How do you set a timer on a washing machine?

MrPoor

I have read several posts from people currently or who have used Economy 7 where they mention having their washing machine and dryer set to a timer so that all washing and drying is done during “cheap” off peak hours.

Can someone explain how this works? Can this be done on any washing machine by plugging it into an external timer or is it a inbuilt feature of specific washing machines? I assume you need to have the machine preset to the relevant conditions and switched “ON” in advance of when you want to do the actual wash?

e.g. I put washing into machine at 10pm. Select wash conditions, then press on (washing machine currently unplugged), then I connect the washing machine plug to the timer (set at 2am) and then connect that to the mains. Time switches on at 2am, power goes to washing machine and it starts...

Am I correct?

penrhyn

If your machine has mechanical controls then using an external timer will work. If it has electronic controls then it will not.
There are machines on the market with delay timers built in.

flea72

depends on how your washing machine switches on, whether you can use an external timer

my old machine, had an electronic display, and you couldnt programme it, unless there was power running to it, as you couldnt press the 'start' button, until the various cycle lights were lit, so an external timer wouldnt work with it - however my new machine has an inbuilt 'delay' function so i am able to use it with economy 7

F

Haarlem

penrhyn wrote: »

If your machine has mechanical controls then using an external timer will work. If it has electronic controls then it will not.
There are machines on the market with delay timers built in.

I have a Miele with electronic controls and use an external timer.

You switch the timer to on, set the machine, press start and then switch off the on/off on the timer not the socket.

I would expect all electonic controlled machines without a built in timer to work in this way.

You could check this by starting your machine, switch off at the socket, then switch on again. If the machine continues with the wash you are ok.

moonrakerz

Haarlem wrote: »

You could check this by starting your machine, switch off at the socket, then switch on again. If the machine continues with the wash you are ok.

I can't speak for Miele, perhaps for the money they are different, but every machine I have seen, would fail this - that is why they now put timers into the machines, they wouldn't bother otherwise !
Most equipment has either "ready in" or "start in" options.

markharding557

I think it depends on whether the machine has a mechanical timer or electronic

royb

Before you spend too much time on washing machine instructions first check wether you should be on economy 7 in the first place.

I`ve been on it since 1982 when i moved into my current home and ripped out the storage heaters believing for all those years I was benefiting from "half price" electric at nighttime and buying up timer plugs for washing machines, tumble dryers etc until a friend recently told me he`d switched to single rate and saved a lot of money.

The rule of thumb is that if you add your total electric units used together, the low rate units must be 40% or over of the total to be better off on econ 7.

I rang Eon, my supplier, who confirmed I was using 22% and switched me over to single rate without the need to change the meter, still keeping on fix online 7 and without any cost to me.

When I recalculated my most recent quarterly bill ( to end March) I would have been £34 better off if I`d switched three months ago to single rate, and could`ve had the tumble dryer on when I wanted to use it!

Hope this helps.