Speed Queen AWN412 vs AWN542

[denverdog]

Need advice on pre-wash

I see the 412 has combined soak and pre-wash. It fills, agitates, soaks and empties.

However, I see the 432 and 542 both have separated the soak from the pre-wash, with pre-wash showing up on the regular cycle.

My question is, on the 432 and 542 does the prewash empty before it washes, or does it fill, agitate, soak, and then move on to wash without emptying?

Can anyone explain the differences in prewash between the bottom of the line and the upper two models?

Current washers - 1990 Maytag Neptunes I love, 2014 LG waveforce i am kicking to the curb when I get my Speed Queen.

Thank you. I love this site.

 

[washman]

Denver dog

On the AWN 542 the prewash fills, agitates (based on the fabric selector) then drains, then spins and stops. It does not go into the main wash cycle.

Hope this link helps.

www.clarkwholesale.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/AWN542-Timer-Features.pdf

This site is fun, however it can get quite "hot" as many on here are very passionate about what they believe.

 

[henene4]

Hope you include...

... yourself and you love to SQs into your last statement

 

[washman]

henene4 of course

Life without passion is like cake without icing.



Since SQ does precious little advertising or marketing, figured I might as well carry the flag.

 

[jeffg]

I'm very glad SQ is primarily a commercial producer, and doesn't advertise much to residential customers. I think it's the main reason the company has been spared the horrors of coming up with endless marketing gimmicks for their products, in fact imo it's why we still have top loading washers available from SQ at all.

Now if we can only talk them out of this ridiculous Energy Star nonsense. Their latest bright idea is a partial drain between wash and rinse cycles. So much for any possibility of decent rinsing from their machines.

I still believe this will be self-correcting, either as lack of performance complaints mount or disease outbreaks start occurring. If you don't get to 140F, without chlorine or other bleach you don't kill the nasties. Period. End of biological story, regardless of what our government or any washer manufacturer might claim.

 

[denverdog]

I got this from the speed queen staff - a bit confusing

I don't understand the response I got from speed queen as it seems to conflict with what I see on the dial controls for the various models. Seems all models have a soak, but upper models have separated soak from prewash. Here she tells me that on the upper models the prewash spins out and then continues into the wash cycle. What do you think, is this correct?

Response from speed queen when asking about the separation of soak and prewash on models:

Thank you for your inquiry. The prewash before the regular cycle is a short part of the cycle (about 9 minutes) and it does agitate and spin. Then it goes right into the regular cycle. If you are concerned about putting more soap in the regular cycle (after it spins out from the prewash), you can put more detergent in the dispense for the fabric softener (in the agitator). This will release the detergent at the proper time after the prewash, and during the regular cycle. Probably the biggest difference in these models and the Prewash cycle, is that on the 412, it has time for Soak, but on the other 2 models, there is no Soak time.

 

[DADoES]

 
Per the images of the controls on Speed Queen's web site, seems to me that the 542 and 432 Prewash is a lead-in to the Regular cycle ... functions similarly to Whirlpool's Super Wash. Brief agitation, drain/spin, continue into Regular.

The user guides available online describe the soak cycle as a brief agitation, 12 mins of soak, drain/spin and off.  Likely is the same on all models.

Difference between 542 and 432 having a separate automatic Prewash against 412 not having it is that 542 and 432 allow a prewash without the soak time. 412 has prewash as part/parcel of the soak.

A manual prewash can be done by starting any cycle at the Rinse indicator.

 

[frigilux]

I was hoping Carly would check in and let us know which model she selected. Are you out there, Carly?

Ben: I'd forgotten all about designating you Patronus Absolutus! Sometimes it is fun to have a look back at the older threads.

 

[washman]

Poor Carly is probably overwhelmed

with all the information and opinions given on this thread.

 

[denverdog]

Thank you DADoES

You explaination is exactly how I think it works. It helps me decide what model to get.

 

[frigilux]

I'd like to see the option of a soak in the middle of the wash portion of the cycle---without using the extra 20+ gallons of water. I ran a load of stained kitchen whites through the AWN542 a couple of days ago and noticed better results when letting the wash cycle agitate for 4-5 minutes, then stopping it for 30 minutes. I restarted the machine and let it finish the cycle---great results without the added fabric wear of adding agitation time.

Would be very convenient if the washer did this automatically---and it wouldn't add energy or water use to the cycle. Win-Win!

 

[Chetlaham]

Imo, I think speed Queen could better the cycle timing for the soaks and prewash. The thing I like about mine is that after a 4 minute prewash it will automatically soak then drain the machine.

Just of note, the AWN 432 and AWN 542 have 3 minute timer increments instead of 2. If I remember right the pre wash has no soak period on the pre wash.

 

[Chetlaham]

AWN412 Motor speeds and timing

If your curious here is the tech sheet to my AWN412: