LG Sidekick: Cold Fill on Warm

[bobbi]

So as I posted in another thread, we picked up this sweet little machine last Saturday. I did one test load in it, and had it set to Warm water. I checked it partway through, and the water was cold. Has this happened to anyone else? Could something not be right?

My husband said the Hot water line to it was hot right to the back of the machine during the cycle, so it seem really strange that the water was cold.

As an aside, the machine is very cool. It is surprisingly aggressive with agitation, and uses plenty of water. It really is a compact HE TL. Tomorrow I will give it a full laundry day run. I have plans to do three loads in it. I am wondering if I can wash a queen sheet set with pillowcases, as long as I can get truly good warm water in it. Has anyone tried it? I am certain it can hold five of my husband's work T-shirts.

 

[vacerator]

could be cooler

ambient room temp. affecting the thermistor.
In the winter months when I select warm wash, the water is cool. Hot is warm.
makes no difference how hot the water heater is set, or how the spigot is adjusted where the hoses hook up. It's how the thermistor's are calibrated. Energy Star compliance.

 

[bobbi]

Vacerator - Thank you for explaining that. We were thinking of installing a blender before the washer inlet, or switching the water lines. Sounds like that would not have worked either, per your explanation.

Now the full size LG FL washer we got to go with this little Sidekick is doing great as far as delivering the requested water temps, and it is very cold out today. Very pleased with that one so far.

 

[bobbi]

I got the chance to really put this washer to the test on laundry day, so I may as well make a review in case someone in the future comes here searching and finds this. I think the agitation is superb, and the rinse + spin out good - though the spin out seems better with heavier fabrics. However, you can not use chlorine bleach and there is not hot water, and warm is not really warm. I could have made due with warm. The water is quite cold, as in not even close to warm. Hopefully we can figure something out. I did pour about a quart of good hot water directly on the clothes before starting the cycle, and the wash water was STILL cold.

Samsung has a combo FL and TL machine in the works, the FlexWash, due out soon, and from what I understand the top loader part is on top....you get hot water, can use bleach, and don't need to buy any extra water lines. I will be checking this machine out when it arrives, since I definitely want to have two washing machines running side by side to shorten laundry day.

 

[cam2s]

Sidekick

I don't know if all Sidekicks are the same but after looking at an owners manual for a WD100C/WD200C it states that it is for primarily lightly soiled clothing, therefore hot water probably isn't offered as it wouldn't be "needed". Also the programming of the Normal cycle might lead to a mostly cold fill to achieve a good energy rating. My Maxima is this way I believe most modern machines are that way with their normal cycles. Have you experimented with the other cycles?

Also you have to understand the physics at work here...you are starting with room temperature clothes and a room temperature inner and outer drum. Even if the machine filled with true hot water it is going to cool quite a bit as it warms up the cold clothes and drums. HE machines that only fill with a small amount of water can't really overcome that problem unless they have a booster heater to correct the temp.

Cameron

 

[stricklybojack]

.
Yeah baby, FLEX WASH.
These are freakin' da bomb...[insert spinsplosion joke here]

For realz though, what a set.
Too big for our laundry space, and vastly too complicated for my octogenarian mother to use, so I will be on the sidelines.
But as I am finding out, either you have vintage machines or you have a computer running the show, and after the recent Galaxy torch phone issues, you would image Samsung is looking long and hard at the quality control of their component suppliers. Samsung needs a rebound, especially in laundry equipment, and therefore these may be winners.

Our Samsung refrigerator has had no trouble at all whatsoever while our Speed Queen laundry machines...well I got a whole thread on it already so I will spare a repeat of the ugly details and simply say it's not working out like it was supposed to. I say this now to counter the chorus of anti-Samsung / pro simple machines (read Speed Queen) comments that usually attend any discussion of machines like the Flex Wash here on AW. I ain't havin' it anymore...my likely contrary two cents will be put up right along side.
Suffice it to say my appliance mantra now is go what works for *you*. Use a quality credit card like American Express, get an extended warranty (yes I admit it a great Speed Queen feature), and proceed with caution no matter what new gadget or consumer "durable" (read large appliance) you purchase.[this post was last edited: 2/6/2017-22:03]

http://https//www.cnet.com/products/samsung-flexwash-plus-flexdry-laundry-system/preview/

 

[bobbi]

Cameron - I know what you are saying as far as starting out with a cold drum and clothes, but you'd be surprised that this little machine has about 4 inches deep water upon fill. It seems to me that it should be enough to at least get the water lukewarm. I chose the Normal cycle, so next time I will try Active Wear. Thank you for your input.

 

[bobbi]

Strickly - I agree, a person should get what works best for them and their situation. I came from a FL to a Whirlpool wringer washer and a Kenmore 90 series, because the FL was poor at cleaning,and my aunt told me that nothing cleaned like her old wringer. So I got one. It was awesome at cleaning. I used my Fl at that time to do rinse and spin. Then my FL failed, and I replaced it with a Kenmore 90 Series. I had been using this 1-speed Whirlpool wringer for my daily driver, but it only has one speed which I think is too aggressive for most laundry, and the Kenmore's spin out speed isn't great. So then I switched to just using the Kenmore since has slower agitation, and then suds saving into the Whirlpool. The Kenmore isn't great at extraction either, so then I added a Hoover Twin Tub to the mix to reuse rinse water to pre-rinse, then fresh rinse and high speed spin out in the spin can. Then two Fridays ago, the wringer's pump failed. So there I was on laundry day using three different machines to wash and rinse. Nuts, and time consuming, and lots of babysitting going on. Now I can wash AND do something else.

I want a machine that isn't a water hog, is effective, customizable, efficient, saves time and energy, and that works like it's supposed to, and I (hopefully) don't have to worry about being able to get parts. So I got an LG with steam and this little Sidekick to do two loads at once. But its use is limited without warm water. I had already told my husband that I wanted two washers going at once, and four would be even better. That's just working smarter instead of harder.

I am aware that Samsung washer problems, but it seems as though they have come up with resolutions. I'm not worried. I can't wait to see the FlexWash!! I think it's ingenious to do be washing two loads at once in the same space you used to only be able to wash one!! Not everyone has a large laundry room. I wish I did. I see a paradigm shift coming, and I think it's well overdue. But there are lots of folks who will not move forward without a fight. I know this well, because I drive a PHEV and have heard ridiculous objections, like..."oh, that's too quiet" ...as if we are born expecting that cars must make noise. Duh.[this post was last edited: 2/7/2017-07:38]