's and old house, and this is quake country.