Whirlpool 240 volt Combo announced

[tomturbomatic]

The New York Times has a product rating service called Wirecutter. In the major appliances ratings, there is a quite negative discussion of washer-dryer combinations. In the discussion there is this:

"Whirlpool showed us the vented, 240-volt SmartCare All-in-One combo way back in January 2017, telling us it would be available for $1,500 in “late 2017.” But it’s still not out yet."

Has anyone heard about this? This isn't the overnight drying thing is it?

If you tab down there are 27 interesting comments.[this post was last edited: 3/9/2019-19:00]

The Best Washer-Dryer Combo (But We Don’t Recommend It)

Washer-dryer combos have their quirks, but if you’re short on space and want to avoid the laundromat, these all-in-one machines can be better than nothing.

thewirecutter.com

 

[appnut]

The only 240V model is the "baby" one they announced last August/September.  That's apparently what was previewed back in 2017.  There are two or three other new all-in-ones as part of their new products.  All 4.5 or 5.0 cu. ft. drums.  Not on their site, but have found them at appliances connections and abt.  WFC9820 and WFC982.  They're both 120 v.  There's also a 5.0 cu. ft. WFW9620 that does apparently offer a fairly decent all-in-one option, the quick start guide says the drum must ber filled no more than 1/2 for effective use of the washing and drying option and the drying option is available on select cycles.  This WFW9620 also has a matching dryer, but it isn't a heat pump dryer.  None of these are vented.  All condenser.  I think there's been a rumor before of a full-size 240v as well as gas.  

[this post was last edited: 3/9/2019-19:14]

 

[gansky1]

A 240v combo would be a good solution for some, there is a newly renovated apartment building that has an LG combo in every unit, I've wondered how the tenants like them.  I'll bet there are more than a few drying racks in the building now. 

 

An LG combo locally - I suppose "technically" it is repairable.  

 

 

https://omaha.craigslist.org/app/d/omaha-free-all-in-one-washer-and/6828318361.html

 

[tolivac]

Would this machine work from 208V since most apt houses are wired with 208/120V 3 Ph.?

 

[appnut]

Rex, my house is 208v-based.  I have had no problems with my Maytag electric dryer nor with my nearly 2 year-old KitchenAid double-oven induction range as well as my Trane Heat Pump or Whirlpool Energy Smart 50 gallon water heater.  

 

[tolivac]

Bob,Yes some appliances wioll work OK on 208V just wondered if the machine discussed here would.Guess you live in an apartment?Used to live in apartment years ago.Now I live in a house with the usual 120/240V.Would figure your oven may take a little longer to cook in than with 240V.I have a Lennox AC/Heat pump--its old but still hanging in there.Same with my RUUD water heater.Just have a conventional range.GE.

 

[appnut]

Rex, surprisingly, I live in a house.  It was completed July, 1984.  I bought the house 18 months later due to the original owner's transfer to East Texas.  Because of all the paperwork they left me, I knew who was the electrical contractor who wired my house and I've used them all these years.  They have one of the best reputations in the area. The house is all-electric so there's coverage for heat/ac; water heater; dryer; range.  The existing panel looks like it has two additional spaces for 30 amp circuits.   I'm thinking about getting a whole-house surge protector eventually.  And after I retire there may be need for at least one more 208v circuit so it will be interesting to see what the contractor suggests.  

 

[supersuds]

This article suggests there can be a problem with the longevity of electric motors even when they’re marked 208/230 volts, if the voltage dips much below 208.

http://www.brithinee.com/technical-articles/240-vs-208-volts-do-motors-care/

 

[combo52]

240 Volt Vs 208 Voltage For Home Appliances

In the US all appliances designed for 240 volts will also work on 208 volts without any real durability problems.

 

Appliances with resistance heaters will put out 25% less heat however, so an electric water heater will take 25% longer to heat water, an oven will take 25% longer to pre-heat and will not broil nearly as well and a dryer will take 25% longer to dry the same load, good news is on 208 volts you will NEVER burn out a heating element in a dryer or electric range.

 

A/Cs and heat-pumps will put out a little cooling and heating on 208 volts but you only loose 3-5% so its not really noticeable.

 

Hi Bob, It is very unusual for single family houses in the US to have 3 phase 208 volt power, are you sure your home has 208 volt power ? Large apartment buildings with elevators and cooling towers etc often have 3 phase 208 power.

 

John L.

 

[tolivac]

One apartment house I lived in while I was in the Wash DC area was fed from the utility with 3ph 480V power.A transmformer in the building stepped the 480V to 208/120V for the apartments.The HVAC and elevators ran from the 480V power.The transmitter building I work in now is fed with 4160V 3 ph and has two transformers on a changeover switch to take 4160V to 208/120V 500 Kva.Another transformer bank steps 4160 to 230V 3 ph for three CEMCO transmitters 230V 3p blower,pump,and low level circuits.The HV supplies in these transmitters run from 4160V 3ph.

