Washing machine Hose Auto. Shutoff: How Does It Determine ?

[Robert11]

Hello:

Saw in a hardware store yesterday hoses for a washing machine that apparently have an automatic shut off valve incorporated into them to shut off the water if there is a downstream hose leak or burst.

Was thinking bout this a bit, and am wondering how they do it.

I thought that it would be a simple slider type valve that looks at the pressure differential on both sides, and moves to the shut-off position if the downstream side pressure becomes very low, like for a burst hose.

But, it would also be very low, I guess, for a normal fill operation ?

So, how does it work ?

Thanks, Bob

[John McGaw]

Then only ones I've actually seen were AC operated. The valve has a cord which plugs into the power outlet and the washer plugs into an outlet on the valve. When the washer is drawing current the valves open and when the washer shuts off the valves close. But IIRC there are some that are battery-powered have some sort of water sensor which sits on the floor and shuts the valves if it detects a leak. I've got no idea which is better.

[RayV]

Don't know how they work but I have them and to keep them from 'tripping' I had to turn on the feed valves very slowly while the washing machine was in the fill cycle.

I guess it has something to do with the speed at which the water is flowing...

[tylernt]

The machine end of the hose has a restriction so water can only flow very slowly. The supply end has a spring-loaded valve. Water flow fights against the spring. If the flow is slow due to the restriction, the spring wins and the washer fills. If the hose breaks, the restriction is gone and water flows very very fast. This rush of water overpowers the spring and the valve snaps shut. Obviously, this will only work if your water supply has enough pressure and flow and if the break in the hose is big enough.

I got mine to false when I first hooked it up because there was air in the line and I turned on the supply too quick. Water rushed into compress the air and slammed the safety valve shut. I had to release the pressure at the washer end and try again, turning the supply on more slowly.

[Harry K]

Although burst hoses do happen, or so I have been told, I have never seen nor heard of one from anyone I know. The floods I _have_ experienced have always been a fill valve failure, i.e., machine doesn't shut off the water after it is full. That has happened to me (twice) and my mother once in the past 30 years. Would those type of hoses prevent that?

Harry K

[tylernt]

Nope. Only a water sensor on the floor would protect you in that scenario.

[mm]

I don't know if you know me or not, but it happened to me. I was lucky to hear the water noise in the pipes when I woke up, or I would have gone to work and let it run all day.

I guess not leaving the machine alone long when running would prevent that, but I certainly go upstairs. I usually come down within 10 minutes of when I think it is done, but the more I learn that it's not going to mildew in my particular house, the longer I might wait for that. That's bad.

I usually am there until the wash part fills, but that leaves two rinse cycles that I'm not there for. It's just as likely it will break one of those times.

[Andy Asberry]

I don't know how they work but Home Depot is getting a bunch of them back. The appliance repairmen look at the hoses first thing if a washer is not filling. It seems that locales with high water pressure are the worst. High pressure on one side, fill valve opens, downstream pressure drops and the hose shuts off.

--Andy Asberry--

------Texas-----

[hallerb]

I PERSONALLY had a hose burst, and have seen some wonderful plump bubbles in washer hoses

My machines are in the basement, messy but no big deal.

exciting the one time it burst.