Honestly, I'm not having any problems with my Duet 9300 cleaning my clothes but after reading this post I went to his blog....I went and took the top off my machine. I have no clue what he's talking about.......I didn't know where to look.......top right/left/back/middle........If I could modify something if it's as simple as turning a screw to get more water I'm willing to try it but I didn't see the first screw.........I did notice when I had the top off how clean everything smelled..........:)

mark40511: it should be on the top right size, at least it seems to be in most of the recent Duets. I am still looking for mine, though i think i've found it, but it is shaped differently than the one at Mike's blog so i am looking for verification and further guidance.

Oh......After posting this I was looking at the wrong thing and I finally saw the pics.......It's easy to take the top off the Duet....Mine isn't pushed completely up against the wall......I saw the adjustment screw, though its very hard to get an eye on the screw the hole is so tiny....I couldn't even see the screw.....Its a slotted screw and you have to use a SUPER TINY screwdriver.....As much help as that blog was.....there was NO MENTION of what type or size screwdriver to use.......Anyway.....I got a flashflight, put the screwdriver in the hole....I'm doing this blindly because I was having to feel if the screwdriver was lined up in the slot of the adjustment screw....so I turned it clockwise about half a turn......Nothing when I plugged the machine back in a filled it.......I coudln't see a difference........then I turned it about another half turn....plugged the machine in, started the normal cycle....Boy did it fill with water!!!!!It was scary!!! WAY too much water for my liking.......I drained, readjusted down some......and the water level went back down......Honestly......I think the machine is using more water....That's the last adjustment I made. I didn't want to mess with it anymore....When I do a load now......I can tell that its using more water based on the sloshing sound of the clothes....Much more pronounced, yet I still can't see the water level when washing....But you can hear there is plenty of water in there, the clothes are soaked and I'm happy. Honestly I wasn't unhappy with my machine at all, I just messed with it out of boredom and was curious if I could successfully adjust it.....I just don't understand why there is such a fine line from the duet factory water level and half way up the door water level.....Based on the blog, they did say it would take some time to adjust the screw little at a time....If I had to guess how much more water mine is using....I'd have to say 1 to 2 gallons more per fill.

Glad you were able to find it. I just wish i could locate the screw or lever in mine.

Thanks Cleo

I'm glad I found it but like I said, I don't understand why a SMALL turn of the screw can go from regular water level to SCARY water levels......Like I said, I did turn it a bit before noticing a difference but once you get to the point where apparently the "change" starts...LOOK OUT

It has been 3 months now since I adjusted the water level on my HE3 washer and I am happy to report that I have not had a single error and there have been no problems to report. All wash cycles work well and IMHO the clothes seem cleaner and softer.

Jean. Do you have a pic of what your washer fills to? Here's my Duet water level after adjustment, I know its not much more but it is maybe one to two gallons more. With the delicate cycle it actually touches the glass door.

Here is a link that might be useful: duet new water level

The problem with the Whirlpool Duet is the same problem I have with my Frigidaire Affinity. Both models are "add a garment". In other words it only puts in just enough water to get them saturated and a little more for water run through, that way you can pause the cycle and add something you may have missed without water pouring out of the machine.

I have had from time to time build up, but I have always been able to strip my laundry of residues.

If the build up seems real bad, fill up bathtub with luekwarm water, place affected garments into water and agitate with hands or feet. If there is build up on the garments, then you should see suds come up into the water. If you see nothing, then the build up is in the machine and you may need to do two maintenance wash cycles on the washing machine.

I am currently only using a table spoon of detergent with average loads so I can still air dry without too much stiffness. If I have a particularly nasty load I will use more detergent but add fabric softner to cut the suds. So far so good.

I also recommend doing a suds test on any detergent before you use it. Even if it is marked HE. I have found some that are marked HE either suds way too much initially, or didn't suds exccessively but the suds that did arise didn't dissapate readily.

Mark, I took depth measurement in the centre of the washer at the very deepest spot before and after adjustments. Before depth (normal,whitest whites and heavy duty cycles)was 71 mm. I was able to get as much as 120 mm. on those cycles and it worked fine. I adjusted down as the delicates and hand wash cycles would trip the overfill fault. I came to rest at 81 mm. depth for normal cycle and all the others then worked well too. I possibly could go higher I was just getting tired of the fiddling. This level works for me and I am happy.

