Water usage for Speed Queen FL?

[kenc]

Anyone know how much water the Speed Queen front loader uses for each cycle, wash and rinse? I have found a matrix for the top loader, but nothing for the front loader. The manual breaks down the cycle times in minute by minute detail, but not water usage.

Just curious.

 

[windrivers]

The specs appear to be the same as in this brochure for the commercial washers, https://p.widencdn.net/98uec9/DL_AC19-0166_Brochure_SmallChassis_en-US :

13.68 gallons or 51.8 liters, per cycle. So I guess about half that for wash for rinse.

That's "average usage", so I don't know how much it may vary depending on settings and load.

 

[launderess]

For most H-axis washers lower level would be for "cotton/linen" or "Normal" (whatever that may be) wash cycle for natural fabrics that do not require gentle or otherwise special care.

So figure wash cycle in such instances would use about half of water used in rinses. This makes sense and for H-axis washers it's about forcing concentrated detergent/water mix through fabric. Too much water and things float about which imped cleaning action.

Rinsing OTOH is all about dilution so you want higher water levels.

My older Miele for 11lbs of "cottons/linens" wash uses about five gallons of water, and ten for each rinse cycle thereabouts. SQ washers hold 18lbs IIRC, so about 13-14 gallons for rinse, but half that for washing seems about right.

H-axis washers can get by with lower water levels for both washing and rinsing if a recirculation pump system is used. [this post was last edited: 6/14/2022-20:29]

 

[kenc]

Thank you both.

Hmm, interesting. Strange how they make it hard to find, but yet the same data for the Top loader is available online.

I think the FL has at minimum two rinse cycles - it can be extended to five. It's hard to believe that 13.68 gallons is used over one wash and two rinse?

 

[combo52]

SQ FL Water Usage

Is between 12 and almost 20 gallons if you use all 5 rinses.

 

SQ FL machines are rated at 22 pounds, they wash almost 50% more than their TL machines.

 

Modern FL machines generally use only around 1/3 of the total water that conventual TL machines use and less than 1/4 the hot water and about 1/3 rd of the electricity, all while washing a bigger load and spinning it much drier.

 

John L.

 

[kenc]

John,

Yes, we see the difference. We went from a SQ TL to a SQ FL and the difference in water consumption is obvious. We would also occasionally get small holes put in some of my wife's delicate clothing, not very often, but it happened. No doubt due to the "vigorous" agitation. I suspect the FL will be kinder.

The SQ TL was a great washer for us though. I would take it over any other TL I have seen or used.

 

[henene4]

8lbs load

Wasn't the US testing protocol for usage based on such a ridiculously small load for such huge machines?

The average water usage I quote for FLs to get good ebough wash and rinse performance (if programming is up to par) is about 10l per kg of cotton laundry.
That's round about 1.3gal for each pound of laundry.

If it actually is a 8lbs load 53l seems a bit above minimum, but ok.

At the upper end I usually target double that for more rinses with higher water levels (bedding, towels, comforters etc.)

Also, as I said before a number of times, at least with cottons, more rinses with low water levels give better rinse results compared to same amount of water in fewer rinses.

And the main wash should be pretty low to get the advantage of high concentration washing (see Whirlpool Catalyst).
As long as there is enough dilution afterwards, that is usually a very good way to go.

 

[combo52]

8 Pound Loads

Very few consumers wash more than 8 Pounds in an average load, so it is not a bad test standard.

 

John L.

 

[appnut]

And mmost here who know me (BobLoads), realize I usually wash loads that are more than 8 lbs. So I'm one of those few consumers.

 

[logixx]

I found numbers quoted on Australian retailer's pages. It said 33 gallons - presumably on the Normal cycle with a full 22 lbs. load of cottons.

 

[henene4]

EU comparison

The one manufacturer having a washer that matches that load size weight wise (Bosch/Siemens at 10kg which is close enough to 22lbs) and giving water usages for cotton cycles quotes between 92 and 97l depending on selected temperature.

That's 24 1/3gal up to about 25,5gal.

The drum is significantly smaller though (2.4cuft vs 3.8cuft) and the EU machine has both a recirculation pump and a way longer cycle time to achive that difference.
And 15l per kg (or 1,5gal per lbs) isn't terribly efficient but still a lot better than a TL from SQ.

Just as reference, though!

 

[kenc]

It seems like people either love or hate Speed Queen.
Tha haters always seem to claim that the SQ FL is a water hog. It's hard for me to see it as I watch clothes flopping around in a barely sodden state vs our old SQ TL where they would be floating around in a near Olympic sized swimming pool by comparison.
These are the number for the SQ TL. Be nice if they published something similar for the FL. Maybe it's difficult because the FLs water level is load dependent?

 

[logixx]

In Europe, LG tout their 4.5 cu.ft. washer as having a 37.5 lbs. capacity. The Normal (using the default most efficient settings) uses 17 gallons for that amount of clothes. Certainly due to it's spray rinsing.

Back in the day, when reviewed.com would still publish data, they came with these values for the previous generation. They didn't say how much clothes they were washing, though. I suppose the standard 8 lbs. load.