Washer flow reducer opening?

[Harry Bloomfield]

I have just got a round tuit...

A month ago I moved the washers feed and drain, to make the washer a bit easier to service/ work on. Then it started to flood on filling, obviously due to too high a water flow, so I turned the inlet valve down a bit to restrict the flow, but now it sometimes stops in mid-wash.

1. Do washing machines generally only allow a set amount of time to fill, before giving up?

1. I'm thinking of turning a flow restrictor on the lathe, to fit the water inlet. Could someone tell me what size the centre holes usually are in these flow restrictors please?

[A.Lee]

I cant see how that can be. Mine is on mains pressure, hot and cold,with no problem at all. You must have a blockage somewhere in the washer for it to flood.

Why does it stop though? Is it because of low water, or another fault?

Mine doesnt. When the pipe to it freezes, it just sits there and waits until it is full, sometime a few hours, sometimes 10 minutes while I get the blowlamp out.

Why go to that trouble? Have you got isolating taps near the hoses? I presume you have, if so, turn them off slightly, but I dont think that is your problem, washers are meant to be connected to the mains, so shouldnt overflow because of excess flow from the mains pipe.

Alan.

[Harry Bloomfield]

A.Lee explained on 27/03/2010 :

It is a common problem, for which they sell flow restrictors - just a plain washer with a hole in the middle. Every single one of our washers has needed the tap turning down to prevent the flooding, but resetting the tap to the 'sweet spot' involves some messing about - so I intend fitting a restrictor washer.

It suddenly began to behave like this immediately after I made the modifications, so I'm fairly confident it is stopping due to its not filling up quickly enough - due to my having turned the tap too far down. Trouble is, it is awkward to get to the tap to adjust it. Which why I intend making and fitting a flow restrictor.

[F Murtz]

Washing machines usually have a tube connected to a pressure switch and as the water rises the air pressure in the tube rises and switches the solenoid off.Does the machine have a reset button? if so reset it when empty. (It vents the tube and reseals it)

[James Salisbury]

What might be a better idea is a pressure reduction valve in the rising main.

[James Salisbury]

What might be a better idea is a pressure reduction valve in the rising main.