# How much frailer are modern washers than older ones?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-frailer-are-modern-washers-than-older-ones/939938>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 14, 2021, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-frailer-are-modern-washers-than-older-ones/939938 "2021-04-14T01:39:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 6

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**Author:** ![Bonum\_Legatum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bonum_legatum/32/6183_2.png) [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2021, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-frailer-are-modern-washers-than-older-ones/939938/101 "2021-09-18T13:27:25Z")

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> [@RadioWave](#):
>
> More on point to the OP though, this last weekend, our 11 year old LG washer finally died. As Princhester said, it was one of the capacitors that exploded (love that smell) but the motherboard has some coating so you can’t replace individual components

Some circuit boards are given a “conformal coat” (like a varnish coat) to prevent short circuits from the growth of “tin whiskers”.

[https://nepp.nasa.gov/WHISKER/background/index.htm](https://nepp.nasa.gov/WHISKER/background/index.htm)

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**Author:** ![Bonum\_Legatum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bonum_legatum/32/6183_2.png) [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2021, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-frailer-are-modern-washers-than-older-ones/939938/102 "2021-09-18T13:29:46Z")

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> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> Anyhow, I’m wondering if the idea of renting a washer/dryer would appeal to people, especially those frustrated by newer ones that seem to break down frequently. So if it stops working, you call them, they come and either fix it or replace it with a working unit (not necessarily the same model).

Sounds like the old Ma Bell model of renting your telephone. And since they were on the hook (pun intended) for repairs, they made their telephones rock-solid sturdy.

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**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2021, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-frailer-are-modern-washers-than-older-ones/939938/103 "2021-09-18T23:29:15Z")

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> [@Bonum\_Legatum](#):
>
> Some circuit boards are given a “conformal coat” (like a varnish coat) to prevent short circuits from the growth of “tin whiskers”.

Washing machine parts are given a conformal coat (or potted) to prevent corrosion by wet spray containing dissolved oxidizers.

There was a time when bright-tin-coating was common, and then there was a later time when people considered returning to bright-tin-coating. Although the linked document was last updated 2019, it actually dates from the previous decade when American suppliers were moving to alternatives to tin/lead solder. EU ROHS came into effect in 2006.

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