Washing machine operation

[Dr Bob]

Another dumb post.

We've just had a kitchen refit on Kharis and that included adding a Beco Washing machine. Now, this machine is rated at 2.2Kw and our invertor is a 2KV one so no surprises that it trips on a 30 deg wash - fine on cold wash. I've read a load of threads here about piping it up with hot/cold on timers etc which is beyond my attention threshold so instead am looking to run it on a cold wash but connecting a plastic pipe to the sink mixer tap and running hot water into the soap draw as it fills for the first wash cycle.

What are the drawbacks of this? I assume running water into the soap draw will go into the right bit of the machine and not end up where I dont want it ie over the electrics of the machine or into the bildge? Are the machines tolerant of slightly overfilling - I assume they have a level meter so if I put 10 litres in, they will put 10 litres less? Any other pitfalls to look out for?

[mross]

I think you would have to be very careful to make sure the water did not spill.  The soap drawer is normally "in" when the machine fills.  Take the drawer out and see how the water flows.  Anyway, modern detergents should work well with a cold wash.  If you are worried about germs then you would need to wash at a very high temp, I'm thinking 95*C or higher.

[WotEver]

8 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

I assume running water into the soap draw will go into the right bit of the machine...

Yes, as long as you don't spill it. 

As for the level, modern machines are very frugal with their water usage. For instance ours fills a bit, rolls the clothes around in it, fills a bit more, etc. I don't know what would happen if it had 'too much' water in it - probably nothing bad, but that's a guess. 

[Dr Bob]

7 minutes ago, mross said:

I think you would have to be very careful to make sure the water did not spill.  The soap drawer is normally "in" when the machine fills.  Take the drawer out and see how the water flows.  Anyway, modern detergents should work well with a cold wash.  If you are worried about germs then you would need to wash at a very high temp, I'm thinking 95*C or higher.

Yep, that's what I was worried about. SWMBO thinks the clothes come up cleaner with 30 deg rather than 10-20deg. I am no expert in this field!

[nicknorman]

Washing machines have water level sensors (based on hydrostatic pressure). They obviously need this as the fill rate will depend on water pressure. So if you add hot water through the soap drawer, the cold will will shut off at the same level as it would anyway, but after less cold has flowed in. There is no danger of overfilling if you add the water whilst the cold is flowing in and stop as soon as the cold stops flowing in.

[WotEver]

5 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

There is no danger of overfilling if you add the water whilst the cold is flowing in and stop as soon as the cold stops flowing in

That's a neat idea

[mross]

 

 

Lidl's biological washing powder came out well in Which? tests.  Equalled Ariel.  But they did not score on cold washes.  But give these a try.  A cold wash will be quicker and so save electricity.  This assumes time is spent heating water with electricity.  Does your machine have hot and cold fill?

[Dr Bob]

25 minutes ago, mross said:

 

 

Lidl's biological washing powder came out well in Which? tests.  Equalled Ariel.  But they did not score on cold washes.  But give these a try.  A cold wash will be quicker and so save electricity.  This assumes time is spent heating water with electricity.  Does your machine have hot and cold fill?

Just cold fill. Thanks for info on powders.

52 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

Washing machines have water level sensors (based on hydrostatic pressure). They obviously need this as the fill rate will depend on water pressure. So if you add hot water through the soap drawer, the cold will will shut off at the same level as it would anyway, but after less cold has flowed in. There is no danger of overfilling if you add the water whilst the cold is flowing in and stop as soon as the cold stops flowing in.

Thanks Nick for the confirmation. Good to know.

[Dave Payne]

My machine is connected to the hot water pipe, i ensure the tank is full of hot water, run some through the tap to get the pipes hot, then turn the washer on, no need for a cold wash, running off a 1200 watt inverter, used to be run from an 800 watt inverter which did trip out a couple of times through the wash but i think that was down to the washer asking for some fancy form of electric, the new inverter is pure sine wave and doesnt trip.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

43 minutes ago, Dave Payne said:

My machine is connected to the hot water pipe, i ensure the tank is full of hot water, run some through the tap to get the pipes hot, then turn the washer on, no need for a cold wash, running off a 1200 watt inverter, used to be run from an 800 watt inverter which did trip out a couple of times through the wash but i think that was down to the washer asking for some fancy form of electric, the new inverter is pure sine wave and doesnt trip.

Could also have been the inrush current to start the motor that rotates the drum. An inductive load that takes a lot of current to get moving, then drops off. I hwave a fridge that causes problems for my 600W emergency backup inverter when the main one was poorly. Sometimes had indigestion starting the fridge compressor motor. Once it is running the current drops right back and all is well.

Jen

[BruceinSanity]

Cold wash is fine until you get bedbugs or similar, which need more like 60°C to bump them off. Anything less, all you get is clean bedbugs.

