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larsi_gw

Miele T9802 Dryer checked out OK with Miele

larsi_gw
12 years ago

Had Miele Service out today, for my T9802. It checked out fine. It did have one fault code stored, for a brown out. The Tech said, the machine is sadly very sensitive to brown outs, and he has seen it several times where a brown out, has caused the moisture sensor to temporairly "freeze". This is what probably happened the last time(s).

In regards to the machine running for 3 hours, stuck on Hand Iron...Miele said the machine will run for SIX hours, even on hot, before the emergency sensor shuts the machine down. So, they said my machine was well within factory guidelines.

Also, one of the loads, that got stuck on Hand Iron, was synthetic gym clothes. Miele recommends using the 45 Min Warm + gentle for synthetic fabrics. It works better, than relying on the Moisture sensor.

The Tech said the inside of my dryer (and the washer, as he checked both while here) were probably the Cleanest, and most well cared for machines he had ever seen!! :) Yay, my laundry OCD is paying off.

Comments (22)

  • livebetter
    12 years ago

    I had a service guy tell me the same thing today about my Dacor range. I guess my OCD spreads across all appliance categories :)

    What the Miele tech said certainly sounds logical (although I'm surprised the dryer will run that long before shutting down).

    Good luck - hope your issues are behind you!

  • larsi_gw
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    @ Livebetter....yes, our appliance OCD has it's benefits! :)

    When the Technician was here, I showed him my Tide Total Care he liquid, Tide with a Touch of Downy he liquid, Tide he powder and Persil Universal Megaperls Powder. I asked him, how much Miele officially recommends for a full load. Miele recommends SO LITTLE detergent.

    For the Tide he liquids...Fill the cap to almost Line ONE!!

    For the Tide he powder...Fill the provided green scooper to almost Line ONE!!

    And for the Persil Megaperls...about 35 or 40 ml, using the Miele scooper.

    I am not a big, detergent pig/over-doser...but I for sure use way more than the Technician showed me. I will for sure try his recommendations!

  • dadoes
    12 years ago

    The Tech said the inside of my dryer (and the washer, as he checked both while here) were probably the Cleanest, and most well cared for machines he had ever seen!!

    ...

    I am not a big, detergent pig/over-doser...but I for sure use way more than the Technician showed me. I will for sure try his recommendations!
    Based on your first comment, I recommend not changing your detergent dosing. You may find the machine won't remain so very clean over time.

    Or, you could cut back a little, watch over a period of weeks or months if any problem (mold, odor) develops, then ramp back up accordingly ... but the risk is that the problem has already developed by the time you notice it and you'll have to deal with correcting it.

  • Cavimum
    12 years ago

    @larsi - Interesting information about your dryer sensor. Yipes.... running a dryer for six hours would spike the electric bill. Also interesting that the 45min+Gentle is a better alternative for synthetics.

    Your water must be harder than ours. If I used what your Miele guy suggests, in our moderately-hard-water/washer situation, I would have to spend the next two days de-sudsing my Miele W4842 and the laundry that was washed in that much detergent. Seriously.

  • larsi_gw
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Our water is between a 7-8, for hardness. So not hard, but for sure not soft!

    Some detergents, even when used sparingly in my W4842, create INSANE suds. Clorox Green Works and Cheer he liquid just suds & suds and do not rinse. It's really, really sad...because Clorox Green Works is basically my dream detergent!

    In regards to mold and odors....After each machine use, I wipe the door, the seals, remove the soap tray and clean with HOT water and a brush. I leave the soap tray out, when the machine is not being used and the door is ALWAYS ajar.

    Also, every month I run a Clean Machine Cycle with either bleach or a pack of Tide Machine Cleaner. I wash all laundry loads on Warm, Very Warm, Hot or Sanitize. Never cold or no heat washes!

    For the dryer, I NEVER use dryer sheets, clean the lint screen after EVERY load and 1-2x a month I scrub the lint screen with hot, soapy water (Miele told me to do this prob 15 years ago!). Also, I vacuum the inside of the lint screen compartment with my Miele vacuum (attachments are made to fit perfectly inside) at least 2-3x a month.

    These maintenance steps, literally just take a few minutes, or seconds....but my machines look, smell and perform beautifully!! :)

  • sshrivastava
    12 years ago

    Isn't anyone alarmed by the obvious inconsistencies and hypocrisy in Miele's advice about detergent dosing? I mean honestly... I don't care what any of the technicians say, Miele's official recommendation is what they put in writing in the manual - and that is to "follow the detergent manufacturer's recommendations". In the case of the detergents you mention, that's quite a bit more. So why does Miele put one thing in the manual when their service technicians say the exact opposite?

