Will The TR Series Ever Go Away? Please?

Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

Help Support AutomaticWasher.org:

Thanks for your reply John (combo52).

Manufacturers are going to circuit boards and three phase motors because they are variable speed without a transmission and cheaper to produce. Probably the biggest reason is the cost. Is that not correct? Yes, they may save a little electricity, but over 75%?

You claimed that the TR motor used 1/4 the energy of the motor in a TC, is that not correct? Are you saying the motor in the TC is less than 25% efficient, or the motor in the TR is well over 100% efficient? Or is one of us just simply not understanding physics? BTW, I don't believe that being an experienced repair tech automatically makes one a physicist, mechanical and electrical engineer, or that he isn't biased enough to only give part of the truth even if he does know the facts.

As someone who does like to repair and keep quality equipment, I will keep my machines running as long as I can, thank you. I guess we'll just have to disagree that junk that "lasts a much shorter time" and is made out of wonderful lightweight plastic and other inferior products, is going to save me energy in the long run. I assume that's what using "a fraction of the materials in energy to build" means. From experience, buying cheap lightweight products over and over again is at the least not going to save me money. We could have cheap energy if it wasn't for all the nonsense. There are other issues concerning obtaining and using natural resources, and having to replace major appliances much more often, other than energy itself, even assuming a large amount is recyclable. BTW, as much as you promote today's cheap products, I bet you're glad you have the Speed Queen you claimed to have bought 118 years ago, though I assume you meant 18 years ago.

I guess I'm somewhat paranoid about giving too much information over the internet that is visible to everyone. I think people should be judged rather on the veracity of what they say than who they are. As I said, being a repair tech for example doesn't make you an expert on energy, climate, manufacturing, or whatever you may think you are. I'm not a respecter of persons. It's your knowledge and honesty that gives you credibility, not your age, or whatever. Your experience also adds to it, but not when you think you can somehow use it to speak authoritatively outside your field of expertise, or spout nonsense as fact. It does say on my posts where I live since that supposedly has some bearing on my credibility somehow.
 
To Address The Rudness

I think Reply 29 is a perfect microcosm of what WindRivers is getting at.

 

 

<blockquote>
"I stopped even bothering responding to your nonsense."

 

"It gave me my laugh of the day. "

"I don’t have time to answer nonsense questions all the time"


 

"...if you make an intelligent question. "

"I also don’t take people very seriously"


 

"...their age where they live you just don’t have any credibility."

 

 

</blockquote>
 



When John makes such statements they are interpreted as being disparaging, demeaning, insulting and hurtful toward others. Such remarks coming from an experienced technician only makes the comments sound like they are coming out of arrogance.


 

Further withholding credibility based on age or location comes across as a form of discrimination. I in particular can see that being triggering to young members whom from an early age know more about washers than most adults, but are not taken seriously by those around them simply because they are seen as kids, young, on the spectrum, ect, ect.  And that would be ignoring the fact this community is comprised of many members who face discrimination on a daily basis ie not everyone can grasp LGBTQIA++, minority struggles, Neuro diversity, appliance passion, ect ect.


 

 

 

This forum has to be a safe place for everyone regardless of who they are, they're life experience, or their background. Putting individuals down is not ok. Nobody here deserves to be spoken down to.


 

 

The goal should be to discuss appliance and associated physics not people as a person or their character.

 

 
 
Reply 29, Induction Motor

<blockquote>
"Why do you think manufactures would go to all the trouble of doing a three phase motor with a circuit board and everything if an induction motor is 90% efficient answer that please. "


 

</blockquote>
 

 

Uh. Speed Queen's 3 phase motors are induction motors.

 

There is no 3 phase motor vs an induction motor. Both are classified as induction due to their squirrel cage rotor.

 

One just happens to be single phase capacitor start, the other 3 phase variable frequency driven.

 

If you're going to state facts, get your terminology right.   

 

 
 
Kenmore Elite

 

@foraloysius: These are very special washers in that they have every feature one could ever ask for.

 

 

Speed, reliability, durability, clothing care, cleaning, performance, usability, ease of service, ect. 

 

 

20+ year life expectancy, king size capacity, auto soak and auto prewash cycles, a real cool down, auto temperature control in both the wash and rinse, 3 automatic dispensers, timed bleach, a real permanent press cool down, extra rinse, immaculate thorough wash action, real handwash and fine delicate speeds, real heavy duty cycle, auto second rinse, arthritis friendly knobs, dual action agitator, one of the best suspension systems, multi padding quiet pack, 30 minute cycles, one of the fastest fills, thorough rinsing, best cleaning ever, great extraction... I'm leaving a lot out.

 

No other washer comes close in many regards, all the positives in every make, model and brand rolled into one Kenmore Elite.

