December 11, 2008
Some days I’d like to throw my front-load clothes washer out the back door. But that probably won’t be necessary because it may walk out on its own.
The LG product shakes and rattles so much in the spin cycle that it ‘walks’ several inches across the floor each day. One guest to my kitchen thought we were experiencing an earthquake. Sears repairmen have visited twice, but tell me nothing is wrong with the machine: front loaders just do that. In fact, one repairman confessed that he’s called out to homes “all the time” because of these over-agitated beasts.
I spent several hundred dollars more on this machine than I would a conventional washer that loads clothes from the top. I was willing to do this because front loaders are more energy efficient. They use about one-third as much water as top-loading machines. That translates into less energy needed to warm the water. Front-loaders also spin faster, removing more moisture from clothes so that they require less time in the dryer.
The machine includes sophisticated electronics and can perform all sorts of tricks — from automatically measuring the size of laundry load to singing me a sweet song when the cycle is over. But I eye its friendly R2D2-like exterior warily. How soon before all of the rattling and rolling breaks the delicate electronics, and I have a hefty repair bill?
Several months after I bought the machine, Sears advised that the machine might stop shaking if I shored up the laundry room floor from below and replaced the linoleum with tile. Sears sales folks did not tell me before I bought the machine that its successful use required home remodeling.
Supposedly, a next generation front loader will be released shortly that does not try to escape its owners. I’m not sure what good that does me – and so many others – who already put down our hard-earned cash on today’s poor design.
I write this not to whine about my purchasing misstep, but to point out the dangers that faulty products cause the green energy movement. We’ve been down this road before. In the 1980s, when high oil prices piqued consumer interest in renewable energy, the industry rushed solar panels to market without properly training installers. Many roofs leaked. Renewable energy became associated with poor quality. Today, the solar industry wisely puts a great deal of effort into proper training of installers and product warranties. Solar panels, in fact, are now associated with quality custom construction. But it took years to restore consumer confidence.
Energy efficient appliances risk the same backlash if they take advantage of our desire to do the right thing. Consumers are willing to pay more for greater efficiency; their willingness will falter if energy efficiency becomes associated with inferior workmanship.
The stakes are high. In the not-too-distant future the auto industry is likely to offer the plug-in hybrid vehicle. A source I interviewed recently pointed out the enormous damage to public confidence that will occur if the plug-in hybrid is introduced before its battery is perfected. Not long ago several million laptop computers were recalled because their batteries overheated and sometimes caught fire. Imagine the consumer dismay if several million plug-ins cars – far more expensive than laptops — were recalled ? I am as eager as anyone to fuel my car by plugging it into an electric socket. But I do hope the auto industry takes its time overcoming the difficulties of perfecting the battery and gets it right before marketing the cars.
The public supports green products now more than any other time in our history. We may think that this support is rock solid. I’m not so sure. My front-load washer could rattle anything.
Visit Elisa Wood at www.realenergywriters.com and pick up her free Energy Efficiency Markets podcast and newsletter.
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2 comments:
Australia has an energy star rating system for whitegoods fridges, washers etc and a water rating for the washers.
I am led to believe that the system is not completely believable I gather the testing is done by the manufacturer or supplier.
But I digress.
I recently bought a washer to replace the gifted one that had been keeping a second hand (front loader) for the last 16byears.
Till finally the cement block counterbalance let loose.
so I don't usually need to purchase new but in this instance I knew I wouldn't be satisfied with the usual offerings.
I had been aware of a New Zealand Co design top loader that was also produced in Aus till recently when the Co moved to China in order to remain competitive.
The machine was selling at the low end of the market as it was a top loader, so not flavour of the month. I got a manufacturers discount on top but missed out on the water supply co's rebate as only front loaders seemed to be meeting the water efficiency requirements.
However being a bit of a nerd and interested in the technical specs and innovative design that eliminates geartrain, brake belt drive ( so less to go wrong ) for a direct drive stepper motor and clever circuit board ( a friend had a board replaced at very reasonable cost the machine was a hand me down and had been in storage for many years)
the serviceman singing the praise over his other repair option and that various other examples of this unit seemed to be trouble free and worked effortlessly.
The same series including larger versions are around in at least 3 generations with cosmetic or minor detail changes and the ongoing success and investment in this design says "if your on a good thing stick to it'
So although I did look at the energy and water ratings, I had no hesitation in dismissing these more expensive options.
The direct drive motor is the same concept as found in a computer or CD DVD motor that can (only) be driven by synthesised digital control.
Thats not just the control circuit but the motor itself. So much of the operation is under fully synthetic computer control which means in practice that i can nearly sit a full cuppa on the lid for an entire wash.
the same co makes front loaders as well but I don't know if they have applied this system .
In looking at website they also have a top loader that uses 30% less water than similar front loading machines (for twice what I spent) and also front loaders with out of balance correction.
This may sound like a promotion for F&P but really I'm just talking about consumer issues.
Lisas washing-machine is a striking illustration to that cultural diffrences also apply to technology. What actually counts is not how the machine is loaded but how the drum spins. To be efficienct it should have a horisontal axis.
Europe is full of top-loaded and horisontal-axis machines. Why do they not sell in the US?
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