Jean. So 81mm is a little over three inches at the very back of the drum (deepest part) right? Did you notice on your machine that when you had the highest water level that the clothes didn't lift and drop as well as they did with the low water level? They sort of roll around in the bottom of the drum. Not sure if the cleaning results would be the same with that different type of wash action. I know the baffles on the Duet need to be a bit bigger.

Mark,
Yes, 81 was measured at the very back of the drum. When the machine was at the highest water level (120mm) the clothes did not fall as well in the wash water and there was a lot of oversudsing. My older HE3 has very large baffles not like the ones in the new Duets. I am very happy with the wash action now and have had no problems whatsoever with the washer.

Jean

Yeah. I'm pretty happy with my water level now. I measured and its a touch over three inches. The baffles get completely covered but it's not using much more water, but definitely more. I can't smell Tide HE at all after three rinses. I know its cleaning and rinsing great with just a gallon or so of water more per fill. If I turn it on delicate it touches the glass door! Soak is not as high as delicate, it comes up and just touches the bottom of the rubber boot. I wonder what the deal is with the Duet's baffles? They are super small.

Are the baffles intended to do any more than assist with tumbling and retention during spin? Maybe there's no reason for them to be bigger.

Some similar modern front loaders to the Duet have larger somewhat larger baffles. I'm not sure.

Cleo

Did you say you had the Epic Z? If so, go to this link below and read through this. He adjusted his water level fine.

Here is a link that might be useful: Water level discussion/pictures

mark40511: i have a Whirlpool 9600 and only need to find the water level gauge. So far i have not found pictures for my model.

OK, so after much research, i have finally found the water level gauge in my washer. It's not a "switch" like in the previous models, instead it's an analog pressure sensor, employing a type of diaphragm that is connected to a magnet whose change in position, induced from air pressure, sends signals to the control board. (Bear with me, i just learned this. :) ) The control board, based on this output, regulates the water level. Adjusting the sensor seems much more complicated than the previous water pressure switch.

The sensor appears to be half the size of the switch, and from what i've been able to see, isn't easily adjustable. So, i've decided to purchase a new one as a testing device before i fiddle with the working one in my washer. For now, my saga continues, and i am hopeful i will soon be able to enjoy the success others have experienced with this simple increase in the water level.

Cleo

I hope it works. Just be modest with the water level increase. Too much water = not good lifting and dropping. I've completely given up on my adjustments. As it is now, I'm back to square one. If I turn the switch ever so slightly, and I mean ever so slightly, the machine fills with WAY too much water. I don't get it! I should have left well enough alone because I found that "Sweet Spot" where the water was about 3.5 inches at the back of the drum. I was bored one day so I decided to try to add just a tiny increase and that's when I ran into too much water and when adjusted back down slightly the water level was back to square one. Another thing that concerns me, with the higher water level, there is much more weight in the drum with a full load of clothes. Could this shorten the life of the machine? Yes, it's designed to hold more water on delicate and soak, but usually those are "mild" cycles if you will. Add lots of water and a full load on heavy duty or whitest whites and not sure if it's harming the machine or not. I think the perfect level would be water just barely touching the bottom of the rubber seal.

Hi, I have a Kenmore HE4t and I adjusted my water level yesterday. The different water levels I got were 80mm, 85mm, 100mm, 120mm, 170mm. I settled with 100mm. My washed clothes always had some soap in them even if I selected the 2nd rinse option. These machines may be efficient but they're horrible at rinsing.

A question for jean123: Is the extra 15mm of water you now have enough to make a difference?

It is really hard to tell, but there is more water in each of the rinse cycles so one has to believe that more water in the rinse cycle = less detergents left behind.

Jean...... I was folding clothes while the washer was on in the laundry room and the rinse cycle started. Since I made that adjustment, I swear the rinse cycles are using more water, funny I don't notice it in the wash cycle though.

