New owner of a 2015 Speed Queen TL washer!

[rapunzel]

You are missing the point. People, like myself, who buy these washers, don't care about CR reviews. I know exactly what I have got. I've had it for almost 30 years now and am getting exactly what I want in a washing machine.

BTW, I have recently purchased Dynamo and Ajax HE liquid detergent and they seem to work pretty good so far. My washer is used in a real home setting to wash real clothes for real people - it just doesn't get any more real than that. I know, it's totally unreal.

 

[frigilux]

Olav-- People who want a traditional top-loader will buy a Speed Queen regardless of anything CR says. I did! My intent was to explain why a washer beloved by so many scores so poorly in CR's tests. Some are bewildered by that, or think CR is falsifying test results. The explanation is actually quite logical.

 

Perhaps I should have put it this way: Many HE washers would score no better than the SQ top-loader in cleaning if the wash time was limited to 15 minutes, as is the SQ. A high efficiency washer's Normal cycle set at the heaviest soil wash time can tumble/agitate 2 or 3 times that long---sometimes with a soak period in the middle---in a super-concentrated detergent solution.

[this post was last edited: 7/5/2015-12:50]

 

[henene4]

It just dosen't get any more real than that.

It does.

One could say as well that several million HE washers wash real peoples clothes in real peoples homes for real people.
A whole continent uses HE washers (or at least something about equivalent).
And sadly, water shortages can get real as well.

 

[DADoES]

 
Doesn't CR rate performance based on the out-of-the-box, designated, default Normal cycle (that the typical non-discriminating consumer would use for 100% of his washing)?  Options to increase performance (longer wash times, pretreat, higher temperature, additional rinse, etc.) aren't factored into the equation (although they may be noted as available, yes?

 

[frigilux]

CR used to test that way, but now tests the Normal cycle with the heaviest soil/longest wash time selected.  This accounts for a lot of 90+ minute cycles.  As I recall, they decided to change protocol due to the heavily stained tests cloths they wash.  Most machines' default Normal cycles assume a light to moderately-soiled load.  No other options (higher temps, etc.) are used.

 

For instance...Frigidaire's top-loading Immersion Care has a default Normal cycle time of 50 minutes.  Choosing the heaviest soil option extends it to around 110-115 minutes, which is the time CR lists for the Immersion Care's complete cycle.

 

 

 

[washman]

I gave up on CR

when they consistently trashed USA made cars all the while heaping tons of praise on anything with a Japanese nameplate. Then their reviews read like something out of a brochure rather than something that would actually TEACH the reader about the product.

 

[rapunzel]

Hi Eugene,

You are right and so is John, I didn't read your posts correctly the first time around.

 

[Chetlaham]

"The current design is a waste of electricity, hell on belt life and the spin drain leaves much more lint and grit in the clean laundry and causes about 1/2 all the service calls we are running on these washers. SQ could save a lot of money on warranty calls if they would spend another $5 on an electric pump."

I don't know why I see so much negativity in every post. Many older top load washer spun drain and it made little difference in life expectancy as that was factored into design. The belt is made to slip as was on older Maytags which lasted 30 years. I have seen basket drives fail to engage on 15 year old belt driven (wig-wag) whirlpools and clutches fail on newer top load GEs. Motor couplers breaking is as common for neutral drain whirlpools as are belts needing to be replaced. As I whole I think it makes no difference.

Even when neutral drain is employed these machines are energy hogs, that's the design. In fact a shaded pole drain motor is less efficient per watt relative to available output (shaft) power, and when both are running on an empty tub in theory you are drawing more power then having one do both.

From personnel experience I do not find spin drain washers to be worse at re-depositing dirt. If you look at older Maytag literature they even used it as a selling point. Granted Whirlpool said the opposite contradicting that, but using both styles have taught me its about the same. Perhaps a tad better for spin-drain, however in truth both designs use fabric as a strainer, there is no way around that.

As for a separate pumps Ill pass. Ive heard of them air locking on Frigidaire's, and Ive had them seize up on newer GEs.

Unless you are over loading the machine I cant see things being pushed up over into the outer tub. I guess it could be more likely with a spinning tub full of water, though has never been a problem for me.

