first time plumber washing machine connection

[choco]

my first foray into plumbing. I need to put in taps for a washing machine. I have hot and cold pipes running behind the machine and guess that I need to install one or two t-joints. I have read a dishwasher is better with just cold supply - is it the same with a washing machine or should I connect hot and cold? Also should I use push-fit, compression or self-cutting for my first plumbing experiment (given that I have access to the stopcock and price of fittings is not an issue)?

[Mungo "two sheds" Toadfoot]

I've never had any trouble with self-cutting jobs, they're easy to fit, they work, and they have an isolator built in.

Si

[Grunff]

I don't like self cutting joints; they have a tiny hole, which restricts flow. I guess that's not an issue for a washing machine, but I still don't like them.

I'd use a pushfit T.

As far as using hot or cold or both, read the (f) manual - if it says to use both, use both. If it says cold only (as mine does), use cold only.

[Ben Blaukopf]

Depends. If the washing machine is close to the boiler/tank, then I'd connect the hot. If there's a long run to the w/m or the boiler takes ages to fire up, then I might skip it and just do the cold. Bear in mind that if you plumb in the hot, then you can't put the washing machine on and immediately jump in the shower and expect to get much hot water :)

Well, you won't learn much from using self-cutting joints. Either way, why not do the cold first. If you decide that this isn't the trade for you, then at least you can forget about doing the hot. If you decide it's easy, do the hot anyway. Even if you don't want it, a future owner might.

Ben

[Dave Plowman (News)]

You don't have the option with many modern ones - cold fill only. I'd guess they use so little water it wouldn't get a chance to arrive hot in most houses so would be a total waste.

[Doctor D]

Tell me about it! :-)

Our trusty, overloaded and abused 12 year old Hoover washer/drier (only one set of brushes and several cleans of gunk from the pipework ever required!) died and we wanted another Hoover, but they only do cold fill now. As it sits directly under a combi boiler and we have always run the hot water at the sink to make sure the thing is immediately filling with hot water I wanted to buy a hot and cold fill machine. Ended up with a Hotpoint which takes a 6kg load. Hope it will last as long, and be as cheap to run at the old Hoover was!

I can understand why most are now cold fill only as they take so little water, if you don't run the hot tap at the sink they are filling with cold from the hot fill anyway! Still irritating to a tightwad like me though.

[StealthUK]

Last time I installed one (as part of an outside tap kit) it wasn't easy making the initial cut into the copper pipe, in fact I suspect many people end up shagging the pipe - so much for convenience. Also whenever the tap is turned on it makes a hell of a noise.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Given that it's accessible, I'd go the whole hog and use end feed solder fittings. Gain the confidence to use these and all other plumbing jobs will seem easy.