Well the WP Duet is up and runnin

[petek]

How long was that it sat in the garage.. a few weeks anyways since I posted about getting it.  

 

Anyways. I grabbed and appliance dolly at the Rent-all place yesterday and set my mind to get the damn thing into the laundry room.. thank god I rented that thing.  

 

Took some fanangling, first moving the dryer, then the GE re placed into a corner and the dryer put back in  place.  Naturally the hoses on the GE were welded into place and I'm cursing trying to find the vise grips to loosen them but I did .  

 

Get the Duet in place (where the GE was) and of course the hot water hose was 1/4 inch too short to reach the hot tap.  The cold line was ok.  

 

So I figure before I do any more fussing I better check this thing works.. turn it on. .set to normal, cold/cold, throw in some clothes.. push start and in comes the water and some action.. then pausing, more water, a few times,, after about 5 minutes,, stop.. error code HF... wtf says I..     Look online.. water pressure stuff.  Then I see the manual was in the drawer below so I'm quickly scanning and figure this things needs hot water regardless of being set cold/cold.. As I'm standing there with smoke starting to come out my ears I noticed the faucet on the laundry tub is threaded. voila.. hot water line on there.. restart the machine and away she went.. no fuss, except that I hadn't levelled it properly for the spin cycle was rough but fixed that later.  

 

I've done 3 loads now and can't believe this thing cleans, but it does.. I can't see any water in it while it's washing. And it's so quiet compared to the trusty old FF.. Plus the drying only took half the time.. Have to say I'm impressed so far.. knocking on wood it doesn't break down..  And no I'm not getting rid of the GE. . I'm keeping it for that day this thing does break.  

 

Oh and while I'm doing all this I'm wearing a halter monitor (for heart) checkup for the last 48 hrs.. I'm itching to find out if there were any blips while I was struggling and cursing to get the dam thing in the house.. lol. 

 

[petek]

forgot the pic  

 

[appnut]

If cold water is too cold, ATC kicks in and adds some warm. 

 

[yogitunes]

that's great its working for you.....

yeah, many of these newer machines have sensors to detect not only water hooked up and turned on, but also to the correct faucet.....

testing these in the shop can prove difficult, as the techs only hook up to one side of the valve, or a "Y" is used for both....and the machine will still kick an error, as no HOT was detected...

there are many people who have a cold water only hookup for their machine, as that's all they wash with, and will purchase one of these, then to discover an error....

keep us posted to the machine.....and your health!

 

[laundromat]

Remove the top,look at the pressure switch to see if there are screws that may be turned. If so,you can turn it to readjust its water level. I've had a few and they had that ability. The water would be up as far as the window base. That would make bedclothes come out better.

 

[mark_wpduet]

That thing

has got to be 12 years old. It looks exactly like mine and that's the age mine is this month. It was bought April 2005. It wasn't long after I bought mine that WP changed the design, and I'm not 100% sure, but they stopped making them in Germany shortly after that as well. So that machine is either as old as mine or OLDER. So glad it works & yes, they do CLEAN & rinse very well.

 

[petek]

I was thinking the neighbors bought it after they moved in next door but I found out it was before they moved in so it is older than I was thinking. More than 8 years anyways.. and she's one of those people who washes a load of towels a day pretty much.. each towel and face cloth only gets one use.. hers, the husband and the teen daughter.. that's a lot of daily towels because I'm sure they probably use at least two each if you include one on the floor to stand on.   It won't be getting that sort of use here, maybe once or twice a week at the most. 

 

I think what impresses me most is how quiet it is.. I've never used a front loader before nor have I been around one being used so this is all quite new to me  .    I washed a few things earlier in the day again and the other half walks by and asked if I wanted him to bring me a chair so I didn't have to stand and watch it..lol 

 

[earthling177]

I remember a few years ago, there was an ad campaign with a guy and his girlfriend in a laundromat -- they were watching the front loading washer work, and the guy says "it's a cinematic blend of color and texture..." and the voice over tries to imply that movies are better than laundry.

I don't remember which year they were running the campaign, but that summer all movies sucked and I actually preferred watching laundry than paying to see their garbage.

;-)

 

[petek]

I just checked the serial # and it is made in Germany

 

 

[DADoES]

 

<blockquote>I just checked the serial # and it is made in Germany</blockquote>
Duets of that vintage were.  The S/N will also clarify the question of age.

 

[foraloysius]

Yes, these were made by Bauknecht. Congratulations on a free and working washer!

 

[henene4]

Made by Bauknecht

Don't think so. Bauknecht was owned by Whirlpool before the Duets launched, AFAIK.

 

[foraloysius]

Yes dear, I know, since 1989. But these were built in the old Bauknecht plant in Schorndorf, where the old school Bauknechts were built too. No European Whirlpool was built there.

 

[petek]

Serial # is CSS3906351  type 199,  model GHW9150PW1

 

[iheartmaytag]

I have the newer style

Mine is Maytag branded, but still a Whirlpool.  Mine was bought in 2009, and the tag still says "Made in Germany".    At that time they were either sharing manufacturing, or were switching over, as some of the same models were being made in Mexico.

 

The salesperson, said I was better off with the German built machine, as they were experiencing problems from the ones coming from south of the border.   Mine are going on eight years, and I have been happy with the performance--well except the repair bill on the dryer recently. 

 

My understanding, from what was on the Whirlpool website at the time.  These machines were a Bauknecht design, and the reason Whirlpool purchased Bauknecht was for the front load washer. 

