They Used To Last 50 Years

Re:They Used To Last 50 Years by zymhan on Sunday March 19, 2017 @11:05PM (#13911390)

Uh, no, a top-loader should certainly lock while it's running. When that thing spins to drain all of the water out, it moves dangerously fast. You should double check that there's not something wrong with it.

Also, after growing up with a top-loader, and having a front-loader at my current apartment, I'm amazed at how much water is used and wasted by a top-loader. It's like filling a damn bathtub.

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Re:They Used To Last 50 Years by throwaway729 on Sunday March 19, 2017 @11:50PM (#13911538)

> a top-loader should certainly lock while it's running.

By law, though, as GP mentioned? That surprises me, given my recent purchase...

> You should double check that there's not something wrong with it.

I'm 10000000% sure that the thing isn't designed to lock.

> When that thing spins to drain all of the water out, it moves dangerously fast.

Sure. We don't have any kids or pets, and it's in the basement where visitors have no reason to be. NBD, for us.

> I'm amazed at how much water is used and wasted by a top-loader

I'll definitely keep this in mind if I ever move to a water-poor region or a city with bad infrastructure debt.

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Re:They Used To Last 50 Years by hueving on Monday March 20, 2017 @12:16AM (#13911655)

I have a top loader that doesn't lock, but it immediately shuts off if it's in the spin cycle and you open it. Perhaps yours is like that?

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Re:They Used To Last 50 Years by throwaway729 on Monday March 20, 2017 @01:34PM (#13916040)

Yes, mine does that. No braking as discussed below though.

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Re:They Used To Last 50 Years by Washuu on Sunday March 19, 2017 @11:46PM (#13911518)

Top loaders have no need to lock when they are running for the prevention of putting limbs in them while they are moving. The moment the lid is opened the lid switch is tripped which shuts the washer off. Maybe you are thinking of a locking mechanism to keep someone from drowning in one?

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Re:They Used To Last 50 Years by rconti on Monday March 20, 2017 @11:35AM (#13915030)

My top-load Whirlpool locks the lid when in operation.

It's also an utter piece of crap. No wonder the former owners of the home elected to take their fridge but not their washer/dryer. Do NOT buy a top-load High Efficiency washer. IMO, without an agitator (it just has a nipple-shaped thing at the bottom that serves only to twist drawstrings into knots that absolutely ruin the garment) and without adequate water, a top-loader cannot clean clothes properly.

My front-loader at my old place was vastly superior in every way. Probably used less water, too.

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Re:They Used To Last 50 Years by zymhan on Monday March 20, 2017 @08:34AM (#13913538)

When the drum inside a top-loader spins to drain the water, it uses centrifugal force to squeeze the water out. This means it spins extremely fast.

For example, this model spins at 710 RPM

http://www.aaxon.com/blog/194-speed-queen-top-load-washer-vs...

However someone else pointed out that if they don't lock the lid, they might engage a brake and stop the drum's spinning if the lid is opened. This achieves a similar goal.

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Re:They Used To Last 50 Years by brazzledazzle on Monday March 20, 2017 @03:45AM (#13912437)

I was told by the guy that delivered my washer that the High Efficiency washers spin dangerously fast which was why it locked. Switching off immediately would still be capable of causing harm.

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Re:They Used To Last 50 Years by jamestnz on Monday March 20, 2017 @03:09AM (#13912329)

I second this. In NZ most washers are top-loading, and I've never seen one that locks during operation. Instead, if you lift the lid while it is spinning, it engages some kind of emergency-brake and that spinner grinds to a halt in a fraction of a second.

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Re:They Used To Last 50 Years by cma on Monday March 20, 2017 @03:54PM (#13917144)

> it engages some kind of emergency-brake and that spinner grinds to a halt in a fraction of a second.

On an HE model if it braked that fast I think the whole washer body would spin around.

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