Washing machine Electrolux: is this normal? (with video)


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Old 05-16-13, 11:22 AM
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Washing machine Electrolux: is this normal? (with video)

Hi all.

I am working in a small B&B, so normally wash large amounts of sheets in our big 14 kg Electrolux EWIF142CEL washing machine.
Lately we are encountering soap residue in our sheets and it seems that the machine is not washing well. While washing or rinsing the upper sheets in the machine just seem to float on the surface, you can see the soap sitting on them. The machine is not mixing/moving around the wash well.

In this video you see a small load in washing cycle:
Small load, washing cycle - YouTube

In this video you see a big load in rinsing cycle:
Big load, rinsing cycle - YouTube

It looks as if at the big load, i have overloaded the machine. I don't think so personally, it was loaded till about 5/6 i would say, without pushing it down too much and without any heavy items. Everything just floats to the top and it doesn't get mixed. It seems nothing really is happening at all right!?

I have no idea if it is acting different as before, because i have never paid much attention to it. The agitator seems to be spinning just fine (it is not much more than a plate at the bottom with some star-shaped buttons on it), but maybe the case should be spinning more?? In the spinning cycle it seems to work fine though.
Can you pick up something wrong in the videos? Or should i just never load more than say 2/3 full?
Thank you very much for the help.
 
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Old 05-16-13, 03:02 PM
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Does not appear to be working right. I have never worked on that machine so can;t be to much help. ay have trouble getting somebody to service washer if under warranty, We won't work on them in warranty, They don't pay there bills.
 
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Old 05-16-13, 03:04 PM
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I prefer front loading washing machines but in my experience a top loader is VERY easy to overload. That is one reason why top loaders are so often much larger than a front loader, they need to be in order to wash the same size load.

While not recommended, a front loader will often do a good job with it crammed full of clothes, the only requirement is that the door be able to be closed. This is definitely NOT true of of a top loader.

My experience is also that top loaders do a less-effective rinse. When I had a top loader I often had to run the clothes through an additional full cycle without any detergent just to remove the detergent left from the previous wash cycle.

You won't like my recommendation because it will mean additional loads to be washed. I recommend smaller loads.
 
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Old 05-16-13, 04:24 PM
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Yes i was afraid too it is just that it can't handle the big load, especially with mostly big items like bed linen. The agitator just doesn't do enough to make the things really move around well. It is just a rotating plate with some bumps in it.

If there is someone that thinks it should perform better/different (for example more spinning of the case?), i would be happy to hear. I just don't know what it would normally do.

THANKS HEAPS!
 
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Old 05-16-13, 05:26 PM
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Well.....it was working ok before? So what has changed? Different soap? Water not as hot? Water pressure lower? Maybe a change in the linen you are washing?

If it is filling, agitating, spinning, and going through all it's cycles...I sort of doubt it's the machine. Normally when they fail...they stop doing SOMETHING.

One option might be to run an additional rinse cycle. You say it isn't washing as well...but it seems more like it isn't rinsing.
 
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Old 05-16-13, 06:33 PM
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I agree with Don....that machine is not working correctly. It looks like almost no agitation and definitely no rinsing action. Based on the second video it looks overloaded too.

I couldn't find any service info on that unit so you may have to look for service locally in your area.
 
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Old 05-16-13, 06:43 PM
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Sorry...I couldn't view the vid when I made my post....listen to the Pro's.
 
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Old 05-17-13, 07:33 AM
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unfortunately i don't know if it is doing something differently than before, i just have the feeling that it should move around a bit more.
Also on medium loads the sheets just lay floating on the surface, not really moving around at all.
i already considered possible faults (too much soap, too cold water, too heavy load, too little water,..) based on google searchs.

but no worries, i will have someone coming in to look at it. I just thought that with a video someone could maybe see if something is not working like it supposed to. We are in Peru here, so i always try to fix things myself.
keep up the good work, thanks!
 
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Old 05-17-13, 09:49 PM
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Yes....with your video we were able to see the lack of agitation and spin.

Please stop back and let us know how you make out.
 
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Old 05-19-13, 06:08 AM
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service mechanic coming on monday. will get back to the forum to update on how it went.
 
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Old 05-20-13, 10:28 AM
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Mechanic was here. Like expected it is the belt. It is way too loose and has deteriorated.
He also recommended to change the part that the belt grabs on to. This part is made of plastic and can be changed to a metal one.

The machine indeed shouldn't be loaded more than 2/3. Also many big sheets is not recommendable. It is also important to use enough water (about 10 cm. higher level than the load itself), so the load can move more freely.

So nothing serious. With some expertise and a bit of common sense it all works out.
Thanks!!!
 
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Old 05-20-13, 11:11 AM
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Thanks for stopping back.

It's frustrating when we can't offer more repair information. We couldn't even tell it was a belt driven model. Good info to know.
 
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Old 05-25-13, 08:51 AM
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ok. and then to finish this off completely.

The functioning of this machine with a new belt.. This is what it was supposed to do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqQUpGdPa7A
 
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Old 05-25-13, 02:23 PM
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Thanks for the update. I see it is different
 
 

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