I think Speed Queen is doing the right thing, and I don't think they would intentionally keep spin draining if it was that much of a problem.

 

[beekeyknee]

Noisy Machines?

God Damn it people. It's a machine! It's supposed to make noise. I notice most of you people that are talking about noise and taking noise measurements don't even list your age in your profile. Us in or 50's and 60's heard noise you couldn't even have imagined and we didn't complain. In fact we enjoyed it. It was part of the experience.

Old solid tub machines from the 50's and 60's made all kinds of noises. Bangin' solenoids, chuggin' pumps, rumbling motors that vibrated through the machine and into the room, splashing water as the tubs filled with water while the spin was slowing down, lids locking and unlocking, timers scritchin' water sloppin' over the side of the tub as the machine got up to speed.

You all should have been in a Speed Queen Laundromat back in those days. This stuff was going on all the time. No one cared. People just sat around and read newspapers and magazines. And ate candy bars and drank soda pop from the vending machines while setting in ice cold air from R-12 units cranking out cold air in the summertime. It was wonderful. In fact I would love to go back through time and experience that all over again. Quit worrying about a little bit of noise and think of it as part of the experience.

 

[bobcurley]

@beekeyknee:

I am in my 60's!

 

Please see my reply #98:  "The intention of my post was not to complain about the sound, but to verify that my machine is not defective."

 

My previous machine, a 17-year old run-of-the-mill KitchenAid agitator top-load, did not have a loud drain pump like that, or any other sound remotely as loud, so I originally was concerned it was abnormal.

 

[beekeyknee]

Ok. Sorry, Bob. I didn't know your age and several others that were commenting don't have ages in there profiles either, so I assumed they were younger people. Wasn't trying to offend. I was trying to convey how much fun those machine sounds from that era were.

 

[sketteroo]

Two months ago I traded in my 2006 WP Duet FL for a SQ TL, and I am so glad I did. The SQ rinses the load so much better. No more crispy towels. I wouldn't go back to a FL for anything.

 

[gusherb]

I love all the quirky sounds my SQ makes except when plastic capacitor shields vibrate, or strange rattles appear during spin cycle.
There's lots of sounds that machine makes that might not seem normal but are, and don't bother me. Rattles and plastic chattering vibrations OTOH are annoying.

Oh and I've never heard a laundromat SQ TL make the rattle I'm hearing during spin on mine.

 

[spinmon]

My 3 yr old AWN542 had a cabinet buzz occasionally when newer. Lately it makes a slight ''meow'' sound when washing ceases/pause for spin. Way less drama/racket than our DD Kenmore,more ''old school'' sounds.

 

[mrsalvo]

2 month update: I am thoroughly enjoying this thread and always look forward any new replies. Well, I've been using my new SQ for a couple of months now and my elation has subsided somewhat, guess the new is wearing off. Overall, it is a very nice machine and my clothes do look and feel better than the old machine that I replaced. I do appreciate the fast cycle times. On the flip side of the coin, I noticed the water level is not as high on my machine as some of the other posters has pointed out in their photos. I've attached a photo of a full load that I ran last week, it was in the rinse cycle. I can add more water if needed by hitting the reset switch but I don't like to do this as I feel it does add more wear and tear to the machine, (belts?). I noticed that when washing a completely full tub of clothes that I can smell a rubber burning type of odor. I suspect it is the belt, as "combo52" pointed out earlier, the smell is stronger on the spin/drain cycle. My water level comes just under the 1st hole in the agitator column, so I don't load clothes any higher. [I think for the money spent on this machine the capacity could be a little more, but SQ points out a couple of times in their manual not to overload.]
Right after I bought it, I did some extensive research on comments from service tech's and found conflicting comments and advice concerning usage of liquid vs. powder detergents. One service tech. recommended powders, as liquid detergents has a tendency to "gum up" the pumps on Speed Queens. Another tech. recommended liquid detergents, as powders were abrasive to the pumps. Since I spent so much money on the purchase, I want my machine to last trouble-free. So I called Speed Queen on day and inquired. The lady I talked to didn't recommend much, other than if liquids are used to do so "SPARINGLY," esp. non-HE liquids. So I suspect there may be something to the liquid issue. "Laundress" mentioned this in another thread, concerning overuse of liquids. So I'm going to switch to a powder for now, hopefully something that cleans well and doesn't fade colors, I bought "Cheer Color Guard" to use after I use up a bottle of liquid. The only thing I don't care for about Cheer is it suds horribly, so I'll use it "SPARINGLY" as well.
Like I said, overall SQ is a very good machine.
Any comments or observations would be appreciated.