Folks, i did not want to report this, but i think this new analog pressure sensor is virtually tamper-proof. This weekend we dissected the part i ordered and discovered something like a small circuit board. I think the water levels by cycle are hard coded into the chips on the board, and unless i could work in engineering at Whirlpool, it's going to be difficult to hack this one.

Tricking the control panel may be my next step, though unlikely. If anyone has ideas, let me know.

This is a very interesting thread. I have always hated my Duet...HATE it. I not only think the rinse cycle is worthless but so is the wash cycle. When washing my dog blankets, I still smell dog on them, and I wash them often. I have found I must wash them at least twice. IMO if something is dirty, really IN need of washing, it won't be clean.

Did I mention how much I hate my Whirlpool Duet?

can I ask here why my softener is always released in the wash cycle? I have noticed no softener smell, then checked. Sure enough the softener dispenser was empty during the wash cycle. Anyone else experience this problem.

I should add I can hear what I suspect is soap crackling quite often when I am removing the laundry from the washer. grrrr HATE the stupid thing

Softener release is by siphoning. Water for rinsing fills through the dispenser cup causing it to overflow through the siphon tube, then when the fresh water flow shuts off, the siphon effect drains all but a small amount of the water remaining in the cup. Premature release can occur if you overfill the cup with softener or jostle the drawer too much when closing it, causing the contents to siphon out too soon. Or of course if the mechanism that directs which cup the fill water flows through (detergent, bleach, or softener) isn't working properly.

Debbie

I do not understand this. I have washed some NASTY laundry in the Duet and it comes out clean.

We've put our Duet GHW9200 through the wringer since September 2002, washing clothes for a family of 5. We bought the machine when our youngest daughter was not even a year old, and we had 2 more babies since then. The machine is a true workhorse. Washes our king size duvet, pillows, all the kids bedding, bath mats, towels, cloth diapers, door mats, snow suits, shoes, you name it we throw it in our Duet, and it all comes out clean. Just yesterday, I ran 4 sanitary cycles, and 1 whitest whites cycle, a total of 9 hours running straight all kids bedding including pillows, duvets, sheets, pillow cases.

Only problem we have had with the machine is when we first got it, washed a pair of overalls in it, the clasp came undone and got caught between the door and the boot, ripping the rubber boot. It was clearly our error, but Whirlpool replaced the boot under warranty. Second was the motor control unit quit about 2 years ago, that was fixed under extended warranty.

I love our Duet, and in just under 7 years has served us very well. My rough guess is the machine has done 3500+ loads of laundry. It's getting a little tired. The suspension is getting a little saggy, and the drain pump is noisy, hinting it could quit at any time. But, for $250 I can pick up the parts and replace them myself, thanks to the simplicity of the machine.

We have soft water, and have used all sorts of HE and non HE detergent, home made laundry soap, Persil you name it. My favourite is good old regular Tide powder. At 50ml per load, it doesn't suds up and gets everything clean. We use vinegar as a rinse for bedding and towels, Fleecy fabric softener for most clothing. Never had a problem with smell or mold in the machine.

I would buy another in a second, and have recommended them to friends and family. My aunt & uncle have one, and my cousin has the Kenmore version and they too love their machines.

Zedd

Glad your Duet has served you well. You may be a little shocked when/if you get a new one being that yours is almost seven years old. I'm sure it used MORE WATER than the new ones!

Mark, I dont understand it either, but it is a fact. My laundry does NOT smell clean to me. I can't say it looks dirty, but then my laundry isn't dirty dirty to begin with. The dog blankets tell the story. I have looked at the washer while its working and wondered where the water is. Things are wet so I guess there is water. I absolutely hate the whirlpool duet FL

Debbie_2008,

More details on your washing habits would be helpful in diagnosing the source of your dissatisfaction.

Do you wash primarily in cold water?

Do you run a HOT (or Sanitary) wash on a regular/recurring basis?

Do you occasionally run a whites load with chlorine bleach?

What cycle/settings are used on the problematical dog blankets?

How much detergent, and what kind (regular or HE, powder or liquid)?

You do use softener, thus the complaint regarding the dispenser. How much is the normal dose, and is that on every load or is it occasionally skipped?

