Washing machine update

[David Freed]

I picked up our new Samsung washing machine today that I mentioned in this thread and temporarily hooked it up. We are keeping the old machine to do really dirty clothes in and I don't have the new plumbing hookups installed yet.

My wife put 1 large load through it. The amount of clothes she put in would have been 3 loads in our top load washer. We watched it go through its cycles. Instead of continuously tumbling the clothes as I assumed it would, it would constantly start then stop throughout the entire process. When it tried to start the spin cycle, it tried several times to balance the load by stopping, reversing the drum rotation for a few seconds, then trying to spin again. After many tries without ever getting close to full spin speed (1300 rpm's), buzzer rang and it said it was done even though the clothes were still very wet. We restarted it on spin only cycle and this time after many tries, it got the load balanced well enough to kick into high speed.

I will update my review later after we run a few more loads through it. I would be interested to hear if this all sounds normal from anyone else that might have one of these machines.

[Mike Henderson]

This is not directly to your situation but about a year ago we bought a new top loading washer - old one was maybe 20 years old. One thing I noticed immediately was that the new one could handle the spin cycle much better - it almost never gets out of balance. I don't know what changes they made but the difference is remarkable.

Mike

[Terry Ventorini]

I have a Samsung front loader (mine doesn't have steam) my ol'lady loads it up, and it runs fine. when it washes it only sloshes left, right. I'm sure you checked but is your machine level??

[Mike Cutler]

David

The part about not continuously tumbling during the wash cycle is probably correct. Our front loader sloshes them back and forth, also.

The lack of spin at the end is a problem. Your final rinse cycle cycle should have ended up with the drain valve opening, and beginning the spin.
The washer should have cycled back and forth ensuring that the load was balanced, and that the level( water) in the drum was empty. If the load is out of balance the washer will just cycle back and forth attempting to spin.
Try a smaller load of laundry, or run the washer empty. Make sure that it's level and check that any discharge clean out ports/filters aren't obstructed.

Any, or all of the shipping blocks and stops have been removed haven't they?

[David Freed]

I have a Samsung front loader (mine doesn't have steam) my ol'lady loads it up, and it runs fine. when it washes it only sloshes left, right. I'm sure you checked but is your machine level??

It was a temporary hookup. I brought it home later in the day and we just wanted to run a load through it to try it out. It is still on the roller cart that I pulled it in the house on. I used the old washer's hookups and quickly "leveled" the cart by eye using wood blocks and shims so it probably wasn't perfectly level. I am going to build a stand to put it on for the permanent installation and use a real level.

While it was washing, it rotated so slowly that I wouldn't say it was "sloshing".

David

The part about not continuously tumbling during the wash cycle is probably correct. Our front loader sloshes them back and forth, also.

The lack of spin at the end is a problem. Your final rinse cycle cycle should have ended up with the drain valve opening, and beginning the spin.
The washer should have cycled back and forth ensuring that the load was balanced, and that the level( water) in the drum was empty. If the load is out of balance the washer will just cycle back and forth attempting to spin.
Try a smaller load of laundry, or run the washer empty. Make sure that it's level and check that any discharge clean out ports/filters aren't obstructed.

Any, or all of the shipping blocks and stops have been removed haven't they?

It don't think there are any obstructions because the water drained out quickly, but I will check the filters. The writen installation instructions did not say how many shipping bolts to remove, but the picture showed 4, and I took those out. I will try a very small load and see how it does.

[Randy Cohen]

we have a frigidaire front loader that we got about a month ago. (from sears, < $500 with rebates). it is important that it is level. the machine works great. it does the balance thing with every load but the clothes come out dryer than they ever had with our old top loader. normal cycle time is about 45 minutes. when it washes the clothes tumble one way for a while and then the other. then it rinses twice with less than top speed spinning. the final spin is very fast. vibrations are minimal.

[Mike Cutler]

David

In the event that it turns out to be the timer/timer module, I would return the washer. The lead time on timer modules can be fairly long, and in the case of one national brand, almost indefinite.
Don't let them order you a new part without a written guarantee of a delivery date as a minimum. If they can't, bring the washer back immediately.

