Is it normal for my top loader to stay soaking wet inside after a cycle?

That condensation build-up is a hallmark design flaw of those high-efficiency Samsung top loaders, and honestly, your concern about the electronics is spot on. The control boards in these units are rarely sealed well enugh against long-term moisture exposure. When that steam gets trapped under the lid, it eventually migrates into the display panel housing and starts corroding the solder joints. You'll know it's happening when the buttons start acting ghost-like or the machine randomly turns itself on and off at 3:00 AM. The deep fill option is definitely making it worse because you're adding more thermal mass to the drum, which creates that localized humidity chamber. These machines don't have active venting; they rely on a tiny passive gap that is usually obstructed by the lid gasket or just too small to handle the vapor pressure from a warm wash. If you're doing anything above a cold tap setting, that fog is going to stay trapped until you physically move it. Since you can't leave the lid wide open in a cramped space, try propping it up just two or three inches with a small rubber doorstop or a folded towel after the cycle ends. It doesn't need to be fully open to vent; it just needs a **chimney effect** to let the warm air escape. Also, check the bleach dispenser cup. Sometimes those get clogged with gunk and hold onto extra water, which just adds more moisture to the air inside the drum while the machine is sitting idle. I spent years repairing these units and eventually just stopped recommending the brand altogether for laundry. Their sensors are way too sensitive and the build quality on the internal seals is bottom-tier compared to a Speed Queen or even a mid-range GE. If you start seeing any 'flickering' on the timer display, that's your sign that the moisture has already breached the control board housing. At that point, you're better off looking for a replacement rather than dumping $300 into a new board that'll just fail again for the same reason.

Oh wow, I just joined this group becuase I'm looking for a new setup and this sounds like a nightmare! I'm so glad I saw this before buying. Does anyone know if the matching dryers have similar issues with the control boards? I’ve been looking at a set but now I'm terrified the dryer vent might just blow steam everywhere too! That 'chimney effect' trick is acutally genius though, I'm definitly taking notes for my current old clunker.

Wait, does this only happen if you use hot water? I usually just stick to the 'Normal' cycle because I'm scared of shrinking my clothes, so I don't know much about how the settings actually work. If I keep it on cold, does that stop the steam from building up, or is it just a design flaw no matter what? Also, does leaving the detergent drawer open help at all? I saw someone mention that for front loaders once but I wasn't sure if it mattered for these top ones. I really don't want to fry my electronics!

You’re fighting a losing battle with that WA50R5200AW. Samsung uses a cheap plastic tub ring that basicly acts as a reservoir for heat, and once that moisture hits the cold lid, it's game over. To the person asking about cold water: it helps, but those HE impellers generate enought friction and air turbulence that you'll still get 'sweat' on the underside. I swapped my neighbor out of one of these into a Speed Queen TC5—totally diffrent world. No electronics in the lid to fry, and it acutally breathes. If you're stuck with the Samsung, pull the bleach tray out entirely after a load; it’s a hidden moisture trap.

While the aforementioned chimney effect is a serviceable stopgap, it fails to address the underlying issue of the hydrostatic seal integrity on the pulsator cap, as even a minor breach there allows residual moisture to permeate the wash plate's underside long after the drain cycle concludes. You shoud specifically examine the lid's peripheral gasket for any manufacturing burrs that might be impeding the secondary passive airflow path designed to mitigate this exact vapor accumulation, as even a three-millimeter deviation in the seating of that silicone lip can exacerbate the condensation cycles exponentially during the high-RPM spin phases.

Quick update — I tried switching to cold water like one of you suggested, but it barely made a difference. The lid was still dripping even on a basic cycle. That point about the plastic tub ring acting as a heat reservoir makes so much sense now. I’m honestly terrified for the control board. Does anyone know if there's a way to prop the lid just a crack while it's running without it pausing?