Washing machine advice??

Builderwoman!

Our 18month old Baumatic machine just gave up the ghost. Need to get a new one. We have 750l tank and have solar and wpb so have constant hot water supply and last machine was hot&cold fill and I think we need to get the same again...but cannot find a hot and cold fill machine! Can anyone advise if there is such a thing on the market. Much obliged.

mike65

http://www.whitegoodshelp.co.uk/wordpress/i-want-a-washing-machine-with-a-hot-water-valve/

Mike.

knighted

dont understand why you want a hot fill as these are not energy efficient ,thats why everything gone cold fill only ,but hotpoint washer dryers still have a hot fill valve if you really want one but they are ****e-sales staff will tell you they are cold fill only but if you look at the back there is a hot fill -hotpoint have supplied a fill hose which y pieces the two valves ,discard this and run two separate hoses to the hot and cold valves ,but as i said it is not energy efficient

MickLimk

knighted wrote: »

dont understand why you want a hot fill as these are not energy efficient ,thats why everything gone cold fill only ,but hotpoint washer dryers still have a hot fill valve if you really want one but they are ****e-sales staff will tell you they are cold fill only but if you look at the back there is a hot fill -hotpoint have supplied a fill hose which y pieces the two valves ,discard this and run two separate hoses to the hot and cold valves ,but as i said it is not energy efficient

If you have solar, then is using your 'free' hot water for your washing machine not a hell of a lot more efficient than putting in cold water and paying the extra electricity to heat it??

knighted

MickLimk wrote: »

If you have solar, then is using your 'free' hot water for your washing machine not a hell of a lot more efficient than putting in cold water and paying the extra electricity to heat it??

tell me this and answer your own question while doing so -how does the machine know what temp the water from your 'free' source is ? it doesnt so will not take the chance on ruining a load so takes in about 20 per cent hot and 80 per cent cold water and then heats the water up again to the selected temp eg 40 degrees - this varys for each programme on your machine (percentage of hot versus cold) but on all washes the heater kicks in -its predetermined in the programme

now engineers who are brighter than myself and yourself ,sat down and done all the calculations for us and rated the machines in energy efficiencey and the top ones where the ones who only take cold and heat it themselves ,they are even more efficient than the ones that take hot and cold (even if its free) hard to believe i know but i presume they got it right because it is european standards based

DublinWriter

OT I know, but if you can, buy a Miele.

I've been through eleventy Zanussi's, Hotpoints, but the Miele's are worth the extra shekels as they last forever.

Builderwoman!

It appears the only hot fill on the market are LG but they only use hot water fill on washes over 60 degrees...but nobody does that many washes over 60 degrees these days.

Will look into the Hotpoint washer dryer but not that keen on a washer dryer.

Maybe a cold fill makes more sense???

Dublinwriter...have heard the Miele is well worth it. They've a basic model at about 799. After that I've been told Siemens or Bosch (both owned by same company).

Keep the suggestions and debate going please!

MickLimk

knighted wrote: »

tell me this and answer your own question while doing so -how does the machine know what temp the water from your 'free' source is ? it doesnt so will not take the chance on ruining a load so takes in about 20 per cent hot and 80 per cent cold water and then heats the water up again to the selected temp eg 40 degrees - this varys for each programme on your machine (percentage of hot versus cold) but on all washes the heater kicks in -its predetermined in the programme

now engineers who are brighter than myself and yourself ,sat down and done all the calculations for us and rated the machines in energy efficiencey and the top ones where the ones who only take cold and heat it themselves ,they are even more efficient than the ones that take hot and cold (even if its free) hard to believe i know but i presume they got it right because it is european standards based

Don't doubt you at all but surprised by that to be honest. A thermostatic mixing valve is not that difficult a concept to implement on a washing machine surely? I know water heating in general is a very energy consuming process so surprised that even one of the more upmarket manufacturers hasn't implemented something like this and gotten a AAA rating!