    I would be more curious as to why Miele felt it necessary to defer to detergent manufacturer's recommendations for anything they put IN WRITING versus what their techs state verbally (obviously not verifiable or binding on the company) in the field. I don't like these mixed messages. I mean honestly, what if you were to lower your dosage to what your service technician is telling you and then something goes wrong. They come back out and ask you how much detergent you're using, you tell them "just under line 1", and Miele denies your warranty request because you are not using the machine according to the instructions? I see that as a very likely outcome given my experience where the technician tried to blame me for a mechanical problem that required my dryer's eventual replacement.

    Be extra careful with these crazy low dosage recommendations, even coming from Miele. Remember, if you don't use enough detergent then any oils or grease that are rinsed off the clothes will very easily adhere and build up on the outside plastic tub and other areas.

  • mfduffy
    12 years ago

    Sometimes we forget, there are issues with under-dosing your detergent. The first is obvious: clothes get grungy and stiff over time. The second: it can be hard on the machine. There are rust inhibitors and other protectants in most detergents. What's more, at least one manufacturer -- can't remember who; I've read too many manuals lately -- points out "scale build-up on the heating element" as the result of too little detergent.

    It's maddening to me that too much AND too little detergent makes clothes stiff over time. That's life, I guess.

  • Cavimum
    12 years ago

    "So why does Miele put one thing in the manual when their service technicians say the exact opposite? "

    That seems to be The Great Unknown.

  • whirlpool_trainee
    12 years ago

    D@mn larsi, and I thought I was crazy about keeping my Duet immaculate - but your routine is even better than mine! I don't wash the drawer in hot water, I just wipe it dry with a microfibre cloth... ;-D

  • larsi_gw
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    @ Sstava...I thought your recently reduced your detergent dosage drastically? Are you back to what the detergent bottle says, or What Miele techs say??

    @Whirlpool trainee...:) I have done this routine with every machine I have owned since 1992, and every one of them...American, Korean, German and Swedish have been so clean. Never mildew, Never mold, Never any smells!!

    Yes, it is maddening why Miele prints something, and then has techs advise something else. Must be lost in translation or something. I honestly just wish my manual came in the original German, and my control panel was in German. I hate the Heavy Soil button, that everywhere else says Pre-Wash. I want my Vorwasch button!! :)

  • Cavimum
    12 years ago

    I don't wipe the detergent drawer dry, but I do remove it and place it on it's side, on top of the water. In summer, I wipe out the cavity inside the machine (for the detergent drawer) to help it dry out faster.

    I am rather OCD about vacuuming out the bottom of the lint screen area, inside the machine. (It is amazing how much collects down there during each dryer load!) These machines weigh a ton, making it impossible for me to pull it out and clean out the vent hose by myself anymore, nor will I go on an ladder outside, one story up from the ground, to try to clean it out at that end.

  • sshrivastava
    12 years ago

    @ larsi

    I am no longer using the tiny dosage recommended by my Miele technician. Using the scant 1 TBSP amount he recommends almost ruined my machine. I ran a load of dirty towels through the machine using 2 TBSP of Persil one day, remembering the technician telling me that 1.5 TBSP is more than enough for a really dirty load. Remember that the Persil package recommends 7 TBSP in soft water for high soiling. The towels came out clean enough, however I noticed a lot of tiny dark specs stuck to the visible portions of the white plastic outer drum. They almost looked like small curdles, and upon closer examination appear to be little grease/dirt blobs. I pull back the rubber boot and check my plastic drum for debris regularly, so I know that debris was not there before washing this load.

    I can only surmise that the amount of detergent was woefully insufficient to properly dissolve and suspend all of the dirt which was mechanically removed from the towels. The towels also came out rather scratchy, which might push some people to dose even less. After running several cleaning cycles, one with 1/4 cup of citric acid, the plastic drum appears clean.

    In my water conditions and with a whole house softener, I find that half of the detergent manufacturer's recommendation works well for me. This is for average soiling and full loads. I use a little less for smaller loads, a little more for soiled loads.

  • larsi_gw
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Yeah, 1 TBSP is way, way too little. The Tech did not advise me to use that small of an amount of detergent.

    I check the white drum, behind the rubber boot frequently as well. I remember one Miele, came with some mold (a very small amount), the day it was delivered and installed. I guess from the factory test, some residual water remained. One Sanitize wash with bleach...and all gone.

    With my OCD maintenance steps, every machine I have owned look, smell and perform flawlessly!

    It really is finding a balance of not too much soap, but equally not too little!!

