New washing machines cold water feed only why?

dbs

Got an old washing machine 21 years old still going strong but parts are now a bit hard to get.

Been talking to other people who have new washing machines who say they are all cold water feeds only does any one know why?

Also not many people are happy with their new machines because they keep breaking down heard Bosch are about the best.

thescouselander

I dont know if this is the reason but new machines dont use much water so by the time the hot water gets from the tank/boiler to the machine it will have probably finished filling.

I recently got a new Bosch machine and I'm pretty happy with it. Its A rated for efficiency and seems to do a fairly good job, its pretty quiet too. No problems as yet.

Avoriaz

You are right about new washing machines being less reliable than a few decades ago. My Philips is well over 20 years old and still going strong.

However cold fill only is a sensible option. It requires less plumbing for a start.

Even hot fill machines only use the hot water on programmes above 50C or 60C, as, if they use hot water on a 30C or 40C wash, the incoming water might be too hot and your clothes could run or shrink.

You also lose quite a lot of heat in the supply pipe to the hot fill.

Now that the cost difference between gas and electricity is closer than it was, it really does make sense to have cold fill only.

My old Philips has a hot fill option but I never plumbed it in. I use cold fill only.

Lorian

We just bought an LG A+ directdrive (£££) and it takes a hot and cold feed. Luckily it's right below the hot tank so run-in time for hot is pretty quick. As far as energy is concerned, the water has to be heated somehow, either by gas/oil or electiricty.

The downside of a hot fill, assuming you have a tank not a combi, is that it pinches your hot water, not so good if you want a bath.

The upside of a hot fill is it should make the wash cycle a bit quicker as the water is up to temp quicker.

Fred_Bear_2

I also have an LG with hot & cold fill, but it doesn't use the hot for 40C wash. Not sure about 60C wash. So unless you do a lot of 95C washes there isn't much point. Pity it doesn't blend the hot & cold for low temperature washes.

ormus

its more efficient to heat just the right amount of water required, hence the cold fill only. most other methods use more energy.
the less plumbing required is a very small bonus indeed.

i think its also to do with the energy rating system for appliances.

Debt_Free_Chick

Just to add to the other reasons .... a machine can warm cold water up to a specific temperature, but it has no way of cooling hot water down. So if you're doing a 40°C wash and the hot water is entering the machine at 60°C, it can't cool it down. A mix of hot & cold might only get the temperature down to, say, 50°C.

I've had a basic model Bosch (they seem to be doing a "budget" range now) which only cost about £250 and has been running for 4 years with no problems. Though now I've said that, it'll probably give up the ghost today!! I do about 10 washes a week, on average - more in the Winter and less in the Summer.

Penny_Farthing_2

Love my Zanussi bought on the recommendation of a lovely repairman who had rescued my Hotpoint one time too many!

chergar

Don't really know if this is the same thing but we used to have a Candy washer/dryer and it took water from the house supply and you had a dial that you set to take x% from house and the rest the machine would heat up.

I didn't really understand it though and just got the machine to heat the water as we had White Meter heating at the time.