Do you leave the door ajar between uses so residual moisture can dry?

Have you attempted to clean the machine with Affresh, or Lemi-Shine, or a good dose of an enzyme automatic dishwasher detergent, or other such product?

Debbie_2008,

Which model number do you have? There should be a sticker on the inside of the door jamb right by the hinge.

How long have you had this machine?

Is your water soft or hard?

Debbie,
I have the Kenmore HE3 model washer and dryer that I bought in 2001. I have washed a piece of carpet from my daughters car that was filled with dog hair/smell that would not come out with the tape rollers. I was so surprised when this carpet came out absolutely spotless with no dog smell whatsoever. The HE3 and Duets are very similar and I would expect very similar results. Sorry to hear that you are that unsatisfied. Have you had a service call to check out the machine?

Duet Owners and others,
Our Whirlpool Duet front loader doesn't use enough water to wash or rinse.
This past weekend I decided to try a little experimentation to determine just how the
pressure switch works in the machine. I decided to replicate the function of the machine by
cutting a piece of 1-1/4" pvc pipe the height of the washer and install a hose barb at the
base of the pipe to allow connection of a piece of 1/4" clear plastic tubing that would
connect to the pressure switch. I located the switch at the same height that it is in the
machine, connected an ohm meter so that I could tell when the contact closed that indicated
full water level. I really learned a lot by doing this, none of my original ideas proved to
be true but after seeing for myself how the switch reacted to water level I began to
understand what would have to be done to increase water level in the machine without having
to make an adjustment to the switch. It really is simple after you see how it reacts.
This is what I learned. The length of tubing has very little to do with when the switch
closes, the orientation of the tube has everything to do with when the switch will close.
Let me explain by getting you to draw a simple XY graph. First draw the vertical and
horizontal axis lines, next starting at X=0 and Y=0 draw a 45deg.line on the graph go back
and add two more lines equally spaced between the X axis line and the 45deg.line, do the
same for the Y axis. Be sure to allow the angular lines to extend the full length of the X
and Y lines. It should start to look like one quarter of a spoke wheel at this point. At
this point take a kids drawing compass and draw a quarter circle with the point of the
compass located at X 0, Y 0, allow the pencil to extend to the full height of X. Everywhere
the pencil crosses a line represents water level on the X axis based on the angle of the
tub with relationship to the vertical axis. If you were able to follow my crude instructions you should now see how the orientation of the tubing that feeds pressure to the
switch is effected by the angle that it leaves the machine tub and travels to the switch.
If its not plain yet just draw a line at each cross point parallel to the horizontal axis
and let it run to the vertical axis. Where it crosses the vertical axis represents water level in the pvc pipe.
I haven't opened up our machine yet so I don't know if I will be able to increase water
level with what I have learned but I plan to try. All depends on how the line is oriented
now and if there is room for me to reroute the tube in a more vertical direction as it
leaves the connection point on the washers tub. Horizontal travel is additive and once you
have reached the maximum horizontal travel allowed by the switch calibration no amount of
vertical travel will change the trip point. You have to go vertically as quickly as
possible with the line to increase water height in the machine to the desired level at
which point you want to travel horizontally to the switch.
Look at the graph you'll see how water level increases when the tube travels in a more
vertical direction and decreases as you move toward the horizontal axis.
I sure hope I can make this work because it will be a simple fix for the water problem that everyone is having with these front loaders and want require any electrical knowledge and better than that want require any money unless you have to add some length to the tube. Twenty feet of the clear 1/4" tubing cost me $2.68 and about the same for the double ended 3/16" hose barb. I'm hoping someone will see this and give it a try with success and pass it own to others. If not I'll give it a try as soon as I have time.
If anyone gives this a try please let us hear from you on how it worked out. Remember look at the graph, when I tried filling the pvc pipe with the tubing running straight up the pipe I was able to get 28 inches of water in the tube before the switch tripped, this is a lot more water that your machine will hold so take it slow. I'm sure you will not be able to find a straight vertical path but vertical adds just like horizontal as long as you get the vertical travel ahead of the horizontal. Remember always unplug the machine before you start working on it!!!

