Miele Spiders - What are they made of?

[vacfanatic]

Does anyone know what Miele uses for their drum spiders? I'm hoping not aluminum... I'm guessing they are stainless steel or something that won't corrode...

Any feedback would be great

Thanks!
Andrew

 

[tolivac]

I would hope the same metal the agitate-spin drum is made of-otherwise galvonic corrosion is going to result....This is what turns me OFF about FL washers-Spider failure as one of their problems-the spider is disssimilar metal as the drum-and it corrodes from galvonic corrosion-thus fails.

 

[ronhic]

mmmm....

....spider failure seems to be more endemic in the US than anywhere else, though please correct me if I'm wrong...

I've had 4 front load machines in 16 years....the oldest 1 and newest 2 of which are still in use...the second I have no idea, but given it was a Blomberg, I doubt that spider failure would have happened...

My mother had an ASEA for over 20yrs...and it's still going...

My aunts Hoover 475 is still going...and it would have to be pushing 26yrs....

In fact, I had never even heard of spider failure until I joined this site......

So...

Is this a predominately American machine issue???

 

[gizmo]

Spider failure is a big enough issue here in Aus. Hoover Zodiacs do go through them, though theirs is quite "meaty" so it takes a few years to corrode through. My LG is only about 5 or 6 years old, I got it at four years old with a broken spider and stuffed bearings. Fortunately the LG spider was only $40.

Italian Whirlpool FLs of about 10 years ago (eg AWM 284) seem to have a problem with them - I have had several, all with broken spiders. I have only found one good one for a repair. You can't buy a spider for the Whirlpool, they will only sell you a whole drum for about $380. Stuff that!

I blame bad detergents and cold water washing. (and spiders made from thin aluminium.)

I have seen older Asko drums with a stainless steel spider.

 

[bernina]

I blame bad detergents and cold water washing. (and spiders made from thin aluminium.)

How so?

What makes a detergent bad for aluminum?

... too alkaline?

I've heard some people claim liquid chlorine bleach is bad for stainless steel... is that true? Even as diluted as it would be in a few gallons of water?

 

[sudsman]

I've heard some people claim liquid chlorine bleach is b

LCB will not harm SS it has been used in commerical dishwashers and laundry for years and will do no harm to ss at all.. If it did their would be many machine laundry and Dishwashers on the scrap heap.

 

[favorit]

and if you don't trust even Lee ...

this is a page from a manual of Miele washer-extractors WS5080 WS5100 and WS5140. They have LCB compartment too.
In the next page they recommend to set 4 rinses at least when using LCB.

http://www.miele-professional.de/de/prof/produkt/33_5565.htm

 

[favorit]

counterweight is cast iron

they call it in italian "crociera" (cross device)
Found on mieleitalia.it 2009 laundry care brochure

 

[danmantn]

Chlorine bleach can and will discolor stainless steel...actually doesn't stain it, rather cleans it cleaner than the surrounding stainless. I experienced this with my Speed Queen...took a HECKUVA lot of elbow grease and Bar Keepers friend to get the tub clean. I added it to the tub rather than the dispenser.

Also experienced this with my WP true stainless dishwasher. Some bleach ran down the front and now I have a line that is brighter than the surrounding stainless. Be careful with undiluted bleach.

 

[bertrum]

Hi Andrew
replacing the spider and the bearings will make the machine a non viable repair. Miele parts are very expensive.

 

[iheartmaytag]

LCB won't damage the SS

But I have been told it will damage the aluminum speeding up the corosion and failure of the unit.

 

[combo52]

SPIDER CORROSION

Almost all washers have aluminum parts which are exposed to water TL and FL alike. Good washing practices will keep the aluminum parts cleaner and not leave a buildup which hastens corrosion. We recommend to all our customers with Hi EFF washers to only use hot water plenty of good detergent [ good detergents have additives to protect washer parts from corrosion ] use limited amounts of liquid fabric softener and look out for any build ups on the glass door or top of tub on TL washers or any odor problems. Any of these problems will hasten the destruction of the main shaft seal and the spider.

 

[aaronfitzy]

well....

I don't think it would be very "efficient" to use just hot water. Also, it just wouldn't be possible with all different fabrics.

Aaron

 

[alr2903]

spiders... oh my

Guy's what are the old westy and bendix spiders made out of. I have never heard anyone complain. I realize their drums are proclelain. so was the spider procelain coated too? I am not surpised that these modern machines have spider issues, I am surprised the old vintage westy/bendix do not seem to have this issue ... is the answer back in time?

 

[tomturbomatic]

Sodium metasilicates protect metals from attack by caustics in detergents.

Actually chlorine bleach will pit stainless steel, attacking the nickel-chrome. That's why cookware care guides tell you not to soak the pans with a bleach solution. Strong brine solutions will cause similar damage. Halogen compounds are rough customers.

I was under the impression that makers of machines with heating elements (which are enclosed in stainless steel) did not want them operating in water containing bleach because of pitting to the surface of the element that would occur with its high temperature surface in contact with the bleach solution, intensifying the reaction so to speak.

The reason John calls for hot water is that most machines sold here do not routinely heat water unless you select the extra hot sanitizing cycle. If the machine is any distance from the water heater and the lines are not purged of the cold water before the machine is started on say a "warm" wash, it will only fill with cold water because they fill with so little water that they will only use the cold water in the pipes before the water level switch is satisfied. These machines are not like Mieles where they will heat water to the 85 or 105F or higher settings. People are amazed when told that they should draw off the cold water in the hot water line before starting the washer. If they do not have a sink of other way to draw up the hot water, I tell them to set the empty machine for a hot fill and then drain that and restart the washer. When automatic washing machines were introduced, the owners manuals stressed having water of 140 to 160 AT THE TAP. Now people keep their water heaters set lower than that. Even 120F water cools to warm when the small amount needed in a front loader loses its heat to the cold inner and outer tub.

 

[favorit]

"Sodium metasilicates protect metals from attack by cau

Wasn't aware of that, guessed they were just strong alkaline detergents.

Now it makes sense why SS tub dishwashers have ever operated with chlorine based detergents without any issue.

 

[passatdoc]

Agree

My laundry room and the kitchen share a common wall and pipes. To "prime" the hot water, I either run the kitchen hot water tap until it's hot, or else start the machine empty on a hot cycle, wait until the window is steamed up, then cancel/drain. Then load the machine with clothes and start a new cycle. I learned the latter trick from GoLittleSport and it works---though it may be more energy efficient to prime the line using the kitchen faucet (without starting/spinning/draining/stopping a cycle). However, some people may have laundry areas without a nearby faucet which can be primed, so GoLittleSport's advice is valuable in some settings.

 

[tomturbomatic]

alr2903, Bendix and Westinghouse machines did not use spiders. The tubs were made of steel with a huge hub at the back into which the tub shaft was mounted. The drum was strong enough that no support was needed through the tub vanes like stainless steel tubs have today.