[Mitchell Andrus]

I know the problem. You've got the door facing to the front. Everyone knows washers have their door on top.

We had a washer with instructions that INSISTED on facing the door to the front and it was the most miserable piece of junk we ever had. I even bolted it to the floor to keep it from jumping out into the middle of the room. After it ruptured it's speen, we got a new machine and installed it with the door facing UP this time and it's working fine.

Try laying the machine down so the door faces up. Gravity won't work against you that way.
.

[Myk Rian]

It's a known fact that front load machines look fancy, but are not the best choice.

[Dave Ogren]

I am not an expert but have done my homework. I can completely rebuild a top loader in 2 ++hrs and I am slow. The front loaders only have one (1) bearing and it is in the rear. Leverage ??? Prone to failure. The best way to keep a top loader running is to leave the door open when not in use, so the moisture can escape. Any of you guys can rebuild a top loader, you only need a special wrench, costs about $10.00 Keep the bearing more lubed than it was from the factory. Change belts every few years. All of the high volume users such as groomers, beauty shops etc that do 7 to 10 loads per day all use a Whirlpool top loader. There is one horizontal maching (which loads from the top) has bearings front and rear and is indestructable made in a machine shop in Ohio, called Stauber or close, costs just over $1,300.00 but why?? There is a very poor return on investment. Repair the top loader. I have no afilliation with any of these companies. I just want to keep my money in my pocket.
Good Luck,

Dave

[Jim Becker]

It's a known fact that front load machines look fancy, but are not the best choice.

I'm not sure I would agree with that after using our LG SteamWasher and LG SteamDryer for over a year. Totally better cleaning than our old (also high-end) top-loader (which is still in service in the old basement laundry for horsie stuff), quieter, faster and it holds more. But I can imagine that there are front-load units that don't perform well just as there are top-load units that don't do a good job.
-----

David, just be cause you can FIT a load in the machine that's three times the size of your old top-loader, doesn't mean it can handle that much. You need space in the machine for it to work. So don't over-stuff it...

[Paul Ryan]

It's a known fact that front load machines look fancy, but are not the best choice.

I have a very close friend that has been repairing appliances for 35 years. He has been uttering that same thing ever since front loaders again became the latest and greatest. As he says for some reason maufactureres didn't learn the 1st time, back in the 70's and early 80's, that front loaders have their issues because of the design. Now they go and try it again. Because they can make extra $$ on pedestals, and by saying they are more energy efficent. They may save a few bucks in water, but are inherantly pron to more failures. And they begin to stink due to water that can't be drained.

[David Freed]

Sorry for the slow response. As I said in my first post, I temporarily hooked it up. When I lifted it off of the shipping styrofoam I found out why it wouldn't balance. The styrofoam went up inside the machine and the outer drum was resting on it. Now that I have it permanently hooked up it works fine. So much for cutting corners. My wife really likes it.

[Scott Shepherd]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't the rest of the world been using front loaders for decades now? I rented a house in the UK for work 15 years or more ago and it had all front load stuff in it back then. I can remember going to the DIY stores and seeing nothing but them.

[Al Willits]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't the rest of the world been using front loaders for decades now? I rented a house in the UK for work 15 years or more ago and it had all front load stuff in it back then. I can remember going to the DIY stores and seeing nothing but them.

Yes, Europe seems to be full of them, but they were into using less water way before we were, front loaders will work if you don't over load them, use the right soap and keep them on a stable floor.

Loading one up with three times what a top loader can handle is a quick way to a broken washing machine

If you washer in the spin mode won't ramp up but just keeps trying and then does the slow back and forth thing, its a good bet it's trying to redistribute the load because it thinks its out of balance, a unstable floor will cause this too.

You can not run a front loader on a cart, or a rack/floor that allows flex.

As far as commercial units, Maytag and Whirlpool are the favorites for the Laundromats around here.
Maytags dual drive belt washer being number one, but they're getting harder to find.

Al