AEG Lavatherm 57560 taking ages to dry

[lavamat_jon]

Hi all,

I have a 2 year old AEG Lavatherm 57560 tumble dryer and within the past 6 months or so it has been taking longer than it normally does to dry. When I first got it it would dry a load of towels in about an hour and a half on Special Care, and a load of sheets in about 30 minutes and a load of clothes in 40. However now it’s taking over 2 and a half hours to dry towels on my usual setting (Cottons Storage Dry with Special Care/Audible Signal selected); and a load I have done just now (3 hoodies, 5 t shirts, underwear and 2 shirts) – which is a smaller load than I usually do – took almost 3 hours to dry on my usual programme for clothes; Easy Cares Extra Dry again with Special Care/Audible Signal. The load before that also took almost 3 hours on special care; 8 pairs of jeans which would normally be dry in about an hour and a half before. Bear in mind that my washing machine has a 1600rpm spin which I use all the time so clothes are more than adequately dry before they go in – that is why I chose a 1600rpm washer, and that I have always used the same drying cycles with Special Care as before. (I don’t use higher heat settings because in my experience they shrink the clothes and the bits of elastic on towels so that’s not a solution for me).

I clean out the heat exchanger regularly whenever the light comes up (which is after every 25 dryer loads I think); I always clean the fluff filter after every load and I have cleaned out the inside of the dryer as best I could without having to take it apart. So, does anybody have any suggestions as to why the drying times have become longer, and anything that I can do? I really don’t want to get rid of the dryer as it cost me well over £400; and for that price I really don’t expect this just 2 years down the line especially from what is supposed to be a reputable brand. However if there isn’t any solutions that will work; then it’s probably going to be a new Miele to match the washer. Probably vented too; I often think that dangling the hose out the window is less inconvenient than having to empty the soap drawer after each load and cleaning out condenser units every month!

Any help would be much appreciated!

Jon

[lavamat_jon]

Re: AEG Lavatherm 57560 taking ages to dry

Any advice guys..? 🙂

[Penguin45]

Re: AEG Lavatherm 57560 taking ages to dry

For a tumble dryer, this is a fiendishly complex machine.

Simple stuff:
Channels to the condenser unit gradually accumulate fluff, blocking/slowing the flow of water. Same applies to the lift pump.
More complex:
Twin circuit element down to one element. Sensors clagging up with fluff. Sensor band on drum dirty.
Nasty:
Computer playing up, sensor failure.

I’m a pro and I struggle with these. Time for pro help?

Power off if you are going to investgate further.

Regards,
Penguin45.

[lavamat_jon]

Re: AEG Lavatherm 57560 taking ages to dry

Penguin45 wrote:For a tumble dryer, this is a fiendishly complex machine.
Penguin45.

Hmmm I agree. I remember my mum’s old Hotpoint dryer which was more or less just a timer drum and heater.

All this is happening just as it’s out the 2 year guarantee too… also having problems with it making a metallic rattling noise as it reverses. I’m not too happy with the noise level of it too (it’s pretty loud)… so is it worth just cutting my losses and buying a Miele dryer when money permits, rather than sort out this one?

Jon

[Penguin45]

Re: AEG Lavatherm 57560 taking ages to dry

Aha – rattling noises. Possibly fan working loose on shaft, reduces air flow = extended drying times. Worth checking out – power off, of course.

Regards,
Penguiin45.

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