New Washer Installed: Speed Queen AWN542

[frigilux]

The Speed Queen dealer called me at work and said "I can install it at 4:00 if you're around." I assured him I would make that happen.

He raised the water level to the top of the tub; I--quite masterfully, it should be noted--defeated the lid switch by means of a wooden clothespin, and the 542 filled the gaping hole left by the departure of the Frigidaire Immersion Care.

My joy has been only slightly dampened by the following:

1) The dreaded greasy polishing compound (see photo of white towel below)

2) The drain hose had a device on the end of it which effectively made the standpipe airtight (to prevent backups, I presume). Unfortunately, that made the sudsy wash water fly out of the 2nd standpipe (behind the front-loader) like a freakin' geyser. Decided I should pull the SQ's drain hose out and remove said device. You know what happened, right? The hose pulled out of the device, leaving it wedged tightly down the standpipe. There is a cupboard right above the standpipe, so I can't peer in to see how far down it's wedged in. Tried fishing it out with a long screwdriver, but to no avail. Will probably have to call the plumber and have him remove the standpipe, pull out the damn thing, and reinstall the pipe.

Otherwise, all works as advertised. So nice to have a traditional, spin-drain washer. Dealer said he was told at sales meeting SQ would probably stop producing this version of the machine in late 2014, in favor of a more HE-friendly model. We all know what that means, eh?

 

[frigilux]

Sudsy first wash in truly hot water. Yay!

 

[frigilux]

This is what the polishing compound looks like on a white towel. Were I not tipsy with giddy over getting a new machine, I'd be pretty pissed off. I'll give the tub a scrub down with Goo-Gone or something and hopefully that will take care of the matter.

Fortunately, I've been saving up laundry, so I can try different sized loads and cycles, etc. You know where to find me for the rest of the evening, LOL.

Thanks to all who campaigned/filibustered nonstop for SQ; you're responsible for another sale! Two weeks ago I had no idea I was about to get a new washer.

 

[frigilux]

The black thing at the end of the drain hose (shown here) is currently stuck down the standpipe wreaking havoc.

 

[yogitunes]

WE love new toys!

THAT clothespin can be a brain teaser to figure out....lol...

someones a happy camper.....grinning from ear to ear.....and we are more than happy for you.....enjoy and congrats!

possible to bend a coat hanger into a hook and slide that down the pipe and fish this piece out?...even spray some WD40 or softner down the pipe to help it slide....

we should have a party at Eugenes laundry room.....

 

[logixx]

Nice!

Looking forward to a load of stained kitchen towels. Would also like to know how much more water the FL spins out over the Speed Queen.

Alex

 

[mayfan69]

Congrats....

Congrats on your purchase.

My neighbours have asked for my opinion on an SQ Vs the cheapest Miele FL. I can get them the SQ at a discount for them which will bring the pricing within AU$200.00 of the Miele.

We're going to weight up the pro's and con's of both machines tonight.

Cheers
Leon

 

[kb0nes]

Eugene, congratulations on the new toy! Look forward to hearing more about it as you learn the ins and outs.

I'm especially thankful you posted the photo of the towel after wiping the tub. We have heard a lot of this problem but never seen any visual example of the magnitude of it. I have to wonder if this is indicative of what others saw in their machines. The degree of the problem in your machine is far less then what I was envisioning. Short of passivating every wash basket, I'm not sure that can't be considered to be "normal", I have a feeling Alliance just feels that is acceptable. How easily was the residue removed with detergent?

Finally the drain tube boot. Any chance you can make a tool with a hook on the end and pull it out? You have clearance issues with the cabinet but I bet it could be retrieved somehow if you can get through it and hook it to give it a good pull.

 

[frigilux]

Martin-- Your clothespin method couldn't have been easier. It took about 1 second to clip it to the lever. I'll give the bent wire hanger a try for that other issue. The worst that can happen is I'll push it even further down the standpipe. Was going to have to call the plumber, anyway.

Alex--Will definitely do a load of uber-stained kitchen whites this weekend. I have my doubts, with only 15 minutes of agitation...but I guess we'll find out. SQ doesn't spin as fast as the Frigidaire Immersion Care, and heavy items like towels feel more wet than when spun in the 10-minute-long IC final spin. And heavy items from the IC were noticeably more damp than when spun in the front-loader.

