Could low water pressure cause a washing machine to fill with water?

Discussion in 'Plumbers' Talk' started by ant, Dec 2, 2003.

  1. ant

    ant Guest

    I've just had a plumber install new water pipes and drain for use by a washing machine. The washing machine used to be in the kitchen and worked fine. Now moved to the new location when the washing machine isn't being used is slowly fills with water. Over night the water just reaches the edge of the drum and starts to slop onto the floor if the door is open.

    The new pipes have quite low pressure. The pipes I think are connected to the ones that the bath taps are connected to where the water pressure isn't so high. Where it used to be in the kitchen the cold water was from the kitchen sink pipe and had good pressure.

    Could this low pressure somehow be causing the washing machine to fill with water? If so should the plumber who installed the pipes have known the low pressure could have been a problem?

    Thanks,

    ...ant
     
  2. GJC

    GJC New Member

    Ant,

    Its the washing machines that governs the passage of water mate, not the pipework. However, why is it coming of the bath taps? seems very odd to me!

    GJ
     
  3. Pugley

    Pugley Member

    It sounds like the machine is not draining if you can open the door when it is full of water. Are you sure that the drain pipe is not kinked behind the machine?
     
  4. ant

    ant Guest

    To test if its the machine I moved it back to the old place, connected up the hoses and waited. No water it the drum. Moved it back to the new spot, connected up the hoses, waited , and again its starting to get water in it.

    I don't see how the it could be due to not draining properly from a kink or something as its not even done a washing cycle and was completely drained from the last time it was used, not to mention the last remaining bit of water in all the pipes draining out on the floor as it was moved back and forth to the kitchen.

    Is it conceivable that the valve it uses to switch on and off the water requires a certain amount of water pressure to switch off properly?

    ...ant
     
  5. supersparky

    supersparky New Member

    yes, they do require some pressure else they wont work

    BR
     
  6. GJC

    GJC New Member

    That'd have to be the saddest water pressure for that to happen, and until you last post I had it for a very very ranks outsider, in fact it wasn't even on the cards! There again teeing into the bath taps is odd to start with.

    Sparky - Makes me wonder what zone his machine is in.....best you fetch Ed16!!;-)

    GJ
     
  7. supersparky

    supersparky New Member

    he must have a massive bathroom for zone three to apply.......

    BR
     
  8. ant

    ant Guest

    Could I measure the pressure?

    I can't find the manual for the washing machine right now, but searching on the net I found manuals for a couple of machines which say they require a minimum water pressure of 15 or 17 psi. If I timed how long to fill up a bucket is there a way to turn that into a psi?

    ...ant
     
  9. Tired-old-git

    Tired-old-git New Member

    go buy a A.e.g only cold fill and machine will not let water in untill its ready must be a british machine or itilian?load of ***** buy german you know it makes sense!
    try filling with cold only then hot only see what happens then if no good shoot the plumber sounds a bit suspect?
     
  10. Abe

    Abe New Member

    It sounds as if your bath and therefore the washing machine is fed from a loft tank, which means that you will not have enough pressure unless you have a tall town house.

    The static water pressure (when there is no flow) can be calculated from the difference in height (head) from the water level in the loft tank to the point at which the hose enters the washing machine. 15 - 17 psi means you need over 10 metres!
     
  11. Dr Who

    Dr Who New Member

    Personally I would have said that it has noting to do with the water pressure, instead the washing machine sounds like it is at fault. The point at which the flexible pipes connect to the washing machine are electrically operated valves to control the inflow of hot and cold water. These valves are usually either ON or OFF and with no power they are OFF. I would say one of these valves is sticking or faulty in some way to allow water to then get passed the valve.

    If you have isolation valves for you supply to the washing machine try disconnecting each pipe in turn for a period of time. This should give you an idea if it is the hot or cold valve that is at fault.

    If your machine is out of guarantee and you are confident about working on the washing machine then replace the faulty valve - it is a 5 minute job: 2 screws, 2 spade connectors, one internal and external pipe to remove; oh and probably another 10 minutes removing and replacing all the screws on the back cover.

    Dr Who
     
  12. gav

    gav New Member

    dr who has probably hit the nail on the head
    sticky valve,its usually the hot one,,,,,,so turn this off overnight n leave the cold on,,,,if it still fills turn the cold off and the hot on
    i dont know how it is plumbed into the waste ,,but if the washer outlet is conected to a trap ,it may be taking water in when when water is let out of the sink
    i have come across this situation often in kitchen installations,,,to remedy,ensure waste outlet is higher than water level in sink
     
  13. GJC

    GJC New Member

    It can be the pressure! That means the in the machine would work by equillibrium pressure, which would be odd! But

    Pressure refs on appliances normally refer to the max and min it will need to function.

    Why don't you just call the Maker of the machine?!

    GJ

    I still want to know where the hell this is to run off the bath taps!!
     
  14. supersparky

    supersparky New Member

    same........maybe the washing machine is for a quick wash for his kids?

    lol jkn

    BR
     
  15. Dr Who

    Dr Who New Member

    I don't understand how low pressure water is getting passed a valve which is closed (off) and filling the drum?
    Are you saying that these valves require a minimum pressure to operate correctly? If so, this would be a very bad designed valve!!!

    I totally agree that a washing machine requires a minimum water pressure to operate correctly. But I would have thought that this pressure had more to do with the ability to pass the water through the main valve, through the internal pipework up to the diverter valve in the draw, to then finally be sprayed on to the washpowder with enough force to break it all down and run into the drum.

    In addition, the instructions usually come with an approximate time for a wash to complete. This time goes out the window if the water pressure is below the spec at which these times are calculated!

    Either it is a dodgy valve or, as Gav quite rightly pointed out, water backflowing through the waste outlet.

    Dr Who
     
  16. RJS

    RJS New Member

    I know the washing M/C valves have got filters on them, but I bet some scale or muck was disloged when it was re-plumbed and has got through to the valve seat causing it to stick slightly open. Take the valves appart have clean them out.
     
  17. wizard

    wizard Guest

    This is a strange one. I?ve been reading the above and I think the only thing that hasn?t been mentioned is the air break between the end of the drain hose where it?s pushed into the
    Waste pipe itself.
    I can?t remember offhand what the measurement should be but I think that the end of the drain hose should be 20 inches off the floor.
    If its down too low, am I right in saying that waste water can be draw back into the machine?

    If this is rubbish please ignore me and I?ll go and hide in a corner.
     
  18. GJC

    GJC New Member

    Wiz,

    Hide in a corner:)

    Though back siphonage is very unlikely, as nobody would be stupid enough to shove the pipe so far down the waste pipe (would they?!) and its extremely doubtful that the waste water would enter the water undertakers supply.

    Though a mixing of water categories doubtless would happen, and its a bit stupid! In a normal domestic situation its not 'illegal'.

    I won't try your patience with the numerous classifications of Fluid Categories, I'll leave it until one night when we all can't sleep. It's a blinding cure for insomnia!!!

    GJ
     
  19. Dr Who

    Dr Who New Member

    Ant,

    Let us know how you get on with your investigations into this interesting problem?

    Dr Who
     
  20. wizard

    wizard Guest

    GJC.
    Thanks for that reply, most illuminating.
    The reasoning behind my response was-

    The machine works perfectly well in it?s old position. If, as is said above, the only thing that has changed is it?s location I can?t see that moving the machine is causing the incoming water valve to play up.
    He hasn?t said that it?s filling up from the supply anyway., just that it?s filling up.
    And in response to your comment about ?anyone being that stupid? Yes they would.
     

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