Using a timer in the washing machine.

afm_2

Hi Everyone,

I am trying really hard to reduce the use of energy in my house and I saw that many of you use timers in your washing machines. However, I don't know how to use a time with my washing machine, since I have to press a button for it to start working. Is it possible to use a timer in that kind of machine?

The machine is the one in the following link:
http://www.currys.co.uk/martprd/store/cur_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1242137500.1189366802@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccfhaddlmehjlifcflgceggdhhmdgmk.0&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=770224&category_oid=-30549

I would really appreciate your help since I am tired of waking up at 6am to press the button.

Btw, can anyone tell me what's the period in which the night rate is applied?

Thank you very much,
Alexandra

Cardew

Firstly you only get a night rate if you are on an Economy 7 tariff; and that is normally(but not always) in houses heated with storage heating.

If you are not on economy 7 there is no advantage in using machine at night.

If you do have Economy 7 the cheap night rate is for a 7 hour period some time between the hours of 11:30pm and 8:30am - it varies across the country. If you set your machine to come on at 2:00am you will be certain to be OK.

The majority of washing machines do not have a 'delay' facility to enable the machine to come on in the middle of the night. You buy a timer and simply plug the machine into this timer which plugs into the socket.

stamford

Cardew wrote: »

Firstly you only get a night rate if you are on an Economy 7 tariff; and that is normally(but not always) in houses heated with storage heating.

If you are not on economy 7 there is no advantage in using machine at night.

If you do have Economy 7 the cheap night rate is for a 7 hour period some time between the hours of 11:30pm and 8:30am - it varies across the country. If you set your machine to come on at 2:00am you will be certain to be OK.

The majority of washing machines do not have a 'delay' facility to enable the machine to come on in the middle of the night. You buy a timer and simply plug the machine into this timer which plugs into the socket.

We do likewise with the dishwasher then first job in the morning while the coffees brewing is empty both

afm_2

Thanks for replying but my problem is how to start the washing cycle. I mean, if I connect the timer to the socket it will only turn on the machine and it won't make it start a washing cycle. Do you see what I mean? How do I simulate the "press button"? Sorry but I really don't see a way of doing that

John_3:16

I think you will find you cannot turn your machine on with a timer. If it has a manual on off then you can use a timer if it is an electronic on off you can't. The only way around it is to set it up the night before and try and turn it on as early as poss when you get up.

ukdickie31

I have a timer plug where the power to the applicance goes on and off at the time I set. It also has a manual overide.

I set the Washing Machine to come on at 2.00am and swith off at 4.00am.

I got the timer plug from TESCO for £1.99 I think some months ago. I got one for the Dishwasher too. They seem to be a bit more expensive now !

http://direct.tesco.com/search/default.aspx?search=timer

I have Economy 7 so for my usage, it does the trick nicely.

basill

I have encountered this problem, currently the dishwasher and washing machine have a countdown timer to start after x hours, in the cheap power hours. The tumble dryer is on a timer we set the duration and it starts up as soon as it has power.

The dryer is on its last legs and I have been looking for a replacement. we have an external vent and most dryers seem to have the press to start switch the OP has. Some have a countdown timer but these seem to all be condenser types. I wanted one with a sensor to stop once the washing is dry, an external vent and the timer but have not found this combination yet!

I have consulted a home automation guru (another basill project!) who says its possible to open the control panel connnect it up and use your PC or other controller to close the circuit and start the cycle but I`m not there yet.


Cheers,

B

MarkyMarkD

This may not work for all machines, but it works on our dishwasher.

You turn it on at the timer in the evening, press "start" on the machine, and then switch it off at the timer straight away.

Then when the timer switches on again, it realises it's part way through a cycle (actually 1 second into it, but that doesn't matter) and finishes that cycle off automatically.

Worth a try.

I was really fed up when I got this new dishwasher from a friend, because I thought I couldn't use the existing timer on it. But a bit of trial and error came up with this solution.

Hope it works for you.

Big_Bird_4

A substantial number of house fires are started by electrical faults in washing machines and dishwashers. If you're running them while your family is asleep make sure you have good smoke alarms fitted and have planned a means of escape.
Personally I wouldn't take the risk.

DianeM

Big_Bird wrote: »

A substantial number of house fires are started by electrical faults in washing machines and dishwashers. If you're running them while your family is asleep make sure you have good smoke alarms fitted and have planned a means of escape.
Personally I wouldn't take the risk.

Ditto
Attended a fire safety course through work and now I never put the dishwasher or washing machine on when I am not in the house. There have been so many fires caused by these machines. Stick to early morning starts is my advice x

MarkyMarkD

We never run them when we are not in the house; we have smoke alarms in the utility room and the hall (the other side of the kitchen).

There is a safe escape route from upstairs to the front door which doesn't pass any of the electrical appliances we run overnight.

IMHO we are not running an undue risk.