Does your washing machine actually heat up ?

Emp_Fab

Mine doesn't.  I only discovered it yesterday when I went to wash some white cotton sofa covers at 95C and, just by chance, touched the glass door mid-wash and noticed it wasn't hot.  I then stuck a power-meter plug thing on it and saw it was only consuming 7 watts between drum rotations and 350 when it was going round.  I was expecting at least 1500W+.

So... a quick dig around the inferweb for disassembly tips and I took the front off tonight and, indeed, the heating element is open-circuit ('fucked' in the common tongue).  £10 on eBay later and I have one winging its way to me.

But....  what's been intriguing me is... how long has it been like that ?  We normally wash on a 40C programme, and hardly ever touch the machine once it's running - I mean - who does ?  It's not like it gives you any indication of the fact that you've been washing your clothes in stone cold water for the past few years is it ?  :-)

Does yours heat up ?

I quite like the idea that half the forum are now going to be checking their washing machines tomorrow :-)

maltingsaudio

Recent problem I had with my washing machine which is at least 10 years old was drum stopped going round, so off to local spares guy and bought a new rubber band when I got the back off the motor was sitting on the floor! Fortunately all the screws were still there and she spins like agood un now. Don't know if she heats up or not but cleans the shxt off me cacks so must be doing something right

Misterg

maltingsaudio said:

... cleans the shxt off me cacks so must be doing something right

...but not the arse-wiping thing, obviously!

Lixarto

Where's your fancy machine for measuring the temperature then?

Spider

Lixarto said:

Where's your fancy machine for measuring the temperature then?

It's probably behind a stack of laminate flooring.  :-\"

Emp_Fab

I did use it actually !!  The hottest it got to was 35C on a 40C wash - which wasn't conclusive at the time as it could have been down to the hot-fill that I'd just switched back on (as the 60C wash seems to require a hot fill for some reason).

Emp_Fab

P.S.  Everyone should own an infra-red digital thermometer !  I have found loads of uses for it... checking the oven thermostat, the variation in fridge & freezer temps (the dial was way out), the aquarium water when changing it, whether the frying pan is hot enough before chucking the food in, finding where the draughts are coming from, how hot my scrotum gets after a bath, etc etc....

They're amazing gadgets.... and under a tenner too !!

Buy one today... you know it makes sense !

Fretwired

It doesn't matter as a 40 degree wash doesn't kill bacteria nor does it remove all the dirt so the fact you had a cold wash means you probably saved money and ended up with the same result.

Emp_Fab

What do you recommend as a normal wash temp then ?  (I just follow what Mrs Fab does !)

Deadman

We have a Miele and it's a cold water fill. It heats up the water itself.

chillidoggy

I'm can't help but wonder if was fair to blame the dog for the state of the bathroom towels now!

Col_Decker

My washer heats up, and she does a cracking breakfast too.

 

 

/70s comedian

Emp_Fab

Deadman said:

We have a Miele and it's a cold water fill. It heats up the water itself.

That's kinda the point of my post...  mine is supposed to heat the water itself too... it just gets a boost from the hot water supply on certain cycles.  I normally leave the hot feed switched off as it's more economical to let the machine heat up the water itself.

Presuming of course, that the heater is working.

How do you know yours is working ?  (Well, apart from it being a posh Miele, which makes it more reliable !)

CabbageCat

If my clothes are clean and smell nice I don't care what temperature the water is.

Emp_Fab

Oh.... you're one of those are you ?

One of those non-OCD types who can happily know that something is not working properly and doesn't immediately have to repair it ?

It drives me nuts.  Railtrack have just refurbished a bridge near me and put up new illuminated max height signs - except one of them isn't straight and there's a sheet of paper or something that's been left inside it.  Every time I drive under it I want to get up there and sort it out. 

bertie

Deadman said:

We have a Miele and it's a cold water fill. It heats up the water itself.

all "modern" washers do -  hot fill has been "banned"  in the UK for a number of years

The fact that Emps water was 35 for a 40,  comes from the hot fill,   if the elements gone, its gone - it wont be selective unless its the thermostat thats gone.

We were told/read somewhere that the new Eco 30 settings are the ones not to use not 40, you cant wash a lot of stuff above 40 cos of colour runs etc.     Bedding etc should be washed hotter to kill bugs and stuff

Deadman

Emp_Fab said:

Deadman said:

We have a Miele and it's a cold water fill. It heats up the water itself.

That's kinda the point of my post...  mine is supposed to heat the water itself too... it just gets a boost from the hot water supply on certain cycles.  I normally leave the hot feed switched off as it's more economical to let the machine heat up the water itself.

Presuming of course, that the heater is working.

How do you know yours is working ?  (Well, apart from it being a posh Miele, which makes it more reliable !)

I don't! A check will be carried out later. Cheers.

Deadman

bertie said:

Deadman said:

We have a Miele and it's a cold water fill. It heats up the water itself.

all "modern" washers do -  hot fill has been "banned"  in the UK for a number of years

The fact that Emps water was 35 for a 40,  comes from the hot fill,   if the elements gone, its gone - it wont be selective unless its the thermostat thats gone.

We were told/read somewhere that the new Eco 30 settings are the ones not to use not 40, you cant wash a lot of stuff above 40 cos of colour runs etc.     Bedding etc should be washed hotter to kill bugs and stuff

Bertie's a washer geek!

I didn't know that. Here's me thinking we were all posh in the dead household.

chillidoggy

What's a 'washing machine'?

Phil_aka_Pip

chillidoggy said:

What's a 'washing machine';?

Like a toaster, only different. The results are soggy

bertie

Phil_aka_Pip said:

chillidoggy said:

What's a 'washing machine';?

Like a toaster, only different. The results are soggy

what do you think fast spin is for !!!