 

[frigilux]

Nearly everyone here raises the water level of their machine so it fills to the top row of holes in the tub. It's a simple adjustment; there are videos on YouTube showing how to do it. I had the installer raise mine when he delivered the washer. The extra few gallons of water won't hurt your machine.

As for detergents, use whichever type you prefer. Life is too short to lose sleep over it.

Not that anyone asked, but although my favorite Speed Queens are solid tub models from the early 1960s, the new machines turn over a load much more efficiently. I'm fond of the Surgilator-like agitator.[this post was last edited: 7/15/2015-05:26]

 

[combo52]

New SQ TL Washer

Hi Barry, Glad you are enjoying your new washer, raising the WL on your machine should do little harm to your machine, although it does stress the belt a little longer as the machine struggles to pump out the water.

 

As far as different detergents go you can get great results with liquid or powders. The biggest problems we see with detergent usage in any washer is using too little for water conditions, water temperature and soil levels. As far as the washer is concerned it is almost imposable to use too much detergent. The ONLY way you could ever hurt this washer by using too much detergent would be if it was Suds-Locking as it tried to spin, this would be very hard on the belt etc.

 

The water pumps are very rugged on SQ TL Washers, they are designed to pump large quantities of sand, again the only real harm that can come to them relating to detergent usage would using too little detergent which could cause a seal failure.

 

We have seen several main seal failures on SQ TL washers that are still under warranty or just a year or two past warranty. In every case the customer is always using the 2nd rinse feature constantly. When you try to over rinse is less than completely soft water you leave mineral deposits behind that destroy the main water seal in this type of washer.

 

One of the beauties of WP built TL washers over the years is that their water seals were not directly exposed to water so they were never exposed to this type of damage.

 

John L.

 

[mrsalvo]

Eugene and John, thank-you so much for your input. I'm using the 2nd rinse option less on this machine than I did on previous ones. It does rinse pretty good even when I may use more detergent than I should. We have very hard water here in south Texas (so far I've gone through 2 dishwashers in 17 years and I had an extremely bad calcium build up in the Maytag I had, in fact it ruined it). I'm wondering if a water softner additive would help? As for detergents I'm going to alternate I think since you both gave good replies. (I was impressed with Persil, though it's a bit pricy.)
Eugene, I like the agitator in the Speed Queen and, yes, it does remind me of the
surgilator. It cleans really good.
Well, I'm very embarrassed about the picture I took and posted, please find it in your hearts to forgive. Could not get it to post upright, but at 2:00am I quit trying to correct it. Tired. Lol.
Again, thank-you.

 

[maylingsmom]

You can use a little 20 Mule Team Borax to soften the water.

 

[bladeandstone]

Override Fill on electronic controls?

Hello All! New member, on the fence about SQ with mostly good reviews out there with a very occasional horror story. Not that any brand is immune from this these days... Just hope not to be the "lucky" one that gets the bullet on the appliance Russian roulette game... Pretty sure I will be getting a SQ, but spending my time doing a bit more due diligence. I thank you all for the time you have put into providing prospective buyers and current owners support and information. Very valuable!

Question:
Do either of the current electronic control SQ's allow manual override of the water line? (i.e. AWNE92 or AWNE82). Such as with the "reset" button on the mechanical controls (on a cycle-by-cycle basis), or with some tweak on the back of the unit (on a semi-permanent basis)?

I ask since on Post# 832329, Reply# 133, mrsalvo (san marcos texas) mentioned his water line lowered over time (see above).

Are there any important considerations I should take into account when weighing the decision to go with the electronic vs mechanical controls, finances aside? (AWNE92/AWNE82 versus AWN432)

Apologies for my rudimentary descriptions as I am not yet familiar with all the technical lingo as I've only been researching for about a week now. Thanks very much in advance!