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dafaceman  
#1 Posted : Wednesday, October 19, 2011 9:48:31 PM(UTC)
dafaceman

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Got a brand new top loader, whirpool design I understand. Admiral atw4475XQ, home depot cheapo washer.
Works fine, no problems and not even as loud as I thought it would be.

Rinse level is lower then I like though. From reviews of new washers this is "normal" as the new energy saver/water saver feature you cant get away from nowdays. It only fills 5 inches in rinse, and if its a large load, dosent even cover the clothes, dosent saturate them, hard to add fabric softner as there is no dispenser.
Any whirlpool/maytag repair guys out there know about a workaround? Is there a adjustment,a jumper that needs installed, or removed? Or can I get a new fill switch from the previous year washer thats the exact same except does not have this new water saver feature...Last years model has small, medium, large, and extra large on the settings, where this years is only small, medium, and large thats the only difference I see.There is no second rinse, or fabric softner setting.And I know about using detergent, I just would prefer to have it fill and at least cover the clothes to rinse.
I have my own well, and dont care about any so thought of water savings, I would prefer to let it fill and rinse as they have always for years.
Anyone? Thanks in advance
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dnlow  
#2 Posted : Friday, October 21, 2011 7:17:21 AM(UTC)
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Have you read the manual. I do not know much about this type of machine but have heard that at times the water level will not be above the clothes.
dafaceman  
#3 Posted : Friday, October 21, 2011 12:43:00 PM(UTC)
dafaceman

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Yep read the manual, says its a new water saver feature, to help save money and water on new washing machines. It dosent matter if its 1 towel, or a bedspread, it only fills to a set point, almost like its on the timer circuit and not bound to the water level switch.
Which I am beginning to suspect more and more that its in the timer and cant be adjusted.
dafaceman  
#4 Posted : Sunday, October 23, 2011 10:08:29 PM(UTC)
dafaceman

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Turns out there are TWO water level switch's, one for the load size, one hidden behind the control panel for rinse level.

Once apart, fixed the low water rinse level with no problem.

I now get to have the full water fill rinse cycle I desired. And BTW, from the factory this brand and model washer is set for the smallest water level for rinse mode to be a water saver.

:)
FL_Mikey  
#5 Posted : Thursday, November 10, 2011 6:56:46 AM(UTC)
FL_Mikey

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I hope you still monitor this thread as I'd love to pick up one of these models. Home Depot has it for $249 now, but the low water level on rinse cycle is a concern (also saw your review at their site).

After reading your solution, I went to Home Depot and told the salesperson working the appliance section that there's 2 switches in the control panel controlling load size and rinse cycle levels. How would I go about changing the settings for the switch in the control panel. His idea is to call Whirlpool and have them come out and not to tinker with anything in the control panel. Number 1, I doubt they're going to come out to change the water level and Number 2 it sounded straightforward based on what you said.

How exactly do I do this? Do I simply remove the knobs on the front and then unbolt the bolts on the back. Once I take that piece off, then I'll be able to see two switches. 1 of them controls load size and the other for the rinse cycle. I assume the rinse cycle switch will have various settings so I turn it to large (when I say "turn" I assume the switch is like a dial I would turn), then bolt everything back up? I'd think this would take 10 minutes tops and really easy to do.

PS. I'm not a repair technician at all, just an average joe so any step by step instructions on how to do it would be REALLY appreciated. I tried checking assembly guide from HD's website but can only access first 3 pages so not really useful.

EDIT: Found control panel parts list for you to reference if necessary: Controls and rear panel parts replacement parts for MAYTAG ATW4475TQ0 AUTOMATIC WASHER | AppliancePartsPros.com
dafaceman  
#6 Posted : Thursday, November 10, 2011 1:32:18 PM(UTC)
dafaceman

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Its pretty simple to adjust. If you call a repairman out, I doubt they will adjust it, as most who I talked to said it was not adjustable.
Unplug the machines power.
You can youtube a video on how to remove the top control panel, its just 2 screws on the back of it, phillips head. Swing the control panel up, and find something to support it so you have both hands free.

