When is the Neptune full?

[spaniel50]

I wanted to know what you guys thought was a full load in the Neptune? Growing up with a Frigidare tl and having a Maytag 806 for 34 years I was guilty of doing multiple small loads. The instructions say you can fill the drum. Is is better to do more smaller loads or fewer full loads? I do want the machine to last! I realize I won't get 34 years of service from this machine but I do love the Neptune Fl washer and want to enjoy it as long as possible.
I was told by installer to use ONLY HE detergents and run a cycle of clorox once a month. He advised that even using smaller amounts of regular soaps would cause bearing problems down the road. We have several people in our family that have enjoyed 5 or more years with their Neptunes and no trouble. I have read horror stories about the early Maytag Neptunes but the installer said he was not seeing problems in the later models.

 

[appnut]

Fill it full, but do not pack. Fill it all the way to the top of the tub, but leave about a fist's thickness. With front loaders, it's better to do full loads because it will have problems blancing for spinning. The exception to that is if you wash like I do. Each of my loads consists of similarly weighted things. I do sheets together, towels together, jeans, t-shirts & golf shirts together, kakhis, poly-cotton shirts, ... I don't mix any of these type of fabrics together. On smaller loads my Frigidaire does ok, but it's one of the more "forgiving" of any U.S. front loader out there when it comes to balancing for spinning.

 

[spaniel50]

Whn is the Neptune full?

Thanks Bob
That's kind of the way I was doing the loads. Washing the same types of items togeather. I guess I was on the right path just need to fill the Neptune a little more.

 

[little-edie]

our neptune's showing her age....

we got ours 9 years ago & recently the washer started making odd squeaking sounds. had a repairman visit & he said...many things....but the end result is that the washer is probably in the twilight of its career...(just like barbara walters). it's the main something or other, too costly to repair. he said the machine may work for quite some time though. oh well.

 

[mr_jms]

The Neptune

I have the second model of Neptune, purchased in May 1999. I have never had a problem with either the washer or dryer.

 

[keithelong]

When is the Neptune Full?

I just put new tub bearings in ours. I spoke of removing and installing the tub bearings a few months ago. The job went well except a little harder removing the front bearing. We always have used Liquid HE detergent Tide so its not always a detergent issue.. Anyway my wife put a big load of towels 1/4 and bed sheets 3/4 and it did go off balance. I shut it down got my wet vacuum and sucked the water out and redistribted the load and it hasn't skipped a beat, that was a week ago. You people with noisy bearings maybe your repairman wil do the bearing job for you and then it's worth the repair. I charged my customers 200 bucks.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

The Keys To Neptune Happiness...

(by the way, I have a MAH4000 set and love them)

1) Loading. I tell my customers as a rule of thumb to load it loosely to the top of the tub but if you have to take your hand and pack or push it in to close the door, it's overloaded.
2) Soap. HE all the way. I've found that powder tends to be better than liquid as liquids tend to have animal fats and perfumes in them which can be a cause of mold/mildew/smells. The exception being the liquid "free" soaps for people who are allergic. NEVER use Fresh Start, the bottle with the blue granuals. Talk about crusting up the inside of the sump hose and pump...
3) Water Temperature. My advice has always been to use the hottest water safe for the load. I see customers who ONLY coldwash/coldrinse get the smell/mildew due to body oils, soils and other'yummies' that tend to coagulate in cold water and not flush away.
4) Bleach. Use it. Occasional uses of chlorine bleach can help sanitize the unit. I realize that people on septic systems can't use alot of bleach, but there must be alternatives for such cases.
5)The Brushes. People who own MAH3's, 4's and most 55/65/75's know them or should. These are the little grey (trust me, they ARE grey) brushes that run along the bottom of the tub in the gap between the tub and tub cover. They are designed to keep coins from getting into the outer tub and jamming the pump but they can gather the most horrific sludge, fur, lint, etc. and can be a major source of mildew and smell! Take a brush such as a test tube brush (Maytag sells one P/N 22002696) and clean them.
6)Misc. Oxiclean works wonderfully with Neptune, almost like it was designed with the washer in mind. Whirlpool has come out with a cleaner for the HE washers called Affresh (p/n w10135699) that I use in mine and it actually works pretty good. It smells lemony fresh and actually seems to dissolve the sludge/residue. It may even be a alternative for people on septics instead of bleachings...

RCD

 

[keithelong]

What I found in our Neptune Tub.

I agree with you RCD my Neptune had alot of fatty globs in the tub and around the brush area. This was the second time I cleaned it, the first when I did the boot enhancement kit in April 2000 it was bad then and all we use is Liquid Tide HE. We are happy with how the clothes hold up and are cleaned. I bought some Affresh but haven't tried it. I remember the refresh powder that came with the Boot enhancement kit. Bottom line is that if you have a wet dark environment you are bound to have mold issues to some degree in any washer if you don't use bleach.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

The Brushes...

The later model Mah55/65/75's came with a tub front cover that had a molded lip instead of the cover with the brushes. It still kept coins from the pump but eliminated the brushes that trapped all the crap. I managed to get one by a happy circumstance and retro'd it to my MAH4000. No more crappy brushes!

The powder that came with the Maytag kit was just powdered Sunlight dishwasher detergent. In fact, Maytag continued to sell the 'boot refreshment kit' which was a little packet of Sunlight Dish Detergent and a paper telling you how to use it for about $10-$15... I find the Affresh to be less 'busy' to use.

RCD