Washing machine query

[plumb_know]

Hi everyone

i just wanted something clarified about washing machines, I know older washing machine are hot and cold fill and the newer ones are cold fill only. From what I understand hot and cold fill washing machines have a thermostat and use the hot and cold fill to obtain the desired water temp for that wash. The cold fill only washing machine has a element that heats the water to the desired temperature.

I just want to make sure my understanding of this is right? And also does the hot and cold fill washing machine have a element as well to top up heat and for if the cylinder has run out of hot water or would you just need to wait for the cylinder to heat up again and does not have any element within the washing machine?

Sorry for for the trivial question.


replies appreciated.

 

[Killy Bing]

Both have elements.

the hot fill are false economy unless you're in a commercial kitchen or have a secondary return on the hot ( you wont normally in a domestic house)

the reason why you mainly get cold fill now is when the older ones fill up from the hot, they just take the cold water laying in the hot pipes so by the time the hot water has reached the machine it has already filled up.
This leaves the now hot pipes to cool down and repeat the process.
it means you're constantly wasting hot water.

 

[plumb_know]

Thanks for clearing that up for me, so in the older washing machine the element is there just to top up the heat during the cycle?

Both have elements.

the hot fill are false economy unless you're in a commercial kitchen or have a secondary return on the hot ( you wont normally in a domestic house)

the reason why you mainly get cold fill now is when the older ones fill up from the hot, they just take the cold water laying in the hot pipes so by the time the hot water has reached the machine it has already filled up.
This leaves the now hot pipes to cool down and repeat the process.
it means you're constantly wasting hot water.

 

[Killy Bing]

Thanks for clearing that up for me, so in the older washing machine the element is there just to top up the heat during the cycle?

as far as I'm aware the element was to top it up or act as the heat source. you didn't have to have hot going to them, you could just pipe up the cold the hot and cap the cold as it would never need to mix down the temp.

thats my understanding, saying that I've never had the interest to pull one apart

 

[Killy Bing]

Where in kent are you sir?

 

[snowhead]

Another reason curent machines are cold only is due to most washing being done on 30 and 40 degree cycles.
You don't usually need water at 60.

 

[plumb_know]

Thanks for getting back to me, much clearer now. I'm from maidstone Killy.

 

[Best]

As far as I know, the older hot & cold fill machines only take hot water in on the hottest cycle - which is rarely used. Stored hot water at 60 degrees or more is too hot.

 

[lame plumber]

you can use a y adaptor to connect h and c pipes together and fill off cold only if you want, works ok to do this as well as saving on hw usage

 

[Roger Welton]

I seem to remember being told the w/m's only take from the hot supply when on a 60 degree or higher cycle anyway.

 

[plumb_know]

Thanks for all the replies has given me a much better understanding of how they function now 🙂

 

[efficiencyman]

Some H & C machines sense the temp going into the drum and call from hot or cold depending on the wash temp as set. The cheaper models save build costs by only fitting only a cold fill. As mentioned by others they use the element, this passes the heating cost onto the uniformed buyer and makes the wash cycle longer while it heats up.
With leccy costs at 14 pence a unit, Gas at about 5 pence allowing for 80% efficiency ( most boilers are not that good in actual reality) 70% in real terms considering all heat losses even from the latest claimed A rated condensing boilers (all losses considered).
What really gets my goat is that for the 24 years I have had solar heated hot water, for some of those years I have been forced to heat the washing machine with Leccy, instead of free sunshine !
Maybe we will someday be encouraged to use wash machines that are truly more ECO !

 

[lame plumber]

Some H & C machines sense the temp going into the drum and call from hot or cold depending on the wash temp as set. The cheaper models save build costs by only fitting only a cold fill. As mentioned by others they use the element, this passes the heating cost onto the uniformed buyer and makes the wash cycle longer while it heats up.
With leccy costs at 14 pence a unit, Gas at about 5 pence allowing for 80% efficiency ( most boilers are not that good in actual reality) 70% in real terms considering all heat losses even from the latest claimed A rated condensing boilers (all losses considered).
What really gets my goat is that for the 24 years I have had solar heated hot water, for some of those years I have been forced to heat the washing machine with Leccy, instead of free sunshine !
Maybe we will someday be encouraged to use wash machines that are truly more ECO !

someone who was truly green, would fill their bath with solar hw and do their washing in the bath as of days of old 🙂

 

[efficiencyman]

Nah, in days of old we would have been too smelly for months, some of us have improved our standards without going too OTT in this wasteful world of squander, exploitation, lack of concern for environment or resources, too many just pay or take a loan too put them selves in debt (no thought for tomorrow). Just like Governments how many extra billions of debt each month ? Leaving future subjects to have the debt round their necks. I have always paid my way, saved up, to buy what I`ve needed, and I owe nowt to NO man. Maybe old thinking but a greener legacy & example for my 9 grandchildren.

 

[WHPES]

Also earlier washing machines used more water so the issue of drawing cold water from the hot pipes and stopping before hot reaches the machine would be less relevant.

 

[stevetheplumber]

the reason machines have become cold fill is most washing is now done at temperatures lower than the normal dhw temperature
ive never seen a machine with thermostats that mix the water especialy when you think most older machines had a almost clockwork method of programming basicly they let in hot for washes and cold for rinses, most times the immersion had to kick in to raise the temperature of the hot anyway

 

[kay-jay]

Also part of the reason is that washmacs like most things these days are required to have an energy efficiency rating.
The rating would mean sod all if it drew hw from some randim inneficient old direct cylinder etc