Washing Machine

[Boondox]

Do they make a battery backup big enough for a front load washer..? /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Pete

 

[blurrybill]

My wife called and said they arrived and are installed -- we had to wait several weeks for the Sears Elite. Bought the stands for them that have built-in drawers and raise the machines to a height that is functional. One can install them under a counter. We may do that later, should a wheelchair be in the picture. Anyway, will share results from the "rug" tests this weekend.

Bill

 

[BobinCols]

We purchased our Neptune washer and dryer 12-98 with good results and no problems other than the issue with the front washer door holding water and mold. My wife called customer service after the 1st year and Maytag made arrangements for the Maytag dealer to come out and install the washer front door update kit which alleviated the water-mold problem. It was not a recall-just a fix for people who complained about the problem. We have not looked at washers since 12-98 and at the time Maytag seemed to have the best but that may or may not be the case now as competition is good in hopefully bringing about better products.

 

[blurrybill]

So far, so good on the new machines. We've washed all the throw rugs, king spread, sheets, blankets plus regular clothes. Uses VERY little detergent and things come out of that high speed spin almost dry. They are extremely quiet compared with the old whirlpool machines we desposed of. My wife loves them so far. They are large machines and I'll have to allow some room in the new house design. Let me know if you want more info on these Sears Elite machines. They use amazingly little water, too.

Bill

 

[Gomez]

Well, I did end up buying the Neptune back in 2002.

The motor control board just fried last night. Replacement motor and controller pair is about $225 shipped to me. So we got about 5 years use, not what I'd call great.

A friend of mine just replaced his Neptune last month with an LG unit. He was having issues with the door latch and controls. After putting over $400 in parts, he cut his losses. I see the Class Action suit names both the motor control and dock latching components.

 

[shaley]

Thanks for the follow-up we are thinking about a front loader as well.

 

[hockeypuck]

I ran into an appliance repair man on a job when I was looking to buy a machine so I asked him what brand. He does work for my parents and others I know. He seems to be a very honest guy. The first thing he said is do not buy a Neptune. We bought a $650 whirlpool front load three years ago, and no problems to date and we have 2 small children.

 

[Bird]

We bought a Maytag front loader washer and dryer from Sears about two and a half years ago, but they're the small (apartment?) size. We were in a single wide mobile home at the time and I thought I wanted something small and light in case I had to move it or work on it. But with all the fancy lights and tunes they play, I decided to go ahead and pay for the 3 year extended warranty that includes an annual preventive maintenance checkup. Of course when we moved, I discovered that, in spite of the small size, this is the heaviest washing machine I ever saw. Supposedly they fill the bottom with concrete to prevent any vibration.

But I've since talked to two washing machine repairment and both said that Whirlpool and the Kenmore made by Whirlpool are the most reliable, most trouble free machines, and if they do need repairs, they're the easiest to work on.

A daughter's Kenmore dryer quit heating last week, but son-in-law was able to replace a few parts and fix it himself. It's only 11 years old.

 

[BTDT]

Here's an interesting link, might be something to check into, when they get some in stock.

Lehman's - Products for Simple, Self-sufficient Living

 

[Phils]

For those with Neptunes, like Gomez and me, I learned on an appliance repair forum that the problem that causes the board to fail is actually the wax motor used to lock the door. The wax motor will test fine when checked with an ohmmeter but during use it heats up, changing the internal resistance, which blows the R11 resistor and Q6 transistor on the control board. Usually this means the washer will wash but not spin, and the door won't lock.

Mine lasted 5 years just like Gomez's but I blame myself because I KNEW that the wax motor would eventually cause the board failure. I had planned a "pre-emptive" motor replacement for almost a year and SHOULD have done it when I first planned it.... DANG! The $20 part takes out the $125 part.

And they are both very easy to replace.

Phil