Posted on 06/19/2012 6:05:50 PM PDT by Chickensoup
Let's talk washers and dryers.
The washers and dryers today have sensors to meet EPA Standards.
I want to put a big frontloader washer and dryer in my garage which hardly ever gets too cold. When the plumber looked at the set up he said, you are right, there is no danger of the pipes freezing, however, there is water in all the sensors of the washers (and probably dryers) and that minute amount of water will freeze and ruin the sensor and render the equipment inoperable.
I have been thinking about this. Is there a way to find a good workhorse big frontloader washer and dryer, bypass the electronics and just have them have mechanical dials that do wash spin rinse repeat, or time the dry of x minutes? Without sensors. so the only water I need to concern my self with would be the pipe in and the drain?
Your input appreciated.
The washers and dryers today have sensors to meet EPA Standards.
I want to put a big frontloader washer and dryer in my garage which hardly ever gets too cold. When the plumber looked at the set up he said, you are right, there is no danger of the pipes freezing, however, there is water in all the sensors of the washers (and probably dryers) and that minute amount of water will freeze and ruin the sensor and render the equipment inoperable.
I have been thinking about this. Is there a way to find a good workhorse big frontloader washer and dryer, bypass the electronics and just have them have mechanical dials that do wash spin rinse repeat, or time the dry of x minutes? Without sensors. so the only water I need to concern my self with would be the pipe in and the drain?
Your input appreciated.
Might be simpler to just find an old washer and dryer that don’t have the modern electronics.
Bypass the sensors.
/johnny
I dont think that there are big old frontloaders available. Are there?
The simplest would be to get good used machines that already have the mechanical controls.
How often and how cold is hardly ever?
Can you actually bypass sensors on this integrated chip equipment?
Yup, get a used set for a hundred bucks on Craigslist. Get em for free if you are fast enough.
Small, low power heater tape to keep it above freezing. $12 at Lowes, last I looked.
I am not sure that one can heat tape chips and circuts.
How often and how cold is hardly ever?
Occasional skim of ice on a puddle in the garage. The garage is insulated, with double pane windows. I am not worried aboutt the pipes, and if need be I can put a heater out there snuggled up to the washer. The pipes will be fine.
I can't imagine any sensor in the dryer that has minute amounts of water in it. Dryers usually have two metal strips that measure conductivity between them. When wet clothes touch the strips, a small current flows, signifying that the clothes are still wet. When they dry, the current no longer flows, and the dryer ends the dry cycle.
The washer usually has a water level sensor for measuring how much water is in the wash tub, for small, medium, or large loads, but are dry when not being used. There is also a temperature sensor so that the washer can mix hot water and cold water to make "warm" wash water, and again they're not wet when not in use.
Your main source of freeze damage are the hoses that run from the water spigots to the washer, and the solenoid operated water valves that open to fill the wash tub. If eitehr of those freeze and split, then when they thaw you will pour water into your garage until you shut off the taps at the wall. And there is no way to "bypass" these in the way that you ask.
The main question is how cold does it get where you live? A couple of 30° nights won't freeze pipes, but a day or two of 20° weather will.
Well my dryer tore up yesterday. Today I took it apart and noticed the belt which goes around the tub is broken. It is a hair over 92 inches and it seems a whole lot of replacement belts are that exact same size but they are 1/4 inch wide while mine is 5/8 inch wide. Also mine has four grooves and all the replacements have 3 but say they will work on many with four grooves.
Should I just buy the belt even if it is a tiny bit too narrow? Prices are generally not bad.
Yup, get a used set for a hundred bucks on Craigslist. Get em for free if you are fast enough.
A used set of non electroic sensor front loading washers and dryers, 25 or more years old that are eleoctromechanical in nature?
When Ihad a Maytag washer in my unheated garage, I ran RV antifreeze through it bsfore storing it for the winter, three winters, and it workrd OK in the spring. But this was several years ago maybe those new sensors were not yet in my washer at that time
Northern New England?
Put a small electric baseboard heater in the garage near the washer. Take the edge off the cold and keep the temperature above 35 degrees.
/johnny
Your main source of freeze damage are the hoses that run from the water spigots to the washer, and the solenoid operated water valves that open to fill the wash tub. If eitehr of those freeze and split, then when they thaw you will pour water into your garage until you shut off the taps at the wall. And there is no way to “bypass” these in the way that you ask
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I dont think I will have problems keeping the hoses warm. The solonoid would be a problem. That may be my weak point. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm
Years ago, I owned a couple of coin operated laundries that utilized tumble action washing machines. This was before all the electronics and therefore the machines used electromechanical timers to move them through the cycles. I was my own mechanic ( and I am, as it turns out a degreed Mechanical Engineer), and I can tell you that there were no sensors that contained water. You had a solenoid controlled mixing valve that admitted hot and cold water ( just like the machines do today) and you had a sump and a pump with a solenoid-operated dump valve to allow the water to be removed from the machine. Today, we have a modern tumble action washer (Maytag) here at home. I have had to make repairs on it and I have yet to find any sensor that contains any water. Water levels are managed by a pressure switch but the switch itself is dry. Frankly, I don’t know what your plumber is talking about, but then I only know about the equipment that I have owned. Perhaps he is concerned that because of the small amount of water in the mixing valve when it is not being used, that it could be more susceptible to freezing, but other than that, I cant ‘t imagine what concerns him.
I’d just put it inside the case of the washer, near the bottom. It’s amazing what 10 watts of continuous heat can do.
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Hmmmmm. That would be an interesting idea. Never would have thought if it that way. When I think heat tape I think WRAP!
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