New Speed Queen - extending wash cycle

[yokki]

I'm in Australia and have just bought a new Speed Queen top loader model AWNA62 washer (which is, I think, the same as the TC5 model sold in the US). It has replaced an old Speed Queen (sold here in Australia under the Kleenmaid brand) which lasted 32 years!

While the new washer seems just as good as the old one, I miss the ability to be able to select the wash cycle time I want. My question is: Are there any tricks on the TC5 which would allow me to run the wash cycle for, say, an additional 5 mins or so?

Thanks for any help and tips.

Yokki

 

[qsd-dan]

It appears to be similar to the TC5 here in the US where you have ZERO control over cycles times. One of my big pet peeves with the post 2017 design change, along with very limited water fill levels although your model appears to have that feature.

 

[maytaga806]

No there is no way unfortunately. Wash times are pre-programmed into the control panels computer board. The longest wash time you can get is the Heavy Duty cycle I believe. Check your owners manual for detailed information it should say how many minutes each portion of each cycle is.

 

[henene4]

I do think you can just stop/abort the cycle in the main wash and restart it. Very manual, but should work.

 

[cfz2882]

if "old skool" enough...

...could add a switch to timer motor circuit

 

[gelaundry4ever]

longest cycle

I'd use heavy duty with heavy soil for best results.

 

[brisnat81]

Why do you need a 20 minute plus wash cycle? Back when we had a TL10–12 minutes was generally enough, otherwise your just beating the clothes.

Would it not work better to use the soak option, it’s going to create less wear on the clothes and automates what for me was part of using a TL machine, in that you needed to pretreat and soak?

 

[yokki]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.

I've attached picture of my "Normal" cycle from the manual, which shows that I get a 7 min wash. There IS a "High Efficiency / Regular" switch which changes it to a rediculous 2hr 43min cycle (attached, in 2 parts).

If I want more than a 7 min wash, I think I'll try turning the machine off and then re-starting the cycle as Henene4 suggested. Hopefully that will work. I guess I could also start off in "High Efficiency" mode, wait for a wash / soak stage and then turn off and re-start in "Regular" mode. If that works then I guess I'd be happy - I'd at least have some flexibility.

Either way, it's still better than the Westinghouse machine which I briefly had which had all sorts of restrictions on water level / cycle time and which only seemed to wash for about 5 mins as part of a 1 hr total cycle time! It also kept "squirting" water into the machine at various stages which played havoc with my old pipes. I was glad to get rid of it and upgrade to the Speed Queen and get back to something that behaved reasonably!

 

[qsd-dan]

7 minutes is way too short, I perfectly agree with your beef on that.

I wonder what possessed Speed Queen to use such a short wash cycle?

 

[pinkpower4]

TC5 Extended Wash

Not advertised super cycle. On my TC5, I can get an extended wash time by selecting "Heavy Soil" for the normal eco cycle. The water temp is selectable as well (hot really is tap hot). This is kind of like a super cycle with this particular combo only as heavy soil on any other loads just adds a few minutes, this adds a lot more soak and agitation time. Cycle still has a spray rinse. If you need the water to fill for a rinse then I just run the Normal eco cycle again and switch "Heavy Soil" to off without detergent (or put in something like Lysol laundry sanitizer that is used for the rinse portion of the cycle). It's a bit manual in that you are running the cycle twice and a lot more time with different option to achieve the same thing the older washers could do, but it works for me and probably about the same amount of time that an extended wash on a front load would be??? This is my preferred option for whites or heavily soiled clothes.