I'm probably going down the solar route shortly and had great intentions of using my hot water in this way. I was even thinking of plumbing the dishwasher with hot only as the water temperatures in there are usually in the 50-85C range. Is a rethink in order? (Sorry for hijacking the thread!)

Builderwoman!

No probs MickLimk....I am interested in this discussion too as we have solar!

MickLimk

Moved it to a new thread anyway as I had lots more questions!

knighted

MickLimk wrote: »

Don't doubt you at all but surprised by that to be honest. A thermostatic mixing valve is not that difficult a concept to implement on a washing machine surely? I know water heating in general is a very energy consuming process so surprised that even one of the more upmarket manufacturers hasn't implemented something like this and gotten a AAA rating!

I'm probably going down the solar route shortly and had great intentions of using my hot water in this way. I was even thinking of plumbing the dishwasher with hot only as the water temperatures in there are usually in the 50-85C range. Is a rethink in order? (Sorry for hijacking the thread!)

sorry if i was flippent (still off the smokes and cranky )

anyway- miele is recognised as probably the best brand around and they have achieved triple AAA ratings as far as i am aware and all there machines are now cold fill only -

now this next bit might be hard to believe but it is true -new zanussis and bosch machines give you the estimated times for a wash ,on the bosch it takes 1 hr 14 mins for a 40 degree cotton wash (most common wash)
it also has a function for 40 degree eco wash -this programme saves energy water etc now although you are saving the time of the wash cycle increases to 1hr 35 mins -

so you would think that 20 mins extra would use 25%more energy but in fact it doesnt it reduces it

my point on this whole issue is peoples conception of energy saving is applied logically but in fact logic goes out the window

rob3765

look if you are having a problem with the intake on your washing machine ie its not heating your water or it doesnt seem to be taking in any hot water the hot water inlet on washing machines are thermostatically controlled and will only take in hot water on high settings if you want it to take in hot water on low settings the problem is easily solve by swaping the the intakes i.e put the hot on the cold and the cold on the hot that way the first intake the machine will let in will be the hot water through the cold inlet and as the tempature is already hot the cold water which is now on the hot inlet will not be called for it will not do any damage to your machine it just means all your washes will be be with hot water you will just have to be carefull what type of clothes you put in i dont know what the problem is any most washing powders these days are designed to wash at low tempatures, but if you still insist that you want your clothes to be always washed with hot water just because its free then this will solve your problem:)

cnocbui

I think the OP should be more worried about getting a machine that will last, than being overly concerned with efficiency.

18 months is sickening. Our washing machine is pushing 17 years of constant use. The motor is on it's third set of brushes. It had the belt replaced under warranty. It's not even showing any signs of quitting so it could well have another 15 years to go.

Not really of much relevance but it happens to have a hot fill as well. The brand is Asko, they are made in Sweden. Unfortunately I don't think they are sold in Ireland, though strangely I saw a whole row of them being used in the laundry of a student village at a university and have always wondered where they came from. They weren't using a commercial model, they were domestic machines, though I can see why.

Hoffmans

be just handier to get the machine fixed and save a few quid if its registered it could have an extended warrenty up to 24mths...

CJhaughey

knighted wrote: »

now this next bit might be hard to believe but it is true -new zanussis and bosch machines give you the estimated times for a wash ,on the bosch it takes 1 hr 14 mins for a 40 degree cotton wash (most common wash)
it also has a function for 40 degree eco wash -this programme saves energy water etc now although you are saving the time of the wash cycle increases to 1hr 35 mins -

so you would think that 20 mins extra would use 25%more energy but in fact it doesnt it reduces it

The biggest consumption of energy in a washing machine is the water heating, next is the spin cycle.
The rest of the agitate etc is hardly anything compared to the first though.
I have solar DHW and an Admiral AW22machine which takes 22lb loads, very handy and we find with solar it works well as it has hot and cold fill.
There are some specific solar machines but as usual Ireland hasn't many choices in this regard, try importing one from the UK is the best bet.

If you have solar you have to make the most of it otherwise it is pointless having a solar setup just to wash your hands.
I also run the heated water into the dishwasher which speeds the washing cycle as well.