Cold fill only washing machine

Pincher

Just got a new Bosch washing machine, and it's cold fill only,
and I hate the idea.

For the last 35 years, I have had Bosch washing machines, which last 10 to 15 years, and it's always been hot AND cold fill. Obviously all my washing machine positions have hot and cold connections.


The old Bosch didn't seem to have a heating element, since if no hot water was available, and only cold was supplied, and I put it on a 40 degrees program, it would just wait for hot water to turn up. The one I just replaced was at least 10 years old, and I miss it.

Question
======

Now the damned thing will be using electricity to heat up the water.
This implies limescale build-up on the heating element, or does it?
I have an electronic limescale reducer for the mains water supply,
so that should help, but I'm just wondering whether I need to use the washing machine cleaner (in a sachet) from time to time.


Moan
===

Not a question, just a moan. I presume the damned thing will take its time heating up the water to the target temperature before washing. The old Bosch just take in the hot water and get on with it.
A short wash took 40 minutes, and clothes come out nice and clean.

Mrs_Arcanum

Have a 10 year old cold fill only Bosch and have no problems with water heating especially now with the cool wash detergents. Just need to do a hot wash with cleaner occasionally to keep the seal clean.

MrsBartolozzi

No help really, but I feel your pain. My Zanussi is nearly 18 years old and I dread having to buy a cold fill machine where washes take 2 hours instead of the 50mins in the machine I have currently.

Cardew

I think the great majority of machines are cold fill these days.

Actually the power taken to heat is minimal; by oldish Bosch cold fill machine has lots of programs and it takes either 0.4kWh, 0.6kWh, 0.9kWh or 1.9kWh(for the rarely used hot white wash). That includes heating, pumps and motors.

The reason for the very long washing cycles of modern machines is because they use a lot less water than machines of 'yesteryear'. The actual time and power taken to heat the water is minimal.

In fact for many machine with a long run from hot water source to machine, the cold fill is cheaper as the first couple of litres are cold anyway and then you have a pipe full of hot water.

Kate78

I would recommend using a Calgon tablet every 2nd/3rd wash if you live in a hard water area like we do.

crazyguy

If your worried about limescale then add that calgon stuff I think its called thats supposed to stop the limescale build up !

Swipe

I only ever wash at 30C anyway so no big deal for me.

david39

Hot and cold fill machines are inefficient.

Your boiler heats the water up, it is delivered into the drum and immediately doused with cold water to bring the temperature back down again.

Pincher

Unusually, this washing machine is only about four meters pipe run from the Megaflo cylinder. I have another house, the washing machine is about 8 meters away from a gas water heater. In any case, I am not overly concerned about the electricity to heat the hot water.

I am, however, used to a 40 minute short wash, followed by a 25 minute tumble dry in a Miele ( accept no substitute ) vented sensor dryer. Two hour wash cycle is insanely long.

I have never needed to use Calgon before, despite being in a hard water area. I use the washing machine cleaner sachet about twice a year, just in case, and have never had scale related problems.

This cold fill only thing is a change that has really annoyed me.
Why do they have to mess with something that works really well? It's another condensing boiler fiasco.

I'm seriously considering moving it into the garage, which has a cold tap with the right connector, just have to arrange drainage by a bit of drilling. And then starting shopping for a hot/cold washing machine.

dukeofankh

Hi,
Most machines are now cold fill for good reason, Your old one used a lot more water BUT unless your hot water boiler is very close it would just get the cold water in the pipes so still have to heat it up.
Modern machines/detergent use very little water ( and about 1kw for a 60 degree wash) and when dosed correctly with detergent shouldn't scale up (look at manufacturer web sites for info).
Although I no longer work for the curried electrical retailer I did for more than 20yrs and would recommend just a hot 60+ wash every 4/6 wks to clean the machine of scum that can build when -40 washes are used. finally soda crystals work really well to clean the machine.

dukeofankh

You got a Bosch but accept no other for your tumble dryer,shame on you.
But Bosch are pretty good:rotfl: