Speed Queen Experts Needed

[frigilux]

Thanks for your good wishes, guys; I really appreciate them. So much has happened in the past couple of weeks! It's always exciting to get new appliances. I'll be able settle in and relax a bit once the whole process of moving (discarding; packing; transporting; unpacking; figuring out what goes where in the new place). Fortunately, I'll be able to take nearly a week off work (except for a couple of gigs) during the move.

Rolls rapide: Great video! Thanks for sharing it.

Lord Kenmore: OK, it was 80% dish-stashing problem; 20% rather not do dishes by hand, LOL. I actually did think about alternative places to stash dirties 'ti they could be washed, but they all had deal-breaking drawbacks. A friend of mine has an odd habit: She puts dishes in the dishwasher throughout the day, then sometimes pulls them out and washes them by hand rather than using the machine. Upon asking the obvious question, she replied, "It takes just a few minutes to wash them by hand and put everything away. I don't have to wait 3 hours."

Barry: We are the same age and the urge to downsize/simplify has become very strong for me, as well. Another factor involves the house. It's still in great, sellable condition. Had I waited 5-7 years, it would have been worth less and been closer to needing a new driveway, windows, siding and major work on a retaining wall. The new buyer is a very wealthy local investor; he has the money to take care of such things. Health issues have made it increasingly difficult to keep up the house, yard and garden. The house is multi-level and you can't go anywhere inside it without dealing with stairs. A person reaches the age where that gets tedious, too.
[this post was last edited: 7/19/2017-04:57]

 

[mark_wpduet]

Eugene!!!

That must have all cost a fortune.....but I'm so glad you are NOT going without a dishwasher....They are almost essential after you've lived with one.
I remember back in summer 2014 when I got my Maytag. My WP had died. I was without a dishwasher for like a week and a half. I'm so spoiled with a dishwasher I was miserable without one.

That range reminds me a lot of my Whirlpool range that was new in 2004, aside from the double oven and extra burner.

I love the SQ's too.....I love that they are very durable and they do spin drains.

 

[frigilux]

ONE LAST QUESTION FOR THOSE IN-THE-KNOW: I plan to use a soak period to boost cleaning on loads of very heavily stained kitchen whites. The machine has a soak cycle, but it spins that water out before proceeding to the selected full cycle. I'd rather not use the extra 20+ gallons of water. Had planned to select the Whites cycle, let it agitate for 2 minutes, press Pause to allow a 30-45 minute soak, then add chlorine bleach and allow the machine to complete the cycle.

However, the use and care guide states in no uncertain terms that manual soaking (pressing the pause button or opening the lid) should not be done. It advises to only use the Soak cycle.

Anyone know why manual soaking is verboten? Does the machine automatically spin drain and cancel the cycle after certain amount of idle/Pause time?

 

[pierreandreply4]

frigilux

frigilux did you check also the speedqueen model awn432 with manual timer knob?

 

[combo52]

Manuel Soaking In A Top Load Washer

Hi Eugene, My guess is they do not want water sitting in the machine for long unregulated periods of time. Soaking for long periods of time in any washer ever made [ automatic or wringer type etc ] is going to hasten corrosion of metal parts, deterioration of water seals etc.

 

I think that SQ is worried about customers soaking over nite, soaking with bleach in the water or even with just water while away at work etc.

 

I have seen many washers damaged or destroyed over my career by customers that often soaked overnight etc.

 

If you lift the lid to allow a soak period it will never start and drain the water out, so you can soak if you want to.

 

John L.

 

[frigilux]

John-- Thanks for the information. The biggest adjustment in using a SQ top-loader involves the amount of water--particularly hot water--the machine will use compared to a front-loader. I think employing a manual soak period will go far to remove stains in loads of kitchen whites without using an additional tub of water. I'm looking at a soak period of under an hour; certainly never overnight.

Pierre-- I prefer electronic to mechanical controls, so the only two machines I considered the electronic models.

 

[bcp6158]

Soaking...

Hi Eugene. I, too, like to soak whites a bit and then resume washing with some added bleach. This is what I do (I have the same model as you):

Select and begin cycle.
After a few minutes of agitation press 'pause', then 'cancel'.
After soaking for 30 minutes (or whatever time you like), press 'power' (as the panel will have timed out).
The previous cycle will now show in the panel. Press 'start'.
Since the tub is already full of water, the fill will be skipped and agitation will begin.

Good luck!

Brad

 

[frigilux]

Thanks, Brad. That is what I was hoping I could do, but was under the impression that the washer would do a spin drain upon pressing Cancel.

 

[mrb627]

Additionally...

A pre-soak can be added to any cycle, including spin only. Or rinse and spin. So the flexibility is there.

Malcolm

 

[frigilux]

Malcolm-- I'll do a manual soak simply to save 20+ gallons of water. The SQ cleans well, so a soak will only be needed on one load--the heavily stained kitchen whites.

