Cold water clothes washing

Ken68

I thought to introduce filtered rainwater into my auto machine to keep costs down, but it's not working out as I'd hoped.
Has anyone any experience of doing this.
My machine seems to think the added water is left over from the last wash, and empties before starting afresh with bought water.

Wig

one way to do it would be to allow the m/c to open the bought water tap, meanwhile you fill from the powder tray with a watering can. Which is how I suspect you are filling at the moment?

you will then fill say 50/50 bought/rain

To increase the rain, you might have a valve on your inlet pipe which you can close or almost close, and then fill as above.

Another way would be to have a switching valve mains/rain on the back of the machine and the rain pipe connected to a rain water tank either outside or which sits ontop of your washm/c

Ken68

Thank you Wig, I like your idea of starting the machine first.
I've been putting the water thru the door, then closing, choose the setting and then start.
There is a tap on the blue pipe attac hed to the cold pipe, so some control there. Not sure how the sensors work.
I save the spent water so can do tests, maybe also watch the meter moving. It's all go.

Wig

My machine audibly opens a valve with a 'click' to start filling then you get the noise of the water rushing in, when the machine is full enough (float switch ?) there is another audible 'click' as the valve is slammed shut. When filling it you should be able to hear this closing click, which is your signal to stop filling, but I sometimes put a bit more water in manually after this point anyway, especially when washing absorbent clothes like towels.

Watch and listen to your m/c on a bought water cycle. You will also have to time how long it takes to get to the 2nd fill and (3rd fill?) stages, and you can then use a kitchen timer to alert you. Also mark on the dial (if you have a dial) the point at which the valve is opened for for more water.

If your inlet line tap is closed the m/c will just sit there until you come along and fill it up, it will then 'click' and you can stop filling and let it carry on.

Wig

When you know how much water you need for a fill, you can use pre filled containers on top of your work top. I would think a short length of hose pipe would enable you to direct the water into the powder tray much more cleanly. It's finding a method of attaching the hose pipe to the water containers which will be the hard part.

Ken68

I'll measure how much comes out next wash day (Monday) then will know how much to fill, and will also listen for the clicks,and maybe , as you suggest, use some bought water.
There is only one fill with a refresh wash (perhaps called quick wash on modern machines), and I pre-soak using a small quantity of liquid detergent. That way the auto wash becomes a rinse as well.
Just done a quick calculation, the savings aint great.

Ken68

This quick cold refresh wash takes 15 litres, and presume the quick HOT(30degrees) refresh wash uses the same amount.
Next time I do the clothes I shall introduce your method, Wig, of filling thru the powder tray, with the machine on...say 10 litres free water to 5 litres bought. But I think the savings have already been made in not choosing a 2 or 3 rinse cycle at 60 degrees or whatever.