Cold fill only washing machine

moonrakerz

This thing about scale on the heating element really is nothing more than hype to get people to buy a non essential product.

If the heating element has a layer of scale on it, so what ? It will have NO noticeable effect on the performance of the heating element, it may take very marginally longer to actually start heating the water but that is all. The element is still producing heat and there is only one place for that heat to go - into the water !
A furred up kettle won't take any longer to boil your water than a new kettle (unless the element is starting to deteriorate with age) - again, there is only one place for the heat to go.

This is why "Which" have complained to the ASA about Calgon's adverts - they are grossly misleading (or worse !!)

Pincher

Just worked out what the extra buttons do on the new Bosch.

Speed Perfect: uses more water, shorter cycle time.

Eco Perfect: uses less water, but longer cycle time

Aqua Plus: uses more water for rinsing, so not what I want.

I suspect I should use Non-Bio powder for Speed Perfect, and Bio for Eco Perfect.

Here is some comments from August 2010:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/greenproperty/7948751/Green-property-hot-fill-washing-machines.html

So, some people have experimented with feeding hot water into the cold fill connection:

1. From solar thermal cylinder, near boiling water killed the machine.

2. From thermostatic mixer valve, success.

3. From combi

"For boiler fed systems I have a simple logic controller [ large matchbox sized] taking the signal from the cold fill solenoid valve on the washing machine to a std motorised valve with a thermocouple providing the temperature feedback - this way I can set the fill temps and cycles into a programme having first noted the std working of the machine. A small LCD shows the same 'Number' as corresponds with the Washing Machine programmer. Its just a case of having to set both to the same programme.
It is also possible to take a signal directly from the machines programmer to the external valve and with the internal machine heater disconnected the machine thermocouple is used to control the external valve as a normal hot/cold washing machine would. Of course it invalidates a machine warranty but its a choice."

Talk about overkill. :T

So I think there must be a niche market for hot and cold fill washing machines. In fact, it's a rather good marketing angle. Call it the solar version, like it was a new idea, for people with solar thermal hot water.

Cardew

Pincher wrote: »

So I think there must be a niche market for hot and cold fill washing machines. .

The problem is that very few new homes for the last 15? years will have a hot water feed plumbed in to wherever the washing machine is situated.

That also applies to many homes where the kitchen or utility room has been refitted.

Pincher

Cardew wrote: »

The problem is that very few new homes for the last 15? years will have a hot water feed plumbed in to wherever the washing machine is situated.

That also applies to many homes where the kitchen or utility room has been refitted.

I understand from the failed solar boiling water experiment, that people who made the effort to do rain water harvesting and solar thermal tend to be quite keen on using the hot water for washing clothes. For pro-active people like that, I have no doubt a hot water connection is do-able.

Panasonic is trying to break into the UK domestic appliance market, and is willing to try unconventional ideas (check out their fridge freezers). I think this is exactly the kind of thing that will allow them to corner a niche market.

I already have my eye on a white Panasonic American style fridge freezer, and a hot/cold washing machine might tilt me towards getting matching appliances as I replace them. In fact, I need to buy a white single oven to replace a Siemens oven right now.

So, fans of hot and cold fill speak up, and somebody might listen.

Andy_WSM

Pincher wrote: »

So, fans of hot and cold fill speak up, and somebody might listen.

I'd have some of that. I also have free hot water 8 or 9 months of the year, so to pay to heat hot water by electric is very wasteful to me.

burnsguitarman

We have a Panasonic washing machine, with cold fill only, All programs are very quick, typical times 40 mins for a 30c 1400 spin coloured quick wash, to a mere 1hr 40mins for 60c cotton wash.
We have had it for 15months now and are very happy with it.
I did lots of research into wash times, and energy use, before we bought this machine due to my reluctance to swap to cold fill only.