Sincerely,
Tim Tucker
tim.tucker2881@yahoo.com

P.S. This has all been inspired by a guy named Joe Tass after having read his blog it got me to thinking about a simple way to solve the problem. I sure hope that it works out. I'm going to post this in the comment section on his blog as well. Good Luck All
(whirlpool-dueling-with-duet.blogspot.com)
Sorry my word processor tried to double space everything.
I will continue to work on this problem as I have time. I encluded the address to Joe's blog because this is what inspired me to get as far as I have gotten with this problem. If anyone follows up with this information let me hear from you as to what you did and how it worked. I know that it will work if there is enough space in the machine to run the pressure tubing vertically. Remember in the test that I ran this past weekend I use the orqinal pressure switch from my machine and made no adjustment to the switch. When I ran the tubing vertically up the pvc pipe I was able to achive 28" of water in the pvc tube before the switch tripped. If your water level is too high just add small amounts of horizontal change to the path and the water level will start to drop on the next fill cycle. Good Luck

Um, once again I wonder why people buy energy-efficient appliances but then seem shocked that it doesn't use as much water as a Top Loader, and then go to such great lengths to tear their machine apart? Pretty much all front-loaders spray water on the clothes just until they're wet, and then tumble the clothes against the drum.

My only problem with increased water levels is the fact that the additional weight could be damaging the machine. Water is heavy. I adjusted my levels somewhat with the pressure switch but not by much. The only difference is the fact that I hear more pronounced sloshing than I did before. Some front loaders that have a high water level were designed for that. I'm not sure if these machines can stand high water levels or not...For all I know, they can but just don't use much water. AT any rate. I'm pretty happy with the way things are with mine now. It's 4 years old and still looks and smells like it came off the showroom floor. And I've washed A LOT of laundry in the thing.

Even though I do not have a Whirlpool Duet, I to am having
problems of not enough water!!!! I have a Bosch 800 Series.
Model # WFMC8400UC. I have located the water sensor device
in my machine, however, there seems to be -6- sets of screws
on the front of the sensor and I have no idea if all -6- or
just -1- screw has to be turned. I even talked to a teck and
he did not know himself. Unfortunately I do not have the
ability to post a picture of my water sensor.
Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

Chance1

Hi Mark40511,

I have been away for a bit and just saw your message. I'm glad to read that you are still enjoying the benefits of the increased water level of your FL. I would love to part of the club. :) Unfortunately, i haven't found a solution since i last posted. I really wish i could alter that water pressure chip....

Ive adjusted our water level using mikes duet blog and it works great. The pressure switch is easy to adjust. I added 2 1/2 gallons of water to the wash and Ive also done it to 6 other units of people I know and they all enjoy their machines now. This adjustment can be done to any unit made by whirlpool (kenmoore, matag etc.),as they all use the same switch

Has anyone who is having excessive soap left in their clothes tried using less soap to start with? I never have had a soap issue with mine. I know this because when my washer was rinsing, I added extra water to it with the garden hose, through the detergent drawer. I got more water, and no extra suds. All my clothes, towels and sheets always came out clean and soft.

My units are stacked. Is there a way to reach the switch from the front or back, instead of the top panel?

I have had front loaders for about 13 years now, and as soon as my new house is completed in a couple of months I am going back to a top loader. If I can purchase a satisfactory "modern" top loader...great. otherwise I will look for an older used one in good shape. My Duets will go in the barn for quilts or throw rugs until they finally die.

I have hard water and use minimal detergent. While the Duets are nice for washing large blankets and quilts, I feel they do a lousy job rinsing things like towels. There just isn't enough water to do the job. Towels soak up the minimal water, and there just isn't enough to do a good rinse job.

At first glance when using a heavy duty or sanitary wash cycle the laundry appears to be well rinsed. However, if they are re-washed with no detergent on a bulky items cycle, which fills the washer with more water, there are tons of suds left in the drain/rubber boot area. Sometimes it takes another bulky item cycle to get all the suds out. It doesn't matter what He detergent it is, and scaling down the amount lower than the lowest stated useage amount makes for dingy towels. I was also getting itchy skin from my jeans, so I put those through extra cycles with no soap as well. No more itchy skin. I use unscented detergents such as Ecos and Seventh Generation because Tide and such would just tear me up, and was absolutely horrible rinsing out.

