Most washing machines contain a tubular electric heater (TEH), with which the water is heated to the required temperature. For some reason, some people believe that by connecting the washing machine to hot water rather than cold water, they can significantly save on utility bills. In this article we will try to figure out whether this can be done.
In what cases can you connect the machine to hot water?
The vast majority of automatic washing machines follow connect to cold water. However, there are some models of well-known brands that connect not only to cold, but also to hot water. Such “smart” washing equipment has a fairly high cost.
So what happens to a regular washing machine after connecting it to hot water instead of cold?
During operation of such a device, the following malfunctions will occur:
- Very soon Heating element of the machine will stop working. Although, it would seem, it should work longer than usual.
- The quality of the wash will be greatly reduced. And some things will be completely damaged after washing. After all, if hot water at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius is pumped into the washing machine, then all clothes will be washed at this temperature, even if you run a washing program with a temperature of 30 0C. And washing equipment is not capable of cooling.
- It is possible for dirt to enter the machine from a hot water supply, especially if the inlet hose is not equipped with a flow filter.
- The inlet hose of a regular machine is not designed for hot water, so it will run out of steam quite quickly.
As we can see, there are many disadvantages of connecting the machine to hot water. It is also unlikely that you will be able to save on electricity, since hot water will cost more than electricity.
You can come to the conclusion that you shouldn’t connect a regular washing machine to hot water. It's better to connect to a cold one. This way you can avoid many unpleasant breakdowns.
Connection Tools
Some people have modern machines that can be connected to both cold and hot water. Let's figure out how to properly connect such a machine.
It should be noted that this machine contains two inlet hoses. Therefore, the standard method of connecting water is not very suitable here.
You will need the following tools and parts:
- Adjustable plumbing wrench;
- adapters for 3⁄4;
- FUM tape;
- Three-quarter inch silicone or rubber gasket rings;
- Flow filters 3⁄4;
- Two main three-quarter tee taps with a side outlet to the inlet hose.
You need to use a plumbing adjustable wrench carefully so as not to damage the chrome-plated nuts of the faucet. It’s even better to seal the edges of the chrome nuts with electrical tape during installation work.
Connection methods
There are several ways to connect the machine to water. You can simply install main tees directly in front of the mixer.
You can also install tees under the sink in front of the inlet hoses of both faucets. This connection method is more aesthetically pleasing. After all, the connection point will be under the sink.
Next, you need to screw the flow filters onto the tee taps. This is necessary so that as little dirt as possible gets into the system.
Next you need to do the following:
- First you need to shut off the water risers;
- Next, you need to find a place under the sink where the metal-plastic pipe joins the hoses from the sink faucet. Pipes and hoses need to be disconnected.
- Then you need to screw tees onto two pipes through adapters. Both tees should already have flow filters.
- The hoses coming from the mixer must be screwed to the installed tees.
- At the final stage, you need to screw the inlet hoses from the washing machine to the tees. Don't forget about FUM tape.
After connecting, you need to turn on the water and check the operation of the washing equipment. When checking, pay special attention to hoses and tees. Water should not leak anywhere.
