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White goods - Dishwasher/Washing Machine plumbing and dimensions etc


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And as my kitchen conundrum continues, thought I'd try and make some in roads to the side of the galley that will house my washer and dishwasher. I heard before that there is a particular washing machine favoured by boaters - might it have been a bit less deep or something?

Anyway, I have a machine that is 550mm deep including the rear of its counter top that sticks out past the rest of the machine - it bodes reasonably well for fitting.

I've looked at dishwashers - 550mm seems about the best (and pretty typical) for the depth of a standard 600mm wide machine.

I'm thinking if there is not enough room for the plumbing behind, then I can just hack away at the ply sides of the boat.

But I have two main questions - firstly, what are the waste water arrangements for these appliances? Out the side through a skin fitting I presume but should one still use a trap?

Secondly - any clever ideas on how to get the water feed over from the other side of the boat? I'm thinking to run it under the floor but then it could leak... Obviously I could avoid any joins under the floor by bending the plastic pipe a bit - though that might be quite tight. Or is under floor piping a no-no? Could the pipe freeze or is it a bsc fail? I've got the bsc pdf now so will see what I can find in there but I wonder what others have done?

thank you :)

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Most of washing machine recommendations come from can I run X on a inverter. The Candy 4Kg (or is it 3Kg) is usually recommend as it's small and usually inverter/ genny friendly.

 

If your running the washing machine from shore power then only size is your concern, but I've seen ones that are standard width n height but a small depth but I'm not sure of the make.

 

Traps are for preventing smells from coming from the drain, you don't have a drain so no trap is needed. The outlet can go directly to a skin fitting. I like them high or use a anti syohon device. a skin fitting for a sink is really the height of the sink, a washing machine may shyphon water in if the fitting is only a foot above the canal water and your keeled over a bit for what ever reason.

BSS doesn't care about water pipes, common sense is good tho for routing it! I would avoid joins, you don't need them with the pipe like hep20 and I'm surprised on the amount some people use right angle bends when the pipe can just do it.

Edited by Robbo
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I can understand washing machine on boats, with eco friendly cleaning solutions of course, a few degrees list and they will continue to work, and probably not overfill or leak.

However, a dishwasher is another story, it's like carrying a full tray of water, the slightest movement, and water will cascade over the edge. On our home Bosch dishwasher the water level is probably a cm or so below the lip by the door, I would guess any wash from passing boats, or even stepping on and off the boat, could set up a small wave in the dishwasher and slop over the edge and into the boat area, unless provision is made to collect and dispose of it. Generally dishwasher tablets tend to be alkaline, you wouldn't really want that water sloshing around in the bilge lol. With more liveaboards, and continuous cruisers, should we be really discharging chemical waste into our rivers and canals? As occasional boaters, we still use washing up liquid and shower gel, but we are not on the boat 24/7 but every bit is adding to pollution.

 

Ok, I hope someone will advise otherwise on the practicalities of a dishwasher on a boat, clearly the bigger the boat the better, being moored up tight will help too.

 

I was just curious.

Richard

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We've got a dishwasher. It doesn't hold that much water in the base. Ecover make dishwasher tablets that are eco friendly. We both hate washing up, so although a bit extravagant, we wouldn't be without it now. It does use a fair bit of water and electricity, but we're on a serviced mooring, so no problem for us and when cruising we normally fill up every few days. Biggest issues is the noise as its only about 6' from the sofa.

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Thanks for the tip about the Indesit washer. I think I can get away with the one I have for now but I've book marked it in my boaty stuff!

 

I have no problem getting full size appliances through my bow doors, thankfully.

 

Mross - I'd be surprised if my inverter doesn't produce excellent 240v. It's a Victron 3000 inverter/charger and runs everything I've thrown at it - angle grinders, hoovers etc. One piece of kit I'm glad I got from the off.

 

I'm unclear about the water issue with dishwashers though - surely the water is spraying around all the while, and kept in by the door seals? Then pumped out at the end?

 

I do intend to use ecover or similar products for these appliances.

 

As far as water use, I'm pretty sure that I get through more water washing a few things by hand, by the time I've rinsed them off, than a dishwasher would use on a whole load.

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"The average dishwasher uses 6 gallons of water per cycle; the average Energy Star-rated dishwasher uses 4 gallons per cycle, and their energy use ranges from 1.59 kWh per load down to 0.87 kWh per load."

 

neither of which is thinking like a boater. By all means treat your boat like a house but be prepared to spend a lot of time and money on basic services.

incidentally 1kwh is 83Ah at 12v so better make sure your power generation is up to it.

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Mross - I'd be surprised if my inverter doesn't produce excellent 240v. It's a Victron 3000 inverter/charger and runs everything I've thrown at it - angle grinders, hoovers etc. One piece of kit I'm glad I got from the off.

 

Don't bet on it. The Zanussi Studio washing machine has been reported to not work on this inverter.

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i seem to remember a few weeks back the OP was insisting that the boats water tank was insufficient . Despite this the intention is now to fit a dishwasher which uses far more water than a sink . Maybe i m missing something , maybe im a luddite , but what really is the problem with just filling a sink with hot water and getting ones hands wet .

I just don t understand why some folk insist on finding problems where they don t exist .

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Well, we all have different requirements, preferences and desires. don't we?

 

I'm sure that I'm using more water by hand than if I had a full dishwasher load, and I don't like washing up!

 

The water tank yes - another thing on the list is to convert my bow locker into an auxiliary tank.

 

I also don't have the power to run these appliances yet - generator in the offing though :)

 

As you can see I have a lot to do and a long way to go - but it is nice to personalise the boat to ones own requirements.

