Dumb washing machine question

Users who are viewing this thread

Guy48065

Member
Messages
191
Reaction score
5
Points
18
Location
SE and north MI
There must be something I'm missing...
I recently bought a 10 year old washer & dryer set to replace my 35 year old set. Conventional units--not high efficiency. The problem is low water flow from the Hot valve. Cold is a torrent, hot is a trickle. The globe valve shutoffs on the wall are only a few years old. New-ish hoses. Water blasts out both hoses. Filter screens on the fill valves are removed.


In order to get a decent "Warm" I have to shut off the cold supply about 2/3.

Is there something wrong with the hot valve or is this a deliberate "energy saver" feature?
 

Jadnashua

Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
Messages
32,771
Reaction score
1,191
Points
113
Location
New England
The solenoid valve may be sticking and thus, not opening fully. Or, there's some debris stuck in the path.
 

Guy48065

Member
Messages
191
Reaction score
5
Points
18
Location
SE and north MI
OK so you're saying this is NOT normal, NOT an "Energy Saver" or trick to get a better Energy Star rating, etc.

I guess I'll have to take the valves out & see if there's a kink in the hose, obstruction or what-not. Run a tag wire into the ports from each end. Anything else I could try in order to salvage it?

And yes the hoses are open at both ends with ordinary rubber sealing washers. The washer inlets had thimble-size screens pushed inside that I pried out. After I get the flow problem fixed I plan to put in screened washers on the machine end of the hoses.
 

Cacher_Chick

Test, Don't Guess!
Messages
5,458
Reaction score
213
Points
63
Location
Land of Cheese
The replacement fill valve assy for most of those washers is about $25. The hot did not flow as quickly as the cold on many of them, but it should flow, not trickle.
 

Guy48065

Member
Messages
191
Reaction score
5
Points
18
Location
SE and north MI
That's an exaggeration but compared to the wide waterfall I get from the Cold side, the Hot IS pitiful.

Took it apart this evening. No blockages, no kinks.
The Cold inlet has a half-moon cavity leading to the valve, similar in appearance to a globe valve.
The Hot is a straight ~3/32" orifice.
I drilled it out to 1/8" but I don't think it made any difference.
 

Guy48065

Member
Messages
191
Reaction score
5
Points
18
Location
SE and north MI
BTW does this forum accept videos? I tried to upload my test but no matter how short I trimmed it and how compressed--even down to 330k file size, it was always "too big".
 

Michael Young

In the Trades
Messages
508
Reaction score
101
Points
28
Location
North Carolina
Took it apart this evening. No blockages, no kinks.
The Cold inlet has a half-moon cavity leading to the valve, similar in appearance to a globe valve.
The Hot is a straight ~3/32" orifice.
I drilled it out to 1/8" but I don't think it made any difference.

I like this guy!
he grabbed a drill and manually ported it for more flow!!

That's pretty damned smart thinking. Hell, drill it full port. No I'm not being a smartass. I like the way this guy thinks
 

Cacher_Chick

Test, Don't Guess!
Messages
5,458
Reaction score
213
Points
63
Location
Land of Cheese
We turn the washer on and walk away, so it wouldn't be of much consequence to most how long it takes to fill.
I am curious as to why it would be designed that way.
 
Last edited:

Guy48065

Member
Messages
191
Reaction score
5
Points
18
Location
SE and north MI
We turn the washer on and walk away, so it wouldn't be of much consequence to most how long it takes to fill.
I am curious as to why it would be designed that way.

My wife complains that when she's doing a load of laundry in Hot water that it takes a very long time to fill. So apparently she stands there and waits.
Also as I noted earlier when in the Warm setting the water is very cold because the hot flow rate is so much less.

Our old washer flowed equally from hot and cold.
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks