Maytag is Smarter Than I Thought

[washerlover]

So I'm really enjoying my new '75 HA407. Have noted some interesting points of interest.
1. It's only a one-speed washer, so the Permanent Press cycle partially spins out the wash water, then stopping two times for the cool-down, ever so intelligently not spinning fast enough to spill out any fabric softener in the top dispenser, and not spinning too fast/long to wrinkle the clothes. Very clever.
2. The Permanent Press cycle final spin stops after three minutes, instead of the usual six minutes on Normal, yet the timer still advances with the action stopped. Very clever.
3. When the load is either too heavy and/or too sudsy during the first spin, the spin-spray stops to let the spin speed pick up (so as not to release any of that precious fabric softener before the rinse cycle). Very clever.
4. I love the little flutey/whistley-sound the agitator makes when set at maximum water level. Very musical.

After all these years of not being a fan of Maytag, that brand is finally winning my affection! BTW, my matching HOH dryer is pretty amazing, too!

Thanks for letting me share -- I'm sure all you Maytag fans out there already know all of this!

Todd

 

[beekeyknee]

Hi Todd,

I think you might be assuming the Maytag is more 'intelligent' than it is. All Maytags start spinning slow, as the belt is slipping to let the water pump out and not overload the motor with a full tub of water. The timer advances before the machine has a chance to spin out all the water or develop enough centrifugal force for the fabric softener to go over the edge of the cup. It's all just simple timing and mechanics. I'm pretty sure. But of course, the engineers at Maytag made it that way. That's where the intelligence came from.

B.

 

[tomturbomatic]

And if it is too sudsy to spin out the water completely, the spray rinse is stopped by the pressure switch which, to prevent flooding, would stop all filling if it did not or had not reset at that point, but you are right, those are smart design features. I did not care much for Maytags until the 06 series, but really got to like them when John told me about the 50 cycle motor pulley and belt kit. I first added that to my 806 and then to my baby time fill Highlander and replaced its high fin Gyrator with a black Powerfin so that it now gives tsunami grade washing action. The spin speed is increased to something over 700 rpm. I did have to seal the weep holes in the tub cover with silicone seal to prevent the rapid spin acceleration from squirting water out of them.

 

[toploadloyalist]

Since that's a one-speed washer with a Delicate cycle selection, how does that work compared to a two-speed model?

 

[panthera]

Maytags grow on you

We have several, top-loaders and wringers and the slipping belt with the motor on a carriage design really, really gives the machines a degree of flexibility which solves lots of problems.

Whether the engineers intended this is another question, I suspect they just wanted to avoid a clutch or torque converter.

 

One-speed Maytags solved the 'delicate' problem the same way GE solved it for many years post-filterflo: Agitation is at the same speed as always, but it's intermittent. The thought behind it is that it won't damage clothes to run at normal speed if it's only for a brief period.

 

Makes sense.

 

Having used Maytag wringers for really dirty clothes, I have to say - they get clothes cleaner, it's really true. It's a combination of several factors, but to get the same results in an automatic TL, you have to reset the timer and run extra rinses.

 

Now, there's not much drama. A thumper (especially one in PANK!) is far more fun. A filter-flo talks to you all along the cycle. And filters better, though the Maytag filter design works 10˄24 better than the Whirlpool bed of nails).

 

[chestermikeuk]

Maytag

Glad to hear you`re enjoying the Maytags Todd, have managed to save some over here and find them solid sturdy appliances that do the job perfectly either by Top Loader, Wringer or twinny action. Also have a badged Mayag Asko front loader set which completes the full line-up !!

Happy Washing !!

 

[70series]

Nice A206 set. I grew up with the washer, but ours did not have the pilot light fixture.

 

[washerlover]

Thanks to all of you for the responses. Am always enlightened and encouraged when I hear folks commenting on a post. Right now still in transition after losing my collection in the California Valley Fire, but definitely am making room to rebuild my lost collection. Rght now only an 80s Wards/Norge and two mid-late 70s Maytags. Sure miss my '66 Norge and Kenmores and the great '67 GE FF I recently acquired right before the fire. Thanks again for your comments to my post!

 

[toploadloyalist]

Maytag Delicate Cycle's Short Wash & Soak

That's what it does on the coin-op Maytag top-loader at my apartment complex. On a side note, the spray rinse during the first spin is a full minute on Permanent Press (as the cool-down), and a half minute on all other cycles.

 

[Chetlaham]

Spin spray that stops

What do you mean by this? It stops as soon as the tub slows down a bit? I always thought it was 1 minute long timer controlled regardless.

And yup, this washer is VERY well thought out in every way possible.

 

[washerlover]

Spin Spray Stops

Yes, I've experienced this a few times where if either the load is very heavy, or there may be too many suds, the spray will stop to allow the machine to drain and get back up to speed. Please know that I do not overload or add too much detergent to the machine so I can only imagine how often the spray delay would have occurred with older, higher-sudsing detergents back in the 1970s! (my 406 is a vintage 1975)

As far as the delicate cycle goes, it's a snoozer. The intermittent agitation is very much intermittent, so not much to watch unless you're into soak cycles. I just run Normal cycle on two minutes, let it do its spin, and once in the rinse cycle, push the Permanent Press button to ensure only a three-minute final spin.

 

[wayupnorth]

I only run full loads on ex large load in my 511. Its still trying to pump all the wash water out and it sprays and ramps up to max spin, goes to rinse and spins out just fine. Mikes round Maytag wringer is just like mine, but it decided to die after I moved it to my shed to use when I wanted. Anyone want a round Maytag with issues that was my grandmothers that I am not taking apart and fixing?

 

[70series]

Spin Spray Stops

I've seen this with our A206 as well as my neighbor's A606, and it usually happened with a small load of towels where the load got too sudsy. Whenever the tub would slow down because of water accumulation, the spray would stop until water was extracted and the speed increased closer to normal. At that point the spray would resume and continue until it timed out.

 

[toploadloyalist]

Spin Spray

I was referring to the coin-op Maytag I just mentioned. Pardon if it's off-subject.