It's a good idea to do an occasional hot wash, especially of bedding and towels, when you are on a shoreline for some reason. The oxy type bleaches are a good idea too for such items, and much better for the environment than chlorine based ones.

[Nightwatch]

You asked if there are any drawbacks to filling with hot water via a hose. My answer is no. Make sure you have a mix of cold and hot and hunky dory.

[Dr Bob]

Thanks all for the inputs. Some good information and maybe hooking up to the hot tap is the best idea but will try the 'fill through the soap draw' first.

Thanks again

[tizzy]

We have a blending valve fitted on the supply so that the washer always fills with 40c water.as long as you run it through to the kitchen 1st and keep it run through. Set the thermostat at 30 and the heater is negated. The heater is the largest load by far. 

Now the interesting bit. The next largest current draw is when it is churning with water in, not when it spins. 20 amp vs 5 amp (at 12 volts side of the inverter). Therefore I would deduce that if you over fill from a hose the current draw will be high and you could damage the washer. 

Using it the way we do we can run off batteries without the engine running but we tend to use it when on the move.

[philjw]

Hi Dr Bob, 
Have you seen any problems with the rinses also using water at 40C?  

Phil

[tizzy]

No the clothes come out fine we have never had any problems

tizzie

[Dr Bob]

12 hours ago, tizzy said:

We have a blending valve fitted on the supply so that the washer always fills with 40c water.as long as you run it through to the kitchen 1st and keep it run through. Set the thermostat at 30 and the heater is negated. The heater is the largest load by far. 

Now the interesting bit. The next largest current draw is when it is churning with water in, not when it spins. 20 amp vs 5 amp (at 12 volts side of the inverter). Therefore I would deduce that if you over fill from a hose the current draw will be high and you could damage the washer. 

Using it the way we do we can run off batteries without the engine running but we tend to use it when on the move.

Thanks Tizzy. What sort of blending valve have you got - and is it preset to 40C?

Just thinking about that, to do it I need to take a feed from the hot kitchen tap - so why not just have two feeds, hot and cold, and have a tap on each. Set it for hot during fill and switch over to cold once full. It will need someone to watch it for the first 5 mins or so.

[cuthound]

Bedt to use one of these so you can attach a pipe to go to the washing machine.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?client=tablet-android-samsung&ei=0pBgWcyvOsvWgAagv43ABg&q=thermostatic+mixer+tap+with+outlet+fitting&oq=thermostatic+mixer+tap+with+outlet+fitting&gs_l=mobile-gws-serp.3..33i160k1.7216.21650.0.23458.39.36.1.0.0.0.349.6012.5j23j5j2.35.0....0...1.1j4.64.mobile-gws-serp..7.30.5100...0j35i39k1j0i22i30k1j0i20k1j33i22i29i30k1j33i21k1.4gIAyNqQSAc#imgrc=4oqpeqq5TSetbM:

 

[jddevel]

On 7/8/2017 at 06:47, Dr Bob said:

Thanks Tizzy. What sort of blending valve have you got - and is it preset to 40C?

I too have incorporated a mixing valve in my sailaway. Its a Altencnic Thermostatic mixing valve KBALT000. Its fitted/added to the hot and cold supply to the kitchen sink with the valve accessible under the sink. I fitted an extra fill valve in my new Beco knocking out the existing pressed location in the back of the machine and wiring the initial fill valve to this valve. It  means that theoretically we are able to set the mixing valve from 30 degrees (cool wash) to 65 degrees (hotter wash) before the specific wash takes place but allows the rinse to perform as normal just taking in cold water.  One fill hose from cold pipe to existing valve. One fill hose from mixing valve to new valve. Would also add though have got 3000 inverter which hopefully will deal with motor performance.

 

 

 

[Bewildered]

Washing machine operation:-

1. Find yourself a woman that cares about such mundane things as clean laundry 

2. Have said woman train you carefully over a period of years to put soiled clothes in the washing hamper and not just strewn all over the floor

3. When required get clean pants out of underwear draw that have seemingly appeared there by magic

4. If underwear draw is empty check washing hamper, if full check to see if woman has gone to stay at her mothers for an undisclosed period of time

[tizzy]

Not sure what brand or model number but it is a standard domestic blending valve intended to prevent scalding for old folks etc. They are available at all plumbing merchants. They work best with equal pressure on both inlets so are fine on a boat.

[Dr Bob]

Thanks Tizzy, that is useful.

I have now lots of very useful ideas.

[jddevel]

On 7/10/2017 at 15:19, tizzy said:

Not sure what brand or model number but it is a standard domestic blending valve intended to prevent scalding for old folks etc. They are available at all plumbing merchants. They work best with equal pressure on both inlets so are fine on a boat.

Would comment that some are preset to a specific temperature and some have a limited temperature range. The one I quoted earlier was certainly the only one I could find with a fairly wide range and within my budget.