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I can understand washing machine on boats, with eco friendly cleaning solutions of course, a few degrees list and they will continue to work, and probably not overfill or leak.

However, a dishwasher is another story, it's like carrying a full tray of water, the slightest movement, and water will cascade over the edge. On our home Bosch dishwasher the water level is probably a cm or so below the lip by the door, I would guess any wash from passing boats, or even stepping on and off the boat, could set up a small wave in the dishwasher and slop over the edge and into the boat area, unless provision is made to collect and dispose of it. Generally dishwasher tablets tend to be alkaline, you wouldn't really want that water sloshing around in the bilge lol. With more liveaboards, and continuous cruisers, should we be really discharging chemical waste into our rivers and canals? As occasional boaters, we still use washing up liquid and shower gel, but we are not on the boat 24/7 but every bit is adding to pollution.

 

Ok, I hope someone will advise otherwise on the practicalities of a dishwasher on a boat, clearly the bigger the boat the better, being moored up tight will help too.

 

I was just curious.

Richard

Hire companies fit them now

We've got a dishwasher. It doesn't hold that much water in the base. Ecover make dishwasher tablets that are eco friendly. We both hate washing up, so although a bit extravagant, we wouldn't be without it now. It does use a fair bit of water and electricity, but we're on a serviced mooring, so no problem for us and when cruising we normally fill up every few days. Biggest issues is the noise as its only about 6' from the sofa.

If you use it to full capacity it probably uses less water than doing it in a washing up bowl

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Modern white goods often use solid-state relays and sophisticated protection which is sensitive to voltage and frequency. I did read of someone having trouble, even with a PSW but I can't find that now. It was probably on this forum in 2016.

That would be my biggest concern with the job.

i seem to remember a few weeks back the OP was insisting that the boats water tank was insufficient . Despite this the intention is now to fit a dishwasher which uses far more water than a sink . Maybe i m missing something , maybe im a luddite , but what really is the problem with just filling a sink with hot water and getting ones hands wet .

I just don t understand why some folk insist on finding problems where they don t exist .

I wonder how much water is normally used in a washing up bowl and how often that would be used for a full load of washing up. say 2 people X 3 meals

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Well, we all have different requirements, preferences and desires. don't we?

 

I'm sure that I'm using more water by hand than if I had a full dishwasher load, and I don't like washing up!

 

The water tank yes - another thing on the list is to convert my bow locker into an auxiliary tank.

 

I also don't have the power to run these appliances yet - generator in the offing though :)

 

As you can see I have a lot to do and a long way to go - but it is nice to personalise the boat to ones own requirements.

Quite Right

 

You re correct. Your boat , your call .

So , despite the option , albeit old fashioned , of filling a sink with hot water and getting your hands wet you instead intend to spend £££ on a dishwasher , £££ if not ££££ on a generator which will need storing safely somewhere & More £ on petrol & servicing ? To facilitate the extra water usage you ll be somehow fitting an additional at more £££ and hassle .

 

All because you dont want to your hands wet or because you think marigold gloves don't suit you .

 

This is bonkers !!

 

I m not bitching by the way - its your boat afterall & as long as it suits you , your pockets and needs then happy days ... but it all seems just so unnecessary?

Still , i hope you find a way of making it all work out but me i 'd sooner just go to poundshop of a pair of marigolds and a pack of sponges

 

cheers

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Chubby - I'll be thinking of you and your £ shop sponge and all the other luxuries you doubtless have - when I'm effortlessly unloading clean sparkly cutlery and crockery from my dishwasher. :)

You don't need a dishwasher when you can afford staff! ;-)

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Quite Right

You re correct. Your boat , your call .

So , despite the option , albeit old fashioned , of filling a sink with hot water and getting your hands wet you instead intend to spend £££ on a dishwasher , £££ if not ££££ on a generator which will need storing safely somewhere & More £ on petrol & servicing ? To facilitate the extra water usage you ll be somehow fitting an additional at more £££ and hassle .

cheers

There's better things to do than washing up in my opinion, planning world domination and such. Dishwashers use less water than hand washing.

 

I store my generator in the engine room, it uses diesel, in winter time it's used for around an hour a day which could be used to run a dishwasher, this would be more efficient as it's best to run at 75% load so running a dishwasher whilst charging batteries.

 

In summer, solar can give you plenty of additional power.

 

The power generation if off-grid just needs to be planned and using a portable genny is just a pain, so to the OP if your off-grid in winter this is important to get right for a comfy life and I would recommend a decent built in diesel genny. If you don't have the room, a high amp alternator (these are better if your 24v) or a 240v travelpower thing. Next I would get solar for summer use, more tends to be better.

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Ok Ok .... you guys win - i 'll admit it - I m a luddite .!

 

I just like a simple life . I don t want to have to " plan " my washing up. I don t want to fund , install & maintain various pieces of expensive & complex equipment in order to free up the 10 - 15 minutes i might otherwise spend with my hands in the sink .

Also , for me ( an opinion only ... ) i like the simplicity , i covet it & cherish it . Life is so bloody complex these days that i consider my boat , my home to be something of an escape from it all . The less complicated the better . The less things to wrong the better . Afterall theres already quite enough to cause a headache when you own a boat .

This is , however , my outlook only . My boat , my call . Your boat , your call . I'm happy , your happy .

I hope it all works out - im sure it will ....

cheers

  • Greenie 4
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Ok Ok .... you guys win - i 'll admit it - I m a luddite .!

I just like a simple life . I don t want to have to " plan " my washing up. I don t want to fund , install & maintain various pieces of expensive & complex equipment in order to free up the 10 - 15 minutes i might otherwise spend with my hands in the sink .

 

You may have to plan your washing up if you have a calorfier for hot water!

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