Leon-- My utilities (electricity, water, and natural gas-heated water) are all ridiculously inexpensive, so using the SQ won't hit me in the wallet too hard. If I lived in an area with higher rates, I'd definitely opt for the front-loader. Once the novelty of the SQ wears off, I'll be doing most loads in the front-loader once again.

Observations:

1. Tub is indexing counterclockwise slightly with each clockwise stroke of the agitator. I've read here that this will eventually cease. No matter, I've always loved indexing tubs.

2. Found the "sweet spot" in the first spin which provides an extended spin-spray. Nearly 2 minutes long!

3. Capacity is greater than I expected, due to the increased water level. I'm washing a load of 4 large, heavy bath towels, 7 large hand towels, and a half-dozen large wash cloths. Tub was very full, but now that agitation has begun, I can see a few more hand towels and wash cloths would be easily accommodated.

4. Great to see "classic" clothes rollover. The 2006 Frigidaire top-loader (with wildly indexing tub) had an odd rollover, and the Immersion Care had blooms-from-the-center reverse turnover.

5. Spin-drain is fun to watch. Loads have been very well balanced. Machine is relatively quiet during spin.

6. Very few drain holes in bottom of tub, and they're tiny. This means detergent poured in before loading clothes doesn't run down into sump of outer tub. Nice!

7. Laundry room has that new washer smell![this post was last edited: 10/9/2013-21:47]

 

[gansky1]

I love "new washer smell"!!  Congrats on your new baby

 

[frigilux]

Best of all, perhaps: Dealer said he can hook me up with a Bosch dishwasher!! He sells LG, Whirlpool, and GE. I love my LG, but the new, redesigned models have not scored well at Consumer Reports. Not interested in GE or Whirlpool. Ditto Maytag and Frigidaire sold by the other local. I'm saving dimes and pennies as we speak. I've wanted a super-quiet high-end Bosch for ages.

 

[washman]

Mine indexes on heavy loads

on small loads, indexes very little. I hope your dealer was misinformed on SQ stopping these in 2014. One can only pray they come up with something that actually works and isn't built to a price point for a BIG BOX.

 

[frigilux]

Phil-- The greasy marks were on a couple of towels; I just showed one. I don't care what Alliance thinks, I think a customer shouldn't have to deal with it. If this was Whirlpool or LG or Frigidaire, we'd all be screaming bloody murder about it. We tend to cut SQ a lot of slack due to its being the last of the traditional washers. That and the build quality.

I rewashed the towel load after spraying Goo-Gone on tub and rubbing with bar mops, all of which were filthy with the stuff. Will see if marks were removed by a second run-through when they emerge from the dryer.

There are so many things to love about the SQ, it's a shame something like this is allowed to mar the initial experience.[this post was last edited: 10/9/2013-21:49]

 

[washer111]

I Hate to Nit-Pick...

...But did you run an empty wash of Hot water and Detergent before your first load Eugene? I know its a silly question and all, but it pays to ask, considering a number of people miss that detail on their new washers. 

When our Miele arrived late September last year, the User Guide instructed the machine be run on the "Cottons 60º" with no modifiers or detergent before the first load of laundry was run. Suffice to say, the wash water was filthy, but cleared up after the wash and rinses. I'm not sure what SQ recommends, but they must recommend at least a Hot wash or a good cleaning before use?

 

Other than that, it looks like you are in for a real treat with the Speed Queen. I'm looking forward to your performance testing to see how the machine copes with dirty kitchen whites, stained towels and the like

Have fun with your machine, and don't break it until we've seen what it can do, alright? 

 

 

[mickeyd]

Just thinking about how fun it would be, " If I could turn back time "** and become your nephew who was just crazy about my Uncle Eugene who buys brand new top of the line washers every few years. What bliss! Now THAT would have been a childhood.

** Cher

 

[kb0nes]

We tend to cut SQ a lot of slack

I don't think I'd feel any differently if it were a Whirlpool or other maker having this quality issue (LG maybe...). While I do like SQ I'm not an apologist for the company in any way. Personally I have no interest in ever buying a new Top Load washer again anyhow.

