Low Hot Water Pressure

[qwerty]

I'm new to the forum so let me start by saying 'hi'!

Last week I purchased a 2nd-hand Bosch WFF 1201 washing machine. This was quite a relief as for the past six months I've been hand-washing in my bathtub. The machine itself was actually repaired by an engineer and sold-on to me for £50.

Upon installation/connection to the pipes under my sink, the engineer informed me that my hot-water pressure is very low. In fact he's right; the water from the hot tap only runs at about 1/3 the pressure of the cold tap. He then blurted-out something like 'don't wash at higher temperatures than 40-60'. I wasn't listening properly at the time and I don't really know what he was trying to say (Not being the most technically-minded person myself). I've done two washes so far at a temperature setting of 40 and both washes have turned-out very well.

However, the reason I'm posting here is to ask if it will be okay for me to wash at higher temperatures, such as 70-90, particularly for bed-sheeting and towels? how will the low water-pressure affect my washes generally? Also, is a certain amount of water heated inside the machine or does it rely entirely on an external source for hot water? How should I tackle this problem generally?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Hello and welcome. Clearly the higher the temperature, the more energy is used to heat it up, but almost all washing machines are now cold fill anyway so not having a hot supply is not a major problem. Unless it's a very old washing machine it shouldn't use much water on wash so there's not too much to heat up. The engineer might have been thinking about the electricity use for heating up to a high temperature but bedding should be washed at 60 degrees as I mentioned in a recent blog entry ( what temperature should sheets be washed at? ). UK washing machines always use a heater to heat the water up even when a hot valve was fitted.

However, he's more likely to have been meaning that your hot water pressure is so low that if you use a high temperature wash it might not fill up properly because hot and cold fill fill washers often only took hot water in on 60 degrees or over wash cycles.

Here's some information related to the subject of cold fill washing machines which may help as part of it explains that with most UK hot water systems, hardly any hot water gets used anyway, which is one of the reasons manufacturers have done away with the hot water valve - Cold fill washing machines

Here's a link regarding Low water pressure and washing machines

[qwerty]

Hi Washerhelp and thanks for the reply!

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Cold fill only washing machines would only have one water valve. If it has two it's designed to run on hot and cold water. However, you can run a hot and cold fill washing machine with just a cold water supply. You can use a Y-Piece connector ( picture on the right column of this page - Issues related to installing or connecting up a washing machine ) The washing machine will then work OK. Simply screw the Y-Piece onto the tap, and then screw the hot and cold fill hoses to the Y-piece and connect the other end of the fill hoses to the washing machine. (You may be able to buy this part also from a DIY store like B&Q)

Your situation is different though in that it does have a hot water supply but the water pressure is very low. As long as water does run through the hot side you don't need to change anything. The only problems you will have are -

• The water pressure wouldn't be good enough to flush detergent into the drum properly (place the detergent in a detergent container inside the drum on top of laundry instead)
• Not enough hot water will enter the washing machine on most washes where the machine fills with hot and cold water simultaneously. This will simply result in slightly longer wash times

The important thing to realise is that all washing machines use the heater to heat the water to the right temperature even if connected to a piping hot water supply. If you have a hot water supply at a good flow rate it will help quicken the wash a little, but not significantly on normal washes. With 60 and 90 degree washes it may lengthen them more. However, for most people it won't cost much if anything more in energy because of the reasons explored in the cold fill article - Cold fill washing machines

Even if the water supplied to the washing machine was ice cold it wouldn't bother the washing machine, it would simply take longer to heat it up. The drum will start washing straight away, it heats the water whilst washing.