You'll see a clear plastic tube coming up from the back rear like 3/8 in diameter, to a "T" connection. The one that goes to the left, thats the wash water level switch it connects to. The one you can adjust, large, medium, small, from the front of the panel . The other off the T goes to the rinse water level switch. There is not a knob to adjust it. But if you look at the bottom of the lever mechanism/cam pickups of both switchs, you will see that they are the same. Rotate the wash load size from small to large, back to small, notice how the mechanism changes?
The rinse water level swtich acts the same way, although it is only a 2 position switch, small and large. Once you watch the wash level mechanism move from rotating it back and forth a few times, you should be able to see how to rotate that same mechanism on the rinse switch 1 click. It will click into place, there are only 2 positions as I said and from the factory its in small, so once it "clicks in" dont go any further. I did mine with a very small screw driver without removing the rinse switch.
Once you get that hidden switch turned to the other position, put it back together, fire it up and now your rinse is the large level, all the time.
Thats what I did to mine, took all of 5 minutes to disasseble, fix, and reassemble

They swear though this cant be done....Ok then...And if you need factory service work, you can always change it back ;-)
I would imagine if its the same model number, unless they have changed it, which I dont think so since its so new of a model-2011 model, should be the same.

I have pictures if needed
There is a white plunger out of the end of each switch with a screw loctited in place. Dont mess with the screw or that plunger. As you adjust the lever mechanism/cam this adjusts the amount of that plunger sticking out, which changes the pressure pickup for water level.
FL_Mikey  
#7 Posted : Thursday, November 10, 2011 1:46:49 PM(UTC)
FL_Mikey

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Thanks for this Dafaceman!

I was ready to pull the trigger on this seeing as a great deal, but it's for my parents and my mom seems to have her mind set on a Whirlpool WTW7340XW with a 4 cubic foot capacity. Sigh....women. They went out and bought the Whirlpool at Lowe's, so I'll talk to them tonight and let them know this great information.

I feel like a jerk though for asking for this and you were gracious enough to spend your time to break it down in such a straightforward fashion, and now it looks like we won't buy it.

Hopefully someone else manages to find this though. Just seems so many people complain about the water level and end up doing multiple washes on the same load to wash out sudsy clothes, that no water ends up being saved!

Thanks again...really appreciate it, and who knows I may be able to talk them into going the cheaper route which is the way I think they should go. I think the only worthwhile upgrade will come in about 10 years or so when appliances can be networked, accessed remotely, and even diagnosed remotely...then I think it's worth it to fork over the serious dough, but until then el cheapo is the way to go IMO.

Edit: P.S. My father is onboard, but the woman runs the household I guess...
dafaceman  
#8 Posted : Thursday, November 10, 2011 2:06:23 PM(UTC)
dafaceman

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No problems at all.
The entire reason I even followed up and posted that I found the fix and reviewed it at home depot is in hopes others would look for the info and use it for themselves. As this is, for its price, a decent no frills machine that is based on the same direct drive all whirlpools of this design use.
I have my own well water, and could care less about saving a few gallons of water-I would much rather opt for a full rinse level.
dafaceman  
#9 Posted : Thursday, November 10, 2011 2:54:58 PM(UTC)
dafaceman

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Dont know if your new washer your folks bought is direct drive or the new belt driven whirlpool model. If its the new belt driven type top loader, thats based on the old speedqueen setup that amana also used back some time ago when ratheyon(spelling?) owned them.
Amana was bought by maytag, and then whilpool got maytag a few years later, so its hard to say anymore whos design is whos I guess.
The speedqueen belt design, is a much quieter drive system, both in aggitation and spinning though as well as it has a longer stroke of like 190 degrees compared to 90 for the direct drive on the aggitator. Some say they think the belt design is easier on the clothes.
But if the new whilpool is the direct drive type, its all prolly the same design cept for the extra bells and whistles compared to this admiral.
I think the new belt drive whirlpools have a 1 piece aggitator where the direct drive types use the 2 piece-(looks like a big screw drive on the top portion).
Hope that also helps ya
FL_Mikey  
#10 Posted : Thursday, November 10, 2011 4:51:48 PM(UTC)
FL_Mikey

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Thanks again. I'm not sure if it's direct drive or belt driven. When I Google "Whirlpool WTW7340XW direct drive" I get results from Sears that say yes. When I go to Lowes which is where they bought it, it only says "Two Piece Agitator/Impeller: Impeller", but it also says "Sound Reduction: Yes".

She really likes the 4 cubic ft feature and the idea of cleaning her rugs in it. She's going to win this battle it looks like. For some reason she doesn't think the Admiral will be big enough.

For $249 I know she wouldn't have been disappointed, but at $610 (by the time you add 4 yr extended warranty) the Whirlpool may not live up to what she thinks it can do. Gonna go ask her one last time and if she says no, then it is what it is hahaha.

EDIT: Yeah done deal. Lowes is installing it tomorrow....hope she likes it. But thanks again for all the information...much appreciated!
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