I have always said that it is a horrible black eye for a American company that makes claims for their high quality. And I have to admit I am very surprised that it is still continuing to be an issue. This is why I postulated that perhaps Alliance considers it acceptable, I do think that is a mistake if true. I agree that it would bother me a bit to get a washer with a dirty basket, but I'd clean it and move on. The talk I saw of people returning washers over such a simple problem made me cringe.

Perhaps I look at it a bit differently working in the metals industry where we deal with oils and grime like this every day. I have some detergent at work called Whammex that would make that tub look like new in seconds, perhaps I should send a jug to Ripon!

 

[mattl]

Nice machine!

 

Odds are you could solve the drain issue for $5 if you have a hacksaw.  Just cut it off down a bit, glue on a coupler and a short piece of PVC.  A lot cheaper than a plumber.

 

[frigilux]

Washer111-- I ran a full cycle using hot water and a lot of detergent before washing any clothes in it.

mickeyd-- My nephews only wanted me to throw this thing called a "football" at them, LOL. Just couldn't seem to get them excited about/interested in washing machines. In this matter I was an abject failure as an uncle.

Matt-- I think the drain problem (water backing up out of standpipe) is more serious than that. While the PVC pipes leading to the house's plumbing in the floor are 2", it's only 1-1/2" once it hits the floor. The SQ pumps out water much faster than any washer I've owned. I'm guessing that's why they put the little device on the end of the drain hose to make the standpipe airtight: to prevent water backing up out of it if a house's plumbing can't handle the volume/speed of pump-out. Have never seen one on the drain hose of any other washer. I would have not noticed the issue if the 2nd standpipe wasn't there.

Considered removing one of the standpipes, and just switching out drain hoses depending on which machine is being used, but the SQ's drain hose would be stuck in there due to that "sealing device". I couldn't just pull it out and put it back again (which is why the little device is currently lodged in a standpipe). As is, water is backing up out of the other standpipe during spin-drain. Tried stuffing a bar mop into the opening of the other standpipe which helps, but that isn't a good permanent solution. If the rag should be pushed out of the end of the pipe, gallons of water would flood the laundry room floor.

Suppose I should have plumber snake-out the plumbing to make sure there isn't a partial obstruction...but I don't think that's the problem. The device on the end of the SQ's drain hose leads me to believe they know the machine pumps water out too quickly for 1-1/2" plumbing to handle.

All of this, of course, is not the machine's fault. If I had only one washer and one standpipe, I'd probably be blissfully unaware of the issue.

 

[DADoES]

 
<blockquote>The SQ pumps out water much faster than any washer I've owned. I'm guessing that's why they put the little device on the end of the drain hose to make the standpipe airtight: to prevent water backing up out of it if a house's plumbing can't handle the volume/speed of pump-out. Have never seen one on the drain hose of any other washer. I would have not noticed the issue if the 2nd standpipe wasn't there.</blockquote> The NorgeTag I have has the same stopper on its drain hose ... and it also has an alarmingly-high pump-out rate.

 

[combo52]

New SQ Top Loading Washer

Congratulations on your new washer Eugene, I suspect that you will like it and keep it a long time even if it is the 2nd most used washer at your house.

 

The rubber thing on the end of the drain hose is designed to help hold the hose in the standpipe, it does not make either an airtight or watertight seal in anyway, if it did it would violate plumbing codes and cause siphoning problems.

 

You can remove it from your standpipe with a strong bent piece of wire and some lube as Martin suggested. When ever we install one of these washers we usally cut the white plastic end off drain outlet to reduce splashing if it goes directly into a sink, we often also disgaurd the rubber piece if it is not needed for a particlaur installiation.

 

The dreaded stuff on the new washers SS tub. To me as a dealer that has sold more than 150 of these washers this is the biggest NON-ISSUE ever, we have yet to have a complaint or see a problem caused by this. Yes if you go looking by rubbing white towels on the inside of a new washer you might find something. { I installed a new Frigidaire FL machine last week and noticed when I ran my hand on the inside id the cylinder that it came out oily, BIG DEAL, it is not going to stain a load of laundry.

I always suggest to a customer that they wash a load of jeans or cleaning clothes in a new washer anyway, running a machine empty is not only a waste of water and detergent, but it does not clean out the machine nearly as actually washing clothing.

