Washing machine connection

[Sue Beans]

I just moved into this flat and am trying to get my washing machine up and running. The removal men kindly plugged it in for me but they said I needed to get a jubilee clip to make sure the hose stays on the water inlet.

Have bought said jubilee clip, from Wilkinsons, at least when I asked for a jubilee clip the assistant came up with this. It's a ring with a screw at the side. I've tried unscrewing the screw to open up the ring but nothing happens. Have I bought the wrong thing, or is there perhaps a superior type of jubilee clip which I could buy, which might be easier to use?

Sorry for asking such an elementary question.

[Dave Jones]

Yep that's a jubilee clip, but I don't understand where your trying to put it. The inlet pipe should look like this :-

(Comes in blue as well!)

Which shouldn't need a jubilee clip.

Please enlighten us!

Dave Jones

[Wingedcat]

Firstly are you sure you mean "Water Inlet". Washing machines have dedicated fill hoses which do not use jubilee clips. I presume you mean the waste outlet or DRAIN HOSE.

A jubilee clip will come into play in this scenario to attach the drain hose to a drain spigot (hole) in the waste trap under the kitchen sink. Usually if there is no drain hose attached to the waste trap then water will p*ss out under the sink when the tap is run.

Assuming we are talking about the waste outlet, you shouldn't have to unscrew the jubilee clip at all because you should just be able to slip it over the end of the drain hose, push the hose onto the corresponding drain spigot under the kitchen sink, and then tighten it up. From new, Jubilee clips are fully undone. Perhaps you have got the wrong size.

doubt measure the diameter of the drain hose and take it from there - get a jubilee clip about 5 mm bigger.

Hope this helps.

[Set Square]

Sounds like you've got a duff jubilee clip (or worm-drive clip to give it its generic name).

But you shouldn't be using one of those anyway! You need a proper plumbed-in washing machine tap (or two if your machine has cold and hot feeds) with threaded outlets onto which the hoses from the machine will screw securely.

Anything less than that will end in floods - of tears if nothing else!

[Nigel Molesworth]

When it runs out of thread, it won't loosen anymore. If you really need to split the ring open, pull it apart by hand.

As others have said, this isn't something that should be on the inlet, unless the installer had made a bodge of course.

[Sue Beans]

[snip]

So sorry, I meant outlet (blush!)

But unfortunately I found out that a jubilee clip will not solve my problems (see next postings)

[Sue Beans]

Yes. Sorry about the slip.

Yes, that's the situation. Unfortunately, I've now learned the hard way that my washing machine won't work with this installation. (I tried it out and it refused to drain, leading to a long session of manual emptying.)

According to the manual, the waste pipe needs to empty into a standpipe. So I'll have to find a plumber to put in a standpipe, I guess. And a launderette. :-(

[snip]

Yes, I understand now. The clip was the wrong size, as you say. I'm going to let the plumber sort it out, since I have to call one.

Yes indeed. Thanks.

[Sue Beans]

Quite! I meant the outlet, not the inlet. I've discovered I need a plumber to put in a standpipe instead of trying to empty into the sink's waste pipe. I used to have a little Indesit, long ago, which emptied into the sink pipe quite happily, but this one demands a standpipe, according to the manual, and will not drain unless there is air if you see what I mean. And sure enough, it didn't. :-(

Thanks to all for replies.

[Brian Reay]

Why?

At the risk of teaching you to suck eggs, did you check the drain spigot wasn't blocked (or even blanked off)?

Having said that, the simple "hook it over a vertical waste pipe" seems to he the preferred method- little chance of siphoning back into the machine.

[john]

I recall that when I bought a sink u-bend with a washing machine waste spigot there was no hole in the spigot. It needed the have the end cut off to allow it to work - in other words it didn't have an opening otherwise emptying the sink without the washer attached would have caused a flood under the sink. See example:

[Nigel Molesworth]

If you plug it onto a multi-sink connector, there IS air. Many WM manufacturers still say you need a standpipe because that's what the Water Regs used to say.

I suspect your problem is a trapped pipe.

[Bill]

OR. Before you connected your waste pipe to the connector under the sink was there anything else connected to it? If not then it may well have a blanking disk in it to stop sink water from coming out. It may be worth unscrewing it and having a look??

[Richard Conway]

Mine was the same is this. Just to point out, if you do manage to get the outlet attached to the spigot on the waste pipe, you should try and make sure that the waste pipe goes higher than the spigot at some point, so that water emptying down the sink goes down the drain as opposed to down the washing machine waste pipe, if you see what I mean

[Sue Beans]

It's not blanked off and doesn't seem to be blocked. I think it's just in the wrong position -- not enough gravity.

That's the reason given in the manual. Whether it's going to be possible to get a vertical waste pipe in to this tight space is the next question I guess.

I just found the receipt and discovered that I bought it (from John Lewis) on 26/8/03 -- two years ago, minus two days, so still under warranty. Hooray! Their servicing agency has given me an apptmt so I'll wait and see what they say. Thanks.

[Sue Beans]

I hope you're right. That sounds easier than putting in a standpipe.

Thanks.

[Sue Beans]

The previous occupants had a washing machine installed there. It's definitely not blanked. It's possible there could be a blockage but I don't think so -- I suspect it's just not draining because the outlet is too high. An engineer is coming to have a look, so I'll see what he says.

Thanks.

[Sue Beans]

This was in use with the previous occupants' washing machine, so in principle it works. It must be a difference between their w.m. and mine. I'm hoping it'll just be a question of resiting the outlet.

Thanks.

[Set Square]

The thought occurs to me to wonder whether there is a problem with the

*machine* rather than with the drainpipe connection.

Have you tried just hooking the outlet pipe over the edge of the sink - or standing a bucket on the chair and putting it into that? If that works, then fair enough - but if it doesn't, you might have a duff pump in which case installing a standpipe will just be a waste of money.