Water Levels by Cycle - Washer

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Possible Solutions

Top-load HE washers have a low-water wash system

However, some cycles on these machines do use a deeper fill wash or rinse. By using these cycles, such as bulky, you will get a higher water level in your machine. We recommend using the correct cycle based on the type of clothing you are washing. Using the incorrect cycle could result in poor wash performance and tangled clothing. Refer to your Owner's Manual for cycle recommendations. Not all cycles are available on all machines.

The delicate or Hand Wash cycle will result in a deeper wash—the washer will fill about half full.
The whites, Heavy Duty, Deep Water Wash, Power Wash, and Super Wash will also fill to about half full.
Normal, Casual, and Wrinkle Control will fill to slightly less than 1/2 full.
Quick Wash or Express Wash will require a minimum fill—only a few inches of water in the bottom of the washer.
The bulky cycle will result in a complete fill wash - the washer will be completely full.
Rinse Cycle: Some cycles use a spray rinse. However, if you use the Fabric Softener option, the washer will use a full rinse.

NOTE: Using these cycles may increase the amount of time and energy your washer uses. Also, adding additional water to the washer could result in poor wash performance and tangled clothes. When additional water is added to the washer, the clothing could potentially float, not allowing for proper agitation. It also may dilute the detergent.

How it works

The washer senses the load size and adds the correct amount of water for the load size. During a cycle, you may notice that the wash load is not completely submerged in water. This is normal and necessary for the clothes to move, especially on units with a wash plate in the bottom.

When the Start button is pressed, the washer will start to fill immediately as long as the lid is closed. Opening the lid will put the washer into a pause, and you will have to press the start button to continue the cycle.
Next, the washer will use short, slow spins to estimate the load size. These sensing spins may take 2 to 3 minutes before more water is added to the load. The washer will then move the load briefly, pause to allow water to soak into the load, and resume adding water. This process may repeat until the correct amount of water has been added to the load.

If you feel the washer level is lower than when you first started using this washer, try running a Clean Washer cycle. This cycle re-calibrates the control and resets it back to the factory-set water levels. This cycle should be run approximately once per month (using the affresh® Washer cleaner), and it will re-calibrate the control every time the Clean Washer cycle is used.