 

 

 
 
 
<blockquote>20+ year life expectancy, king size capacity, auto soak and auto prewash cycles, a real cool down, auto temperature control in both the wash and rinse, 3 automatic dispensers, timed bleach, a real permanent press cool down, extra rinse, immaculate thorough wash action, real handwash and fine delicate speeds, real heavy duty cycle, auto second rinse, arthritis friendly knobs, dual action agitator, one of the best suspension systems, multi padding quiet pack, 30 minute cycles, one of the fastest fills, thorough rinsing, best cleaning ever, great extraction... I'm leaving a lot out.

No other washer comes close in many regards, all the positives in every make, model and brand rolled into one Kenmore Elite.</blockquote> And the majority of consumers who own(ed) one ended up running the Normal/Ultra Clean cycle (maybe with extra rinse) on maximum speed and non-ATC cold temperature at half-ish the usable capacity?  ;-)
 
Sometime- but got the cleanest clothes in the world, in 30 minutes, at low sound levels, for 20 years with few lemons. Just can't beat it.

 

Most around here use warm wash, so cold was rarely in the equation.

 

I'm just glad I was able to see this piece of history when it was on the Sears sales floor in the mid 2000s when I could moderately appreciate what I was experiencing. Today that appreciation has only grown.   
 
 
<blockquote>I don't see the tr series removing tough ground-in dirt from jeans like the tc can with its powerful motor.</blockquote> The TR motor is rated at 1 HP per the stated product specifications. The TC motor is rated half HP.

Perhaps you should try washing jeans with ground-in dirt in a TR model on the appropriate Heavy Duty cycle to determine whether your prediction is correct.
 
Jerome, I know exactly what you're talking about. History is proof of that. Very few agi tub washers have been made through out time, and those that were, did not remain on the market very long. In fact there are videos of appliance techs openly stating agi tub washers are poor performers. Even John (Combo 52) has stated Speed Queen will sell fewer toploads due to the agi tub design. Lorain Furniture and Appliances also said it, only to have Speed Queen go after his Youtube channel. The defensive nature of Speed Queen, Speed Queen deleting negative reviews, followed by the release of the TC, followed by increased cycle times on the newest TR- shows that even Speed Queen themselves know the TR series is mediocre on working clothes. 

 

Everyone knows. 

 

 

Not to say those with lightly soiled clothes are getting great results, but for more hands on folks that doesn't seem to be the case.
 
I think we should put the subject of the TR machines to rest, we all know that they don’t wash all the great, consume more water than their predecessors, and are more expensive as well. I have nothing against people wanting to create threads and conversations along with going over things that may have been overlooked a few years ago, I just seem to notice that when we keep on bringing up and talking about the same thing over and over and yes I’ll admit I’ve done it a few times as well over the years but that being said, it just seems to create arguments with one another and it just seems to keep on going forever. I think if we start focusing more on the present and future, time will march forward but if we keep on dwelling on the same thing over and over, tomorrow and change simply won’t happen.
 
Maybe the lawyers have something to do with the TR...

Could it be possible that SQ does not discontinue the TR because it would be admitting they made a mistake? And admitting a mistake could make them vulnerable to lawsuits? If they admit it, SQ could be liable for replacing thousands of TR machines if there is a class action lawsuit (and there probably is one already). I wonder how many TC models they sell in proportion to TR models, if there are too many, SQ should never admit it.

If there were some way to separate the agitator and the tub during washing and keep the tub stationary they could probably use the new motor system and still have good washing results. If I ran SQ I might quietly do that and also have a kit to convert the ones machines out there to the new system.
 
 
<blockquote>If there were some way to separate the agitator and the tub during washing and keep the tub stationary they could probably use the new motor system and still have good washing results.</blockquote> That would involve more complexity for a mode-shifter or similar mechanics and circuitry to control it.  (No engineer in his right mind would ever again do something simple and clever like F&P's floating basket, LOL).
 
Reply #42 Neptunebob

Not wanting to admit a mistake could be plausible. Maybe not just lawyers, but engineers, sales promoters, and such who would have a hard time admitting they squandered so much in development. No telling how much money, time, and other resources were involved. Maybe some are afraid of having to look for a new job.

The only problem I have with the theory; if lawyers think there's a possibility that they would end up having to replace the machines of dissatisfied customers, then it seems they would at least tell then to stop promoting the machines over the TC, and thus keep expanding the number of machines they could eventually have to refund or replace, digging themselves into a deeper hole. It seems as if they would expand the TC line to have a TC3, TC5, and TC7, like the TR series, some of like is already available overseas, and quietly have their dealers promote them over the TR instead of the other way around. I don't know if there's other legal or regulatory issues that would keep them from doing that.

I don't think there would be any liability issue at all if dealers just stated the facts and tell them that, if a quiet dependable machine is what you're looking for, and you like the job the top load impeller model you're replacing does, then you'll love the TR.
 
The video above... the farmer expressing his total dissatisfaction with his SQ washer.... Did SQ really tell him that? That this washer was designed for people who work in an office that don't get really dirty? If that's what they told him WOW!!

I mean, even if my clothes didn't get really dirty... I wouldn't want a washer that could at the very best could clean slightly dirty clothes..