 

 

 

[DADoES]

 

2004 model year, produced 39th week of 2005.

 

I think the Duet Sport models were always produced in Mexico, and maybe the Kenmore HE2?

 

[petek]

Thanks for the date

So it's had at least a good 10 year run . 

 

[pierreandreply4]

petek

same as the model i have in my home if you went to use more water the cycle for more water is heavy duty the whitest white cycle is for bleachables

 

[mark_wpduet]

If I remember

Mine was produced in Fall of 2004. And it did have the board replaced during the 2nd year I believe. But since then, it's been perfect. The matching Duet dryer has never had a problem, which I find amazing since my dryer vents through the roof. Once in a while, my duet washer squeaks when tumbling back and forth (a very slight squeak in one direction, not the other), but then it will stop. It's done this for years. The dryer squeaks too until it warms up, then it stops.

 

[appnut]

My Duet was built in 2011 and is the first Direct Drive that's produced in Michigan. 

 

[mattl]

My first Duet is a step up model from Mark's, has a few more options.  It's a GHW 9250mt2  Serial # CSr 1801546 -- any idea on Manf. date on this one?

 

Been a very solid machine, got is used almost 7 years ago.  No issues.  Have a couple of newer versions both have/had bearing issues. Got the almost matching dryer( it's white the washer is bisque..) and it needed a fair amount of work, new gas valve was a pain to put in.

 

 

Edit: hit google looks like mine was built in 2005, 18th week...  It's 12 year birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks!

 

[mark_wpduet]

Matt

You still have that duet, but I saw you mention you've had a couple of newer versions that had bearing issues. Could you elaborate on that? Thanks

 

[countryguy]

Hey Pete, you never showed me the Duet or that Panasonic upright! LOL I might have taken that one home.

 

[petek]

It just dawned on me that this thing has no readily accessible lint trap and you have to remove the bottom plate to get at it.. That's a concern as my GE filter flo pan always had a goodly amount of wet dog hair after each load.  Why the hell wouldn't they have put an access door down there.   

 

[earthling177]

Pete,

As far as I can tell, there is a class of people who thinks that either cleaning lint is inconvenient, or that it is sometimes gross.

I used to have a housemate back in early 90's that not only would pick up the FilterFlo's pan with the tip of his fingers, he would shake and bang the thing against the trash can until the ball of lint would fall off. It was worse with the dryer's lint filter, because the screen would tend to grab and hold the lint.

We used to poke fun at him, that the lint was washed, rinsed and dried or, worse, that the lint was clearly just as clean (or dirty) as his clothes. He would just make a noise like he was grossed out and not touch it.

One way or another, I have the impression that people write so much to consumer's magazines complaining about anything that doesn't have self-cleaning filters that the magazines downgrade stuff with manual clean filters.

I believe that is one of the reasons we've been witnessing the disappearance of lint filters in washers.   ;-)

Cheers,
   -- Paulo.

 

[mattl]

Mark, My daily driver Duet is a couple of years younger than the original I got.  I replaced the bearings in it when I first got it and it has been fine for years.  I'm noticing a bit of noise now, I think it may be has a leak around the seal and the bearings are starting to go.  It's been a fine machine too, has a heater that I do use occasionally.

 

I also have a more TOL unit ( it has night mode, and a rinse selection button)  that needs a bit of work, much of it my own fault.  I replaced the bearings but I did not set them back far enough in the housing.  Did not notice it and when I rehung the tub assembly the shaft is too short to attach the flywheel and nut.  It was set tightly and I got frustrated and banged the shaft with a hammer to try and loosen it -- bad move.  I messed up the threads on the shaft.  It will take some time with a file to get them bach to usable so it's been sitting for a number of months.  I have been looking forward to trying it out, someday....

 

[DADoES]

 
<blockquote>PeteK:  It just dawned on me that this thing has no readily accessible lint trap and you have to remove the bottom plate to get at it.. That's a concern as my GE filter flo pan always had a goodly amount of wet dog hair after each load.  Why the hell wouldn't they have put an access door down there.</blockquote> Whirlpool's policy due to consumer liability concerns.

Current models no longer have a separate lower panel.  The entire front panel must come off for access to the pump trap ... including control panel and detaching the door boot.

I replaced the pump a few years ago on a friend's HE3 (which is now nearing/at 14 years old).  She fosters rescue dogs, runs TONS of critter laundry.  Only repair it has had to my knowledge.  I was surprised to find NO hair in the pump trap on her machine.  A couple coins and candy wrappers.

 

[henene4]

Complete front has to come of

As long as the machine isn't on a pedestal, could it be possible to tilt the machine backwards to a 45° angle and then try to loosen the entire pump housing assembly?

Wonder if that would be quicker or just as much of a hazzle...

 

[petek]

Well that's a crazy policy.  I guess time will tell if it eventually clogs up , hopefully not. 

 

[iheartmaytag]

It seems like

The "trap" is for larger items, buttons, coins, hamsters, than lint.

 

I check mine at least once a year, and have never found anything beyond a stray hair in almost eighty years.

 

I think Whirlpool hides it behind the panel more to generate a service call if needed, than liability.  Even though it is fairly easy to check. Just remove the panel (4) screws, the pump can be lifted over the cross member so when you open the port the water left in the sump will drain into a bucket. 

 

I then just wash out the inside, inspect for leakage and button it all back up.

It takes a bit longer than opening a trap door, but not too bad.  I would not like the newer models where the entire front has to be removed.