 

[Chetlaham]

A home doesn't need 3 phase power to have 208, there are some power companies like Con Edison which will set a large 3 phase transformer on the pole or operate an extensive 120/208 volt underground secondary network supplying homes with two hots and a neutral with 3 phase customers supplied with 3 hots and a neutral. Like this you feed two birds with one stone in a densely populated area. Only difference is that homes require a 5 jaw meter, all else is the same.

 

[DADoES]

 
My parents' home built in 1972 has access to 3-phase power, reason possibly being the city had a sewer lift-station at the far corner of the property.  The original York A/C was three phase, then the replacement Lennox.  The next Lennox a few years ago is not so they no longer have anything operating on 3-phase.

 

[tolivac]

I have heard of 3ph power run to farms--not usually to individual homes.You can order the 3ph power for your home if you have to have it-say for your shop that may have tools that run off 3ph power.There was a person that used to work with me here at work that has a lathe and milling machine that require 3ph power.He lucked upon a Rotovertor at a pawn shop for 5 bucks-bought it and he and his tools are happy.If you do get the 3ph power from the utility you will pay extra for it.And even more so if your 3ph cannot be taken from an existing nearby 3ph installation and a 3ph transformer has to be installed for your installation.

 

[chestermikeuk]

Washer Dryers...

Wile you guys across the water do laundry in very different ways to us, many of our smaller homes have washer dryers and work well. Having access to separates I use at home a 9kg washer dryer branded Servis by Vestel, I have trailed two new models for the manufacture.

If the completed wash programme utilises the fastest spin speed (as its more economical to spin water out before electric drying) then you can have good results, I regularly wash and dry 14 white t-shirts, spinning @ 1400rpm in a large diameter drum, spin time is over 9 mins , I can then shake out the clothes loading back in the drum and select 30 mins cotton dry, its a condenser dryer the shirts are just slightly damp, I take then out and hang over a chair back for final airing, usually overnight, perfect, no need to iron !!

Even these washer dryers have intolerable wash and dry programmes, particularly synthetics, usually a lower spin of 600 - 800 rom so the clothes are the wettest before the drying programme can then take hours and hours, so customer feedback of long drying times was valid and totally due to software programming !!

The use of single spin dryers proves that you can spin fabrics at high spin speeds efficiently without damage, its down to loading and time. This is the issue on many large drum laundry appliances, the ability to even out the clothing coating the drum before fast spinning !!

 

[tomturbomatic]

Mike, do many of the combo units on your side of the pond use a powerful or not so powerful air circulator to speed the drying? Philco made vented and non-vented combos here. The non-vented were of two varieties and the TOL model was the Hi-Speed Non-Vent combo which used a very powerful air circulator to pull air through a condensation chamber in its route past the heating element, through the tumbling load and back again. It was faster than the ones that did not circulate air, but just sprayed cold water against a somewhat cooler surface to condense water out of the humid atmosphere so I just wondered if the technology was used over there since even the Miele combos had long drying times.

 

[chestermikeuk]

Air Condensers

Morning Tom, the very early washer dryers used up to 3 powerful heating elements, no air blower and water to condense, I remember the AEG, Miele & Zanussi models they literally baked the clothes dry albeit very quickly , these did condense the steam to water pumped away but used a lot of water to cool the exchanger.

Mid 80`s here saw Hotpoint, Hoover and Servis produce washer dryers with fan driven chambers to force air through heater unit on top , blown through the tumbling clothes and then hit a heat exchanger plate on the back of the tub, water is sprayed onto this plate and steam turns to water and pumped away..

Hoover and Colston had these air heater units but where vented from an outlet on the back, attach a hose and vent through a wall, these where very quick, as you know its the condensing of the steam through the heat exchanger condenser unit that takes the time !!

This is the Hoover vented model...

 

[chestermikeuk]

Condenser washer dryers

Here is the newer washer dryers by Hotpoint Indesit that use a powerful blower and condenser unit, all packed into that space. Some of these use what is called "Thermal Spinning" so at the end of a very fast spin @ 1600rom, the fan heater unit comes on to warm the spinning clothes so removing any further moisture. Then during the first 20 mins of dryer it start to spin the clothes which are now arm so extracting further residual moisture.
Its a great feature to have on large cotton towelling loads as it does aid drying and reduces costs by heating...

 

[chestermikeuk]

washer dryers

Heres a newer Hoover Candy washer dryer unit, note the solid heater elements...

 

[foraloysius]

Thermal spinning

I have been trying to find out who invented it, but so far wasn't able to find out. I know some Bosch washer/dryers from the 80's had it. Any knowledge here of earlier machines with it?