 

On this washer [ like most older design machines with main motor driven water pumps ] you do not have to worry about the detergent running into the outer tub and not getting into the washer during wash. On this machine even if all the detergent ended up in the hose leading to the water pump as soon as the motor starts for agitation the detergent will be BLASTED back into the wash water, just like an old MT, WP DD or BD, Norge, GE or HP FF, etc.

 

These SQ TL washers are going to be changed to make them more energy efficient around the end of 2014 or there abouts, buy one NOW if you want one. I like my brothers and many others do not want one of these current machines, they are too crude and wasteful to use unless you can a least figure out a way to reuse the wash water a few times.

It is really too bad that WP has tied up several good ideas with patents that could be used to really improve these SQ TL washers. If they could build a Resource-Saver style machine out of a SQ TLer I might buy one for my personal home laundry.

 

[washman]

Combo52

I am confused about your statement in part ".....I like my brothers and many others do not want one of these current machines, they are too crude and wasteful to use unless you can a least figure out a way to reuse the wash water a few times."

If you are referring to the current SQ top loader, what exactly is crude and wasteful?

 

[frigilux]

John-- Thanks for the clarification about the device on the end of the drain hose. I thought the geyser coming from the other standpipe was caused by the SQ's standpipe being air or water-tight.

I sprayed the tub with Goo-Gone, let it sit for a few minutes, then scrubbed it out with bar mops. That seems to have taken care of the polishing compound issue.

Now I have to figure out what, if anything, can be done about the water backing up out of the standpipe. I suppose I should hope it's a partial blockage that can be snaked out by the plumber. If not, the only solution I've been able to come up with is to get a laundry tub for the washer to drain into. The laundry tub would then have to be hard-plumbed into the system. Seems like a lot of fuss over a top-loader that will not be the daily driver.

Have to say I do like the SQ. It has all the familiarities of top-loaders produced before my hairline began to recede. It definitely uses a lot of water, particularly hot water. I washed three loads of whites last night (one of them being a rewash of the first load) and my water heater was in continuous fire-up mode trying to keep up. It doesn't extract as much water from a load, which means more time in the dryer.

The rational side of me realizes that a load can be washed in hot water in the front-loader using half the water the SQ does, with equally good results. And it spins faster to reduce drying time for loads of towels, kitchen & personal whites, and bed linens. I can add the (faux) steam option to provide an extended hot 1st rinse and a warm final rinse using a fraction of the hot water needed by the SQ for a hot wash/cold rinse (albeit with double the cycle time).

I'm used to the Frigidaire taking 38-50 minutes for a normal load, 60 minutes with steam option, 72 minutes with allergy option (wash temp boost to 131 degrees) and 1 hour 36 minutes for a profile wash using the Sanitize cycle (gradual wash temp boost to 150 degrees). The longer cycle times don't bother me. A cycle time of 40 minutes (10 minutes longer than SQ) is made up by time saved in the dryer. A very large load that would have to be split into 2 loads for the SQ would probably come out in favor of the front-loader, as well, considering there would have to be two wash and two dry cycles with the top-loader. In all other scenarios, the SQ definitely wins in the time-saving department.

I'm going to run a few side-by-side comparison loads with the front-loader. The front-loader will probably take the checkered flag on a number of points, but I don't want to assume too much.

Were I to have only one washer--and if it had to be a top-loader-- SQ would be the machine of choice.

Now, if I can just keep it from flooding my laundry room, LOL![this post was last edited: 10/10/2013-12:27]

 

[jeffg]

I think I'm in the minority view on the issue of TL vs. FL. IMO the bottom line is that a lot of water is required to wash and rinse clothes properly, and without exception, every time we've run into friends or family with foul smelling towels or sheets etc, they've had FLs not TLs.

We were once researching dust mites and came across a comparison of surface scans between clothing washed in TLs vs. FLs, and especially on (but not limited to) thicker fabrics like cotton pants or wool blankets etc, it's not even close. TLs get clothes orders of magnitude cleaner than FLs. Most of this is due to the extended/fully submersed wash and deep rinse -- through an agitator. You can't duplicate this action with tumbling no matter how many minutes you wait.