    This gives us Laundry freaks something else to obsess over!! :)

  • livebetter
    12 years ago

    The dosing thing is really hard - no exacts. The self dosing Miele machines may be the way to go.

    I find the Miele detergent calls for less. They have their own scoop with measurements so I used a tablespoon to compare.

    The lightly soiled dose for the W4XXX machines is 2/3 of their scoop (which equals a little less than 4 tablespoons). Medium soil is 3/4 and heavy soil is 1.

    Of course, doses for the smaller machines are smaller (ie. light soil is 1/2, medium soil is 2/3 and heavy is 3/4).

    I washed a load tonight that was not quite half full so I used about 2 tablespoons.

    I haven't had anything come out dirty yet but I feel like every load you have to size it up and try and figure out what to do.

  • larsi_gw
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Just to "try" it again, I washed and dried a large load of gym/exercise clothes last night. Probably about 6-8 shirts (moisture wicking, synthetic), 6-8 shorts (same material), athletic socks, 10 pairs of underwear and about 8 small washcloths (cotton).

    Washed in my Miele W4842, on Normal, Warm water, Sensitive (extra rinse) and Max Spin. Washed with Persil Megaperls, no softener (softener is not good for gym clothes)!

    Dried in my T9802 on Normal + Gentle. AGAIN...after 2 hours, the load was stuck on Hand Iron. The clothes were BAKING hot, severly over-dried, kind of crispy and wrinkled. I did a 15 min cool down, and then put the clothes away.

    Before last night, I have done about 6 loads of laundry. Darks, brights, whites, sheets and towels. All dried using Normal + Gentle. ALL loads done in about 35-45 mins, and all loads soft, fluffy and wrinkle free.

    So, it does seems the a large load of mainly synthetic gym clothes, will NOT dry using the moisture sensor. I guess I will just have to remember to use 45min Warm + gentle.

  • suburbanmd
    12 years ago

    What happened to Miele's promise of "fabric care"? And you seem to be resigned to it.

  • dadoes
    12 years ago

    Have to comment ... unacceptable IMO that a high-end dryer can't handle a load of synthetics via moisture-sensing.

  • livebetter
    12 years ago

    I've never dried an entire load of synthetics - I usually hang dry any synthetic items.

    Is it the synthetics that are causing the problem or is there something wrong with the moisture sensor?

    45 min warm is pretty hot.

    Larsi, is it possible your beloved Miele dryer is not all it's cracked up to be? Just askin' cause you know others are thinking it.

  • Cavimum
    12 years ago

    @larsi - that is simply too bizarre for me to accept. The dryer is not working properly, IMHO, in spite of Miele's claim.

    The synthetics we have - mostly wicking golf shirts & athletic wear - are removed from the dryer after 10 - 15 minutes and line dried. That was also my M.O. with my old conventional dryer, to avoid static electricity.

  • asolo
    12 years ago

    FWIW, I have a 19-year-old Maytag dryer with sensing at one location and a 7-year-old Whirlpool dryer with sensing at another location. Both are used regularly and both "sense" dryness at whatever level I set reliably no matter what kind of load I put in them. Both of these are older/cheaper than the dryer in question in this thread.

    I have no doubt this dryer is not working properly. Something is being missed.

  • whirlpool_trainee
    12 years ago

    Something's wrong here. Many Miele dryers have dedicated cycles for synthetics that run moisture sensing. I was thinking that maybe static cling in an all-synthetic load could have confused the moisture sensing system - as moisture is sensed electrically - but that's just a wild guess.

    Did the dryer record an error?

    Alex

  • larsi_gw
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Besides from the Normal (moisture sensing) cycle not working on a 100% synthetic load of gym clothes....Every other load (shirts, pants, shorts, towels, sheets, table cloths, napkins, jackets, etc...) come out flawlessly using Normal (moisture sensing).

    Does it annoy me that I have to use 45 Min Warm + gentle to dry synthetics? Yeah, a little.

    But, I think it is similar to the Miele washing machine quirks...Pre-Wash is labeled Heavy Wash, No soak option, after a cycle is complete, the drum does not tumble to "un-stick" clothes that are literally plastered to the stainless drum after a 1400rpm spin cycle, Cannot activate the drum light during a cycle, etc. etc..

    My washer and dryer though, IMO, perform better than ANY OTHER make or model. As we know, or should know!!!, nothing is perfect.

    If Miele hadn't sent a Technician out, I would be very worried and upset, but since I was with the Tech the entire time during service...everything checked out. If this is a specific "problem/issue" with my T9802...then I'm just gonna have to deal with it, because I love this dryer!!! ;)