Speed Queen Experts Needed

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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.
 
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...
 
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.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-3-8-cu-ft-DOE-Top-Load-Washer-in-White-GTW330ASKWW/206824713
 
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.
 
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.
 
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?
 
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.
 
 
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.
 
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.
 
Update: Drove to Sioux Falls this morning for the delivery of the Series 9 SQ pair I purchased for my sister (followed by a doctor's appointment). Two young delivery/install guys did a great job and were fun to talk to. Once again, I have to give props to privately-owned appliance stores. Sioux Falls, SD, is the largest city in the state and Mahlander's Lighting & Appliance is the only SQ dealer. First time I purchased appliances in a different city over the phone. Delivery was scheduled for 9:00 a.m. and they arrived precisely on time.

With a bit of convincing, my sister allowed the lid switch hack with a wooden clothespin. The delivery guys had never seen it done before. When they were finished, she washed a load of towels and was immediately glad I talked her into the hack. She was worried it might void the warranty.

The Dryer: Was alerting her to the propensity for items to catch some lint from the filter when I opened the door and saw a little lift-off plastic grate/grid over the lint filter to prevent just such an annoyance from occurring. A nice touch that solves one of my gripes with the dryer. Will contact my local dealer to get one.
 
mtn1584- Yes; that's the thing I was referencing. I want to get one, as one of my frustrations with the SQ dryer is that when you open the door, things like cuffs of dress shirts, socks, corners of kitchen towels, etc., tend to drop into or catch lint off the filter. The little removable lint filter guard would eliminate that problem.

John-- They discontinued it? I was thinking the opposite; that they had added it to the newer dryers. I would imagine the part can still be ordered, though, right? I really want to get one.

While I've grown to like the SQ toploader, I'm not impressed with the dryer. It seems to over- or under-dry everything. If there is a 'sweet spot' in setting the controls, I've not found it yet. I get more accurate results using the timed dry setting. The Frigidaire--and especially the Maytag--dryers that preceded it had much better moisture sensing systems.
 
this was an issue with GE/Hotpoint dryers as well with the front lint screen.....always reminding yourself to clean it before pulling clothes out of the dryer....

if someone has a model number for a machine that used it, or at least a part number, chances are you should still be able to find one....
 
Martin-- Trained myself to press 'pause' to stop tumbling before opening the door, but even then parts of clothing come in contact with lint in the filter as soon as the door is opened.  Found a lint filter guard on Amazon and ordered it moments ago. Problem solved.

 

Sloppy Sensing:  I washed a large load of mixed colors and put seven dress shirts from the load into the dryer.  Used Perm Press cycle and set dryness selector at Less Dry (selections are Damp Dry, Less Dry, Near Dry, and Dry).  Shirts were bone dry and the cool down hadn't even begun when I checked the load.  Threw in the remainder of the mixed colors using the same cycle and setting.  Machine stopped when clothes were still quite damp.

 

It's hard to believe the thing even has an electronic sensor.  It's no more consistent than a thermostat-based auto-dry system.
 
Frigilux, would you provide a link to the lint filter guard on Amazon?

Also, if I understand the situation correctly, Speed Queen dryers only have timed setting, ie they do NOT have moisture sensors that perform auto dry.

The SQ gas dryer I ordered, ADG3SRGS113TW01, apparently has this limitation.

Thanks
 
Frig,

I dry my dress shirts on the PP cycle with low heat. Not sure if that helps you or not. I am a PERM PRESS cycle freak! LOL
Mixed loads I dry on low heat, more dry reg cycle.
Towels, More Dry, High Heat, Regualr Cycle
Sheets More Dry, LOW Heat Regular Cycle
I’m not sure if you can adjust your heat temp on the dryer selections.
That may help.
Let me know if you need the item number.
Mike
 
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