Come to think of it, I don't recall the manual saying anything about how to load detergent for a Pre-Wash / Soak when it automatically goes into the selected full cycle. Diluted liquid detergent in the fabric softener dispenser? Double the amount of detergent in the soak and hope there's enough residual left for the main wash? Or maybe it doesn't automatically advance to the wash cycle, in which case one would add detergent when selecting the main cycle.

I'll have to read the manual a little more thoroughly to see if I missed something.

The Culligan man arrived this morning to install the tank that gets changed once a month. The washer, dishwasher and I are grateful for that! Every place I've lived since birth has had softened water.

 

[joe_in_philly]

Congratulations on moving to a new place and get new appliances. It sounds like everything is working out for you, and your new place has a nice arrangement.

I am curious about the Culligan tank that gets changed monthly.I have never heard of such a thing. Does it contain salt, a replaceable resin, or something else? All the water softeners I have used had a resin tank and a salt tank that was used for regeneration. We would fill the salt tank ourselves.

 

[johnb300m]

When I was looking at new softener solutions a few years ago, there WAS a service from Culligan whereas, instead of renting their whole resin tank and brine tank system, you could have them come out every few weeks or a month, to fully swap out a pre-charged resin tank. They take your depleted one away, and replace it.
So salt for the user to buy or maintain.

 

[yogitunes]

that makes sense, well the exchange part, I have seen softener systems in homes, usually 2 tanks, and wondered, where was the brine tank?...

curious, what are pros and cons to each?.....

most brine tank setups recharge basically once a week, by timer, I have one that recharges by water usage as needed.....you have to fill the brine tank about 2 times a year.....nothing to adjust, move, or reset....

outside of having to buy the salt and lug it home into the basement....4 bags @4.00 a bag...16.00....not sure what home delivery service would charge...

the PH tank can be taken out and refilled, or refilled right in place....50lb bag is 60.00.....again, I have to purchase, bring it home, and refill/flush myself......the home service will charge an additional 125.00 to do it...

 

[llmaytag]

New GE Washers

Hey everyone, I'm about to purchase a new GE top-load washer to use at a weekend home. At my primary home I have Speed Queens, but I'm not prepared to spend that much for a weekend home and this GE is the closest to an old-school top-load with a full-fill for wash and optional full-fill rinse, (if you're using fabric softener!). Anyway, curious if anyone has experience with this model, and if so, any ideas on how to defeat the lid-switch? I think it's a locking lid so I suspect it may not be as simple as a clothespin in the back.

Oh, and the matching dryer is 7.2 cubic foot, but to save about $100 I may pair it with an Amana (Whirlpool) 6.5 cubic foot.

GE 3.8 cu. ft. White Top Load Washing Machine with Stainless Steel Tub GTW330ASKWW - The Home Depot

Modernize your laundry room with this GE White Top Load Washing Machine. Provides up-to-date technology and exceptional quality.

www.homedepot.com

 

[joe_in_philly]

Thanks for the responses. It sounds interesting, although I imagine it is much more expensive v. one that regenerates itself. Perhaps a system where the resin is replaced each month also negates the need for a drain by the water softener.

 

[frigilux]

The monthly swap-out service is $25 per month here. No room for a standard softener set-up. The tall, skinny tank barely fits between the water heater and the washer of my downstairs neighbor. All softener hookups are in the common area downstairs. Only two of us (out of eight) opt for soft water.

At any rate, it's money well spent as far as I'm concerned. I really detest hard water.

 

[frigilux]

Update: I'm moved into the apartment. Speed Queens will be installed either today or early next week. Range is backordered and won't be here for two weeks, which means I'm cooking with a microwave for awhile. Dishwasher is on hold, as I'm still waffling about how to best utilize kitchen space---although we all know I'll probably opt for the dishwasher. Who needs a kitchen table, right?

 

[lordkenmore]

Keep in mind that there is also the option of countertop dishwasher... It would cost counter space, but a couple of feet of counter space might be preferable if it meant having a table. A countertop dishwasher would probably "be enough" for the single person most of the time.

 

As I think I said before, I'd put a dishwasher over a table...but that's simply because I hate washing dishes so much. LOL I'm also not a huge kitchen table fan.

 

[DADoES]

 
I have one of those countertop units.  Capacity is not good, limited by the rack design.  Fun for playing but not suitable as a primary dishwasher except maybe for someone 100% hating handwashing ... and surely not for anyone who expects to machine-wash all their cook-/bakeware along with dishware.

 

[frigilux]

Another Speed Queen in the family: My sister's MOL direct-drive Whirlpool finally bit the dust yesterday, so I purchased a series 9 top-loader pair and surprised her with it this morning at work. She was stunned for a moment, then started to cry (joy, not sadness, LOL). She's always helping others out and I decided this would be a good time to pay-it-forward. Got the pair for $1699 in Sioux Falls, SD (where she lives).

This has been a long time coming. The Whirlpool hung in there longer than I expected. Had talked to her six months ago about whether she'd go with front-loader or top-loader when the time came. She wanted a traditional, non-HE top-loader. As we all know, that can only mean one thing: SQ.