Washing machine water supply from a head tank

[Lily To]

I have bought a brand new washing machine Logik L612WM16 for one of my rental flat. I tried to turn on yesterday and found the water flow was not strong ( not loud when it usually should be when the water comes to the tray). I asked the plumber where the water supply came from. He said it was from the water tank. Can someone tell me if the Logik w/machine works fine if connected to the head tank?

[iadom]

It should be connected to the cold water mains supply, not the hot water header tank. Nothing to do with the make of machine either.

[electrofix]

the question of whether the machine will work or not is down to the water flow into the machine. As the machine starts filling the computer in the timer starts a clock. If it has not filled in a given time the computer assumes that the water must be leaking out and stops the machine to prevent a flood

As Iadom says it has nothing to do with the make of the machine as all modern machine have this anti flood feature. Older machines did not have this and have been to machines that take 8 to 10 mins to fill

There must be a cold water main somewhere in the flat. normally feeding the sink in the kitchen. You would need to get a plumber to get this supply to the machine

Dave

[iadom]

Did you connect this machine to the water supply or was it your plumber. If your plumbing has two taps, hot and cold then he may have connected it to the hot tap by mistake. Years ago all machines where hot and cold fill but these days 99{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} are cold fill only.

[Lily To]

Thank you, indom and Electrofix. Sorry I should have said the plumber has connected the w/m to the cold water tank which sits just 2 meters above the flat in the small attic.
The location of the washing machine I wanted him to put in is just outside the shower room while the kitchen is on the other side of the flat so much further away. Note: I cannot put the w/ m in the kitchen as that is the bed for downstairs tenant.

Elactrofix, you wrote “As the machine starts filling the computer in the timer starts a clock. If it has not filled in a given time the computer assumes that the water must be leaking out and stops the machine to prevent a flood”. Do you mean the w/m filling water by setting a limited time rather than detect the level of water filled in? I have tried two loads so far, both have completed the washing cycle to the end. The first load was about 3 kg mixed material with one trouser (none cotton) came out like kind half wet but other cotton clothes seemed fine. The second load was 2 kg. All came out fine but somehow I feel they were not been soaked properly.

Is the w/m doing fine with the cold water tank?
thank you.

[electrofix]

as long as its working then there is no problems. all that may change a but os the length of the programme because of a longer filling cycle. It also may not wash the soap powder out of the draw properly so suggest you use a powder or liquid that can be put in the washing

if the worst happens then the tank ball cock will be fed mains water so if its only 2 meters away it may not be a hard job

Dave

[Lily To]

Thanks electifix. What do you mean by “if the worst happens then the tank ball cock will be fed mains water so if its only 2 meters away it may not be a hard job”? The cold water tank is 2 meters above the w/machine. The plumber has run the pipe with the shower and toilet supply together – all from the same water tank.

[Lily To]

Also, should we say as long as the washing machine finishes the programmed cycle, the filing of the water should be sufficient, and so no need to worry about?
And, yes, I alway use the container with liquid detergent throw inside the machine Whalen wash.

[electrofix]

well I cant see a shower working off the tank that means he must of fed it of the main that feeds the tank and not off the tanks outlet

don’t get mixed up between the cold water main that feeds and refills the tank and the water stored in the tank. An electric shower will not work off a 2 meter head of water so he must have coupled into the water feeding the tanks which is a much higher pressure

so you may well be looking for a problem that’s not there

Dave

[Lily To]

The shower has always been from the tank, not from the main, but it had an old style mixer which had cold and hot taps on each end then mixed together to the shower and it had been used for over 10 years. Now it has been changed to single lever mixer still run from the water tank but I have to say it is quite weak which is problem.

When I asked the water supply of the w/machine, the plumber clearly answered me that the the washing machine, the shower, the toilet all run from the tank in the attic. I went up and checked as well, it was a pipe come out of the tank. The w/machine was newly added on last week together with the renovation of the flat. I wasn’t been warned about the potential problem.

[electrofix]

well in that case the plumber is a numbskull. if the pipe is at the tank and it does cause problems its not a big job to reconnect it to the tank incoming pipe

Dave

[Lily To]

I have tried to upload a photo but failed. If you look at the w/m supply pipe, it is run from under the floor board – from the shower room nearby. If w/m water supply run from main that feeds the tank in the attic, the pipe should be through the ceiling down to w/m. At the moment,it is the other way round – popping from the floor up about 40cm .

[electrofix]

well if you want to be certain try this

turn the tap off feeding the machine, disconnect the pipe.

place you thumb firmly over the hole where the water comes out

now slowly turn the tap on with the other hand

if you can stop the water then its off the tank. If the water squirts out past your thumb and you cant stop it its off the main

either way if its going ok leave it as its more expense to get it right

Dave

[Lily To]

Dear Dave, I am sorry couldn’t update sooner. I have raised this issue to the plumber. He came in today and inserted/connected a white plastic pipe to the main which feeds the tank, down through the ceiling to the washing machine. All done within half an hour. I am so relieved. I didn’t realise something had been worried me for days could have been sorted so quickly. Thanks Dave (electrofix) for the advice and your time answer my questions! I have learnt a lot since then.

[electrofix]

No problems glad you sorted it in the end

Dave

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