Small Softmount Options

[dave_in_Minneso]

What are my options for replacing my old toploads with small softmounts? I tried a couple of Neptunes but the customers are not impressed with them...
dave.

[Lar Hylobates]

I put in some Horizons last year. I don't regret it as they are attractive machines that are working fine and get decent turns. I got them at a great price due to many rebates, however would not put them in again and am planning to remove them after the three year warranty. They are just too tender for commercial traffic.

[anonymous]

My 15 Horizons have been running for a year now, with no real problems. The only problems I have had is overfilling powder soap in the dispensor with cheap soap and it clumps up (must be filler), some coins that get stuck in the electric pump (you'll hear it across the entire store when this happens), and 1 time a front drum seal tore, the distributor replaced it free. I like the machine. My customers like the machine. I'm glad I bought them over the Neptunes for 1 big reason - a glass door.

[pete f]

Maybe the best option is to replace your old tops with new tops and price them a quarter higher?
I have some neptunes, they get used fairly well. I would shy away from the horizion and W-16. Don't leave much else.
IPSO HF-55 12# soft mount is a great heavy duty machine but will need a base and has to be hard plumbed for the drain as it is a dumop valve, not a pump.

[E&R]

Contiental Girbau is gearing up to offer a 18lbs softmount that is designed to fit in a space of a top loader.

http://www.girbau.com/girbau_ang/productos/lavadoras_fr2.html

[David]

Pete,

Now wait a minute, if the HF-55 is a soft mount, why do you need a base?

And can't you use a flexible hose to connect the drain to lines close to the floor?

[lang]

Do you know the price for the HS-5008 free-standing high speed washer extractors? Any one experience with it? They look good to me

[lang]

Any of you have experience with the Huebsch Softmount frontload washers? http://www.huebsch.com/new/New_2.htm . The price is about $1200/each.

[E&R]

Saw one at Cont. Girbau distributor in Los Angeles this year. Don't remember the cost now. My impression was that it was bigger than 18#, maybe (20# or 25#) and better-built than the Horizon; I liked the computer control board with built-in diagnostic but I don't like the soap chute/drawer - hard to clean.

Contiental factory engineer I spoke to said that this series of HS softmount is designed specifically for coin-laundry market - average about 8 turns per day and they plan to have larger softmounts in the future. Whereas their OPL, i.e. H2030 series are designed to run 16- 20 turns per day.

[Lar Hylobates]

David,

the bases are to make the front door an appropriate height and the drains siphon out water if the drain is more or less below the water height in the tub. Just the rules.

My drains are soft and flexible, just high.

Actually a few of them are not high enough, but another story.

[pete f]

HL sort of hit the nail here and he does not even have the Ipso..
smart person..Then again those SQ horizens are low to the ground.. The base is to put the door at a decent hight for use. I have mine at about 9" The drains are plumbed using factory hose, somewhat flexile, like a radiator hose on your car. You could use any drain hose, but it would have to be at drain level, not a stand pipe. The "hard plumb" referred to not having a pump like most softmounts have. It is a dump valve like any hard mount.

[David]

OIC

[CharlieS]

We take our Neptunes and mount them on a base made of 8" treated 2 x 8 and 2 layers of 1/2" plywood. This lifts them up and makes them look larger and more comparable to other front loaders. I think this has increased our customer acceptance of these machines.

I did see the big Continental Soft mounts at the clean show last year. They are nice, and I would certainly consider them for a 'mat over a basement. However, they are twice the price.

Charlie