Grim Internet: The Social Media Chronicles

Tell me about it? I work nights looking after two people with learning disabilities. Their blasted Tumble Dryer has broken down completely and it is Linux ran, in the programming for different temperatures for different clothe fabrics. The drive belt had gone, so after waiting what seemed forever finally they came to replace the belt.

What we did not realise though was after reading the instructions, after the new belt had been attached, three months after new belt replacement even. They state that after every dry clean out the fluff condenser, by pouring water into it over your sink, make sure the water condenser is emptied after every dry and the fluff filter cradle is emptied after each dry. We always done the fluff filter and water condenser, but the fluff condenser which is housed under a flap with three locks on, it’s the same as the lint trap on a washing machine, but four times bigger. So the early hours of yesterday Sunday 20th February, there I was clearing out the fluff condenser and even though I had done so last month, it was chock full of dark blue fluff. Then after putting it back in switching it on to get some towels dry, PO4 error came up on the LED screen. Took out the Fluff condenser, clean. Looked inside the hole it came out from filled up with fluff, cleared that out found it had a corner at the end of the very deep hole, stretched my plastic rubber chubby left arm out as far as I could, to get around the corner and could feel more wetness and bulk of fluff.

So what is the point of having a fluff condenser when the rest of the tumble dryer gets wet and stops the dryer from heating up? They only had this dryer for two years. I could of fixed it, if I had my tools with me. Just a case of taking the back off, taking the heat sink out and giving it a good clean. Get a sucky thing to suck all the fluff that had accumulated where it shouldn’t be.
It has an exhaust on the front that is full of fluff as well, that you can’t get to as it is housed behind a grill. The only way into this machine, is from the back and with specialist tools the eight sided screws to hold the drum in is at the front, including the door with it’s door lock.

Yes the right to repair and always buy new has baffled me too. I like taking things apart and fixing them myself, it’s called DIY Do It Yourself or DIM Do It Myself. The thing is, is that this machine will get taken away fixed, then sold as new to someone else.

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The technology is flawed. Get a cabinet dryer.
DIY is only worthwhile if the basic design is right.
Neville

Sympathize with your rant. Please reveal the brand of the dryer so we can avoid it. Don’t think I’ve ever seen a dryer with two fluff catchers, and what is a water condenser? My frigidaire has one lint catcher and the water goes out the vent with the hot air.

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Hi Berninghausen,
Ultima S Line HOTPOINT Tumble Dryer.


Left hand side at the top where all the writing is, that is also the water condenser, where all the water goes from the heat made whilst drying your clothes. The bottom of the picture where the round air filter is, houses the giant fluff condenser, only flaw with it is it has holes at the bottom of it and slowly over time fills up the space it’s housed in and also that circular fan has a cage behind it making it impossible to get to from the front.

I guess I learn something new every day. I’ve never seen or heard of condenser dryers. All we ever see here–Oregon, USA–are ordinary, vented dryers. Water (and lint/fluff) is evaporated and moved through the vent out of the house. Recirculating the air, condensing and storing the water, and retaining all the fluff within the machine are literally foreign concepts here.
I did skip around on YouTube to learn more about these machines. They require significantly more cleaning efforts than vented dryers. Design differences between brands are major–the Bosch dryers seem to be easy to clean compared to Miele and Hotpoint. This was the best video I saw: Basic Tumble Dryer Maintenance For Trouble Free Drying - YouTube.
We currently use a gas-fired, vented dryer. Uses less energy and is easier to clean. Didn’t know how lucky we were!

They were the rage here in Britain years ago, but with health and safety measures that have over the top must dos and do nots, they came up with these Hotpoint and tough on keeping up to scratch ones. The old type had a condenser with a hose, like a washing machine and the fluff filter in the door. The drive belt used to wear out so quickly on them, also people’s kitchens would set on fire as no one removed the fluff from the filter, years upon, years of fluff would gather up and get over heated. One thing I do miss though is my belly button fluff, where did it go? Used to be the rage as a child to save up your belly button fluff for your granny to make a jumper out of. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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