I haven't really kept up with this SAGA over the years. So I have no clue. I just remember when these were first introduced on the forum 99% of the people on here seemed to be in utter shock at how horrible it washed and I was with them...it looked like it could only clean if it were like a 1/2 load... and anything thick like jeans or coats or something like that... they would remain at the top the ENTIRE time.
 
Speed Queen Laundry Lawsuit

I have a feeling that Speed Queen Laundry is headed for a lawsuit just like Maytag did. They're gonna be forced to making the classic machines and drop the perfect wash series. Look at the thousands of complaints.
 
Reply #57

John, I agree with you re the auto fill and I think this can apply to most washers that have an auto-fill function. I believe that when left to our own devices we tend to over-estimate how much water we need to effectively clean a load of laundry. It's why I only use the highest water level on my direct drive Whirlpool with a completely full load. Anything below that, I tend to go down a water level or two unless I'm doing one large item like a blanket. When I had a Whirlpool VMW machine, I always used the auto-fill function and it performed very well. I think the other trick is to avoid the normal cycle with large loads on most modern day machines. In my experience that only works on small to medium loads of lightly soiled laundry. The heavy duty cycle with auto fill enabled will provide very effective results in most cases and on most machines. Many washers have a soil button where you can decrease the agitation time if you don't like the amount the default heavy cycle gives.
 
Reply 33 / Kenmore Elite

I don’t have anything to contribute in regards to the speed queen, other than I prefer the TC5 for obvious reasons. But I just wanted to say the Kenmore elite you describe is exactly the one I have. I agree with you 110% and getting this machine actually made me sell my speed queen TC5/DC5 set.
 
Kenmore Elite vs Speed Queen TC

Honestly, if I was to choose between a new in box 2002 Kenmore Elite and my current Speed Queen I might actually trade it for the Kenmore. Only thing I would do it is remove the neutral drain pack and install a commercial duty clutch. 

 

 

Out of all the washers ever produced the Kenmore and Kenmore Elite lineup ranks #1 in many categories even outdoing the Speed Queen Classic series IMO.

 

About the only category the Speed Queen Classic series ranks above the Kenmore is vibration is balancing. And durability.

 

The rest is up for debate, even longevity is a maybe, in that DDs lasting 20+ years without repair is a commonality.
 
university product

I have a feeling that the tr line came from a university project, seeing how most people don't care about laundry, including the average college student. Not even the general public. They don't care what this washer does, so I would see why the tr series came out.
Does Speed Queen think we're stupid?
 
As the saying goes: "its not what they think, its that the don't think"

 

Speed Queen deeply misunderstands their customer base . Whirlpool and GE may have successfully tricked most customers into buying mediocre products because the average consumer knows little about laundry where as the average Speed Queen customer is self educated specifically seeking a non BS laundry machine. All they had was trust, hence why people went along with the TR, now that its gone Speed Queen has to basically win people back.
 
university students engineering

I have a feeling that GE and Whirlpool have university students who don't care about laundry so they have the same attitude "we don't want to think about it". In other words, they just stuff everything into a single giant unsorted load when they see the tub is giant. Speed Queen must be headed down that same miserable path. Let's be real. I have a feeling that LG and Samsung and others feel the same way.
 
Giant tubs killed off the DC, Maytag, Filter Flo, Unimatic, and everything else the was ever good.

 

The most painful thing I've come to discover is that I'm in a minority, a very, very small tiny insignificant minority. I'm one of the few that meticulously reverse engineers everything before I even consider buying it. I have to know everything about it, and it must meet very specific requirements I have in mind.

 

Believe me, I've hung around on appliance sales floors seeing people become happy over a Frigidaire or GE that would be taking the place of their "dated" filter flo or belt drive me to only feel enraged then becoming visually distraught. Both at what the buyer is about surrender, how they've been taught to misperceive reality, and how they're being absolutely taken advantage of while saying "thank you". And at what the sales floor has become. On my part it shows, and both myself and others come to the conclusion I am an outlier. If everyone was like myself, home appliances would become the most over engineered, redundant, durable and long lasting machines built by humans next to the generation, transmission, distribution and utilization system itself.  Home appliances would truly be the symbol of "buy it for life, buy it for enternity"

 

 

Longevity would take precedence over tub size, and laundry would be sorted with joy. Multiple loads seen as a good thing, cycles and temps existing to compliment every load individually.

 

Of course this is just me, you and a few others. It is still hard for me to come to terms with. Worse, Whirlpool and GE has come to terms with it- it was very easy to strip away what made older machines beautiful, resilient, mathematically elegant- enlarging the tub capacity- then jacking up the price much more than the machine is actually worth without any public resistance. 

 

   
 
all in 1 loads

What's even more sad is that most don't even read the instructions. As a sidenote, I have a feeling that the GE ultra fresh is just a marketing ploy for consumers to avoid cleaning their washer. Then the next thing you know, they will continue to sue. Back to the subject... Most don't care. Do you ever notice the tub packed so full that nothing moves? They pile everything into the machine just because it's huge.
What else did I miss?
 
Back
Top