I am all for water conservation, but having to run multiple cycles in no way saves money or resources. In my opinion, these washers do not use enough water and the government has no business dictating what water levels my dishwasher and washing machine use, or what lightbulbs I purchase for that matter. Consumers have the ability to control the quality and conservation issues with how they spend their dollars, and I already have a mother and father.

I'm going to look into tweaking the water levels.

I have one of the Duet models being discussed and though I didn't read every post I'm surprised that no one has mentioned using white vinegar in the softener tray.
I know, I know there are people out there who will say VINEGAR??!! no way! BUT the vinegar helps rinse out ALL of the detergent left behind.
I have been using vinegar in the rinse for several years and our towels and all clothes are very soft.
Just a thought.

Detergent is alkaline ... vinegar is the opposite, a mild acid. In commercial laundries, an acidic product used to neutralize alkalinity is called a "laundry sour."

This thread has been brought back from the dead several times.........I made the adjustment on mine a few years ago.....I wouldn't go so far as to call it easy at all.......You would either end up with way too much water or back to normal......I couldn't find the happy medium until messing with it for a few days......I think my washer is using a gallon or two more water with each cycle. I'm very happy with the Duet......I think it rinses great

It makes me so sad to see all of you struggling like I am with this horror of a machine, the duet!! My towels are like sandpaper, and what used to be white is now gray. I have tried using bleach, not using bleach, only HE less of it, more of it, smaller loads, affresh, borax. It is my personal nightmare!!

I've been mostly happy with the Duet, purchased in 2008, but really sweaty yard-work clothes weren't coming clean--they would stink after my husband put them on and began to sweat again. Washing them on Sanitary, with the extra rinse AND a manual additional rinse/spin, was helping, but I thought I'd try the water adjustment. I've always used Charlie's Soap, no fabric softener, and have always used the extra rinse. No problems with towels, but I don't think my whites are quite what they should be.

Yesterday, we finally adjusted the water level. It was simple to do.
So far, I'm pleased. A load of whites did seem to come out brighter.

Hi been following this thread. We just bought a new house and it came with matching Whirlpool Duet 9500 models. I followed the attached Utube video but I do not have the red round water pressure switch as you all have. I have a simple grey pressure switch with NO adjustment screws. Sits in the same place as the red round one does as seen in the Utube video. Am I to assume that this is non-adjustable and spending $75 on a new switch will get me no where?

Barely any water visible in the drum and the clothes are not being throughoughly cleaned and still smell like soap. Any assitacne is appreciated. V/r David

Some water level switches nowadays have gone to a non-adjustable design. The electronics in the machine are matched to that switch, attempting to change it to one of a different design is unlikely to work.

Try cycles other than the designated Normal. Normal is the most restricted on fill level (and temperature) since it's the basis of EnergyStar ratings. Delicate for example typically fills higher to cushion the clothes for a gentler wash action.

Keep in mind that more water is not always a good thing. Much of the wash action in a frontloader comes from the saturated/wet fabric slapping onto the drum surface as it lifts and tumbles. I once washed a bunch of sheer curtain panels in a 2006 Duet. I figured the Delicate cycle to be appropriate. The higher fill level caused the lightweight fabric to float and the load didn't rollover at all, just jiggled in the water. There was undissolved powder detergent caught in the folds when done. I ran the load again on Normal, the lower fill level allowed the items to lift and fall nicely for much better cleaning action.

I have the 9500 Duet and FTMP, I'm very happy with it. I use the heavy duty cycle quite often, along with the allergen and sanitary cycles. I wash my delicates on the shortest heavy duty cycle. Since losing my beloved Persil Pearls, I've been trying to find a good detergent and amount to use. But, our clothes are still clean. I wash for a family of 8-9 in the machine, including cloth diapers, so it gets a good workout. I made a mistake recently, and added too much detergent to the diapers, so I had to run a bunch of rinse cycles in order to get out the extra detergent. But thats my error, not a problem with the Duet.