Is a 4.0 TL the same as a 4.0 FL? I am so confused!

15 years ago

Are the sizing the same regardless of a machine being a TL or a FL?

I am looking for a super large capacity TL (we are a family of 6) but I am wondering if I can get away with a smaller cubic footage with a FL because of the different design and lack of agitator?

Thank you!

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Comments (5)

friedajune
15 years ago
As has already been suggested on your other thread, which appears to be the same question, please post your question on the Laundry Forum.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gardenweb's Laundry Forum
friedajune
15 years ago
I just noticed that you have 5 threads currently on the 1st page of the Laundry Forum. You never return to a thread once you have started it; you just post a new thread. Please don't do that on this Forum.
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FL washers are quite a bit more efficient than TL. Less water, soap, and usually shorter dry times. Also, FL have been around for about 10 years now and the Cabrio I believe is a fairly new type of washer so I am not sure of the track record. The Duet and Kenmores have a great history and you really can't go wrong with either. The company you buy these from should be able to install extended hoses and ducting that would allow you to keep the washer on the right. Otherwise, all European laundry has the washer on the left like Miele and Asko. these are great units but are spendier than The Kenmore and Duet.
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A 3.5 won't cut it? A 3.5 will do fine for a family of six. The manufacturers have led us to believe that we have to have the biggest of everything. But seriously, what is a half cubic foot? Yeah, it may give you a little bit more room for movement of the clothes, but it's not going to make a *huge* difference in the amount of laundry you can fit into the washer. I remember when I got into the appliance biz a few years ago, the Whirlpool Duet was all the rage with a 3.7 cf drum. It was huge! Now they tout a 4.4 cf drum, and people think a 3.5 or 3.7 cf frontloader is too small! Anyway, I did some looking at partstore.com, comparing parts between the WTW58ESVW (4.0) and the WTW5300VW (3.5). The models share the exact same tub and outer wash basket. The difference is in the agitator as there is a different part for each. So I would believe housefairy is correct; the difference is in the agitator. Here is a link that might be useful: Post about TL washer capacity
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Unfortunately, when you are talking about 4.0 HE washers, both front loaders and top loaders are playing the same game. They are both scaling up the true washer capacity to try and claim that the lack of an agitator allows them to wash more clothes. The true capacity of a 4.0 washer is actually 3.5. The largest top load washer on the market right now is the Cabrio / Bravos, with a true capacity of about 3.9 to 4.0, depending on whether it has an agitator or an impeller. This converts to a front loader capacity of 4.5 to 4.6, so if you are looking at front loaders to compare to, you should consider looking at front loaders in this range. Now, all of this is based purely on true washer capacity. There is still the argument that you can wash more clothes in a front loader because the tunmble action is more effective at flipping the clothes around. In my own mind this seems to make sense, but I invite other top load & front load users to offer their own comments.
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I'd think it impossible to make a 120V big machine without ATC. Guess some might handle a cold fill, but then you could end up with a 3+ hour cycle depending on fill temp and target temp. Internal heater or not, a 120V uber-sized machine without ATC is a non-starter. It needs ATC to get as close as possible and then use it's internal heater to give it that extra boost to the target temp (the exception to this rule would be the profile wash cycles available in machines from Sears and Bosch). The uber-machines get challenged when you ask for anything greater than warm (104F). For example on the W4840 when asking for a "Hot" (140F) wash in "Normal" cycle (internal heater not used) with the DHW source set at 131F, the fill temperature ended up being 109F. The washer isn't right next to the DHW tank, but it has a dedicated insulated PEX line that's about 35 ft long and you feel the brass fitting near the hose connection getting hot within 15 seconds of the hot water starting to flow. The problem is your starting with a washer drum and clothing sitting at room temp (68F) or colder (if you've just finished a previous load) and they don't fill with that much water. I've sensed in this case the machine only called on the hot line during the fill. The W4840 seems to have a very good ATC system that does the best it can, but it can't defy physics. If it could be made to fill with more water it would certainly get closer to the target. Checking an old spreadsheet put together once the other data I have shows: LG Steamwasher- Sanitary=158F, Hot=122F, Warm=104F, Cold=86F. Not sure if this source of data came from a user manual, service manual or phone conversation with presales support. The Whirlpool/Kenmore machines are largely undocumented with regard to temperatures. I've seen wildly different accounts regarding these machines and their temperatures the most bizzare being a person once writing that Whirlpool said a "warm" wash could in-fact be as low as 80F.
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haley_comet
Original Author
15 years ago
Nice responses. I am sorry I did not read in the guidelines that I have limit of questions that I can ask on on Q & A forum??? This is my first set and I have alot of questions which is the purpose of this forum - to provide guidance. You don't have to answer my questions nor take the time to count them in all your free time.

BTW - I was guided here by the ppl on the Laundry forum as I was told you where a helpful group of ppl. Heaven forbid I have a appliance question (as washers and dryers are appliances) and I post it in the Appliance form.

I post new threads as they are different questions.

Thank you for your pleasentness.
friedajune
15 years ago
I responded that way because every time you post a new thread you roll someone else's Appliances thread off the page. And your threads on the Laundry Forum ask the same question, and do get answered, but you continue to ask them again with new threads. Why don't you just return to your already-posted threads, and respond to the people who have kindly taken the time to answer your questions, instead of starting brand new threads on topics that have already been asked and answered?
dadoes
15 years ago
Keeping all the questions related to your purchase together in a single thread makes it easier for you to go back and find/read the answers, and easier to follow the flow of questions/answers for other forum readers who are interested in the topic and who are attempting to assist you. If, for example, you wish to print a hardcopy of the responses to take along on a shopping expedition, there's only one thread to print. The Laundry section, being specific to washers and dryers, is the better area to pose your questions.

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Is a 4.0 TL the same as a 4.0 FL? I am so confused!

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friedajune

friedajune

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haley_comet
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Is a 4.0 TL the same as a 4.0 FL? I am so confused!

Comments (5)

friedajune

friedajune

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haley_cometOriginal Author

friedajune

dadoes

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haley_comet
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