Another bottom line imo is that SQ's slower spin speeds are much preferable to faster ones, for a number of valid reasons.. vibration and noise, wear and tear on fabrics etc. I can honestly say we use the slower spin speed as much or more than the faster 710rpm, and if we had a machine with a faster spin speed I doubt we'd use it much or at all. The difference in drying time isn't enough to justify the end result of clothing that looks like collapsed rags.

 

[washman]

Not quite JeffG

I'm there too. Which is why I bought a SQ TL machine.

Since its MY money for both the machine and MY water bill, I, not the DOE, determines how much water gets used.

I live alone and time is important, I don't have hours to waste doing a task that should be relatively quick to complete. Now ironing is another issue altogether!

 

[jeffg]

"Now ironing is another issue altogether!"

I've found many more fans of slower washer spin speeds among ironers.

 

[mrb627]

Standpipe Issue

Go to Home Depot and buy a sewer line cleanout product in the plumbing department. You pour this product into the standpipe and let it set for 12 hours or so, then flush with hot water for several minutes. Any lint buildup or whatnot will be eaten and moved on its way.

Malcolm

 

[yogitunes]

somewhere along the drain line is a small jagged edge, which probably caught a small thread, and started building up from there....thats all it takes....it can happen with any pipe, I find it more with a plastic pipe, from not properly filing the ends before glueing....

problem is locating exactly where this clog is at....if you have the knowledge, you could save a lot of money doing it yourself.....wether you or a plumber...consider maybe adding a cleanout for future snake use!

I had one major hairball clog once, about a foot long...once you get past the God Almighty swearing....you soon have cleanouts all over the pipe line...

good luck and keep us posted

 

[frigilux]

JeffG-- I use a very slow spin speed (I think it's around 400 rpm) for dress shirts, etc., that I don't want to iron. On the other hand, I use 1300 rpm for towels, sheets, kitchen whites, etc. Makes for a brief stay in the dryer. I think tumbling in the heat of a dryer is harder on fabrics than a brief, super-fast spin. I used to iron every dress shirt when I was younger....now I only iron a shirt the first time I wash it to get rid of those stubborn manufacturing wrinkles. If you're careful about spin speeds, not overcrowding the dryer ---and in my case, adding steam to the dry cycle--shirts emerge ready-to-wear without ironing.

Having said that, no shirt looks as crisp as when it's been sprayed with a bit of starched and carefully ironed. But after a couple of hours on the job, it's hard to tell the difference between a shirt that's been starched and ironed, and one that has simply had careful handling in the laundering process. So I quit starching and ironing, LOL!

I've never understood the issue with stinky towels, etc., and front-loaders. I've washed in a front-loader since 1988 and have never, ever had a problem---even with the new ultra-low water use Frigidaire.
Nor have I ever had a mold/mildew issue inside a front-loader. I use liquid chlorine bleach in several loads a week. That may make a difference. I also get clothes out of the washer and into the dryer (or onto the clothesline) soon after a cycle ends. I know some people who put a load in before they leave for work and take it out when they get home from work. That's another nice thing about electronic controls on front-loaders. You can set the machine to run a cycle at 5:00 p.m. and the load finishes up just about the time you get home.

Malcolm & Martin-- I'll give the sewer line clean-out a try. But my gut tells me the problem is due to the 1-1/2" plumbing. On the other hand, I haven't had the sewer line snaked out since 2002 (shortly after moving in), so there may be some blockages. [this post was last edited: 10/10/2013-14:09]

 

[retropia]

Congrats on the new machine! I've also noticed the longer drying times it takes for laundry washed in a top-loader. If a top-loader were to be my only washing machine, I think I would setup a clothesline in the backyard for sunshine-assisted drying.

 

[washer111]

SpeedQueen TL vs FL

At least until they move to the electronic control on these machines - I will consider the TL models to be far superior to the FL machines. These machines, (like the 100% Bells and Whistles FL machines), you can select Fabric, Wash Time, Temperature and so forth.
On the newer models, this is not so. You can choose "Regular," "Delicates/Bulky" and one other cycle, whose name evades me. No, not everyone uses all the cycles on any modern machine, but its still nice to have them!

As for the grease-compound issue, I'm glad you managed to get rid of it quickly Eugene, now if you can just fix the draining issues :-D