[wanji]

Reporting back as promised;
Found this, unbroken, inside the door.
Can’t work out how it can have become unhooked, it is stretched quite tight when fitted.

Anyway, it’s refitted now. Let’s see if it stays there, othewise there WILL be a trip to the recycling centre.

[wanji]

Thanks again Dave! I’ll let you know what I find.

[wanji]

Thanks for the tip Dave. I hadn’t bothered to open the door panel yet, hoping a replacement spring might be easily available. I shall check later and report back. Worst that can happen is I take a dismantled microwave to the recycling centre 🙂

[wanji]

Aren’t they usually spring-return, like 2-port heating system valves? (Which by the way I discounted long ago as their working pressure is only 2 or 3 bar). I’ll have a look at motorised valves to see what’s available. If only 240V versions are easy to get I could incorporate an inverter; would be pretty low duty cycle and I’d power it down after activation..

[wanji]

Maybe a little job for the long winter (lockdown) nights; I’ll design an Arduino-based automated controller for shutdown and startup. If I use 12V DC water valves the whole setup could run from a 12V leisure battery, charged from the mains when it’s available. During the long winter shutdown there would only be one (master drain) valve and the Arduino taking power; maybe a small photovoltaic will keep the battery topped up during a power outage, though always-on 12V solenoids will probably draw a fair bit of current. Yes I know that in a deep freeze the battery will not be very efficient, but when the mains is present the trickle charge might just keep it warm…
After all that, if any of the air-admittance valves or motorised drain valves become scaled I foresee lots of damp patches.
Thanks again for your suggestions, I’ll let you know if I ever find a solution.
Cheers

[wanji]

I might be able and willing to remove a filter and disconnect a water pipe, but remember the owner has a problem with simply turning off a stopcock…

No dishwashers, this is a very “characterful” ancient cottage, around 250 years old.

Thanks for the suggestion(s) though, keep ’em coming! I’m trying to maintain a very open mind on solutions. Even the expensive option of simply keeping the entire cottage above freezing point all year round is stymied by the untrustworthy mains supply.

[wanji]

Minus 10 degrees for three weeks will do it! 🙁
Oh, another thing I don’t like about the Surestop is the way it opens and closes with a bang. Having emptied the pipework at the end of last occupation, I fear the shock of suddenly hitting everything with over 6 bar of pressure next spring will “stress” pipework and fittings* somewhat. Opening a manual stopcock (not ballvalve) is an altogether more gentle way to restore system pressure. *There will be a couple of WC ballvalves that might take the hit first – assuming the cisterns were flushed as required before last vacating.
On the subject of washing machines; that’s something else I keep advising against at this location. I’ve never been able to completely drain down a washing machine (without standing it upside down and blowing air through it!), there’s always water left in the sump or heater loop somewhere. In this property that water will freeze.

[wanji]

Thanks for that, I think we’re in agreement here.

I’ve considered various “make draining easy” modifications, but don’t want to compromise the system integrity.

For example; to avoid having to open all basin taps for draining (and remembering to close them all again afterwards) I thought of fitting an air admittance valve as close to each tap inlet as possible. My hope was that as the property’s bottom drain tap is opened, drop in pipe pressure would allow air through the valve so the pipework could drain.
My concern with this – and your experience would be interesting to hear – is that sitting empty for a few months having started off wet, and being in a VERY hard water area, the admittance-valve seat would soon become scaled and would leak when water pressure was reapplied. I’d be creating eleven new possible points of failure…

As I keep reminding the owners, completely draining down a normal house is not trivial. That said, following a simple set of instructions, in the correct order, will always work!

[wanji]

Yes, I’d considered something like these. Problem is, if ever there’s a power outage there’d be no water; winter or summer! (those valves are fail-closed, energise to open). Of course I could plumb a stopcock bypass loop – with a standard tap – but then I risk that tap not being fully closed before winter so burst pipes will ensue. I’m trying to make this installation idiot proof. Owners need to shut off incoming water feed when they vacate, then open drain cocks/taps etc to drain the system. Seems they’ve identified access to the stopcock under the trapdoor as a real problem…

[wanji]

Stopcock location is below trapdoor, underground. Packed around with insulation it is probably frost safe. The remote control switch must of necessity be above ground and accessible. The thin plastic water tubes to the switch, and the switch itself, will be exposed to low temperatures. Also, re electric frost heaters, it is not unusual to lose power for extended periods at this remote rural location. I couldn’t guarantee heater power would be available when needed, and there’d be no-one there to re-set breakers or call out the local electricity board..

[wanji]

That’s exactly my concern. If the expanding ice “broke” the mechanism, the valve might open and flood the property. Alternately, if the Surestop valve failed closed, when residents returned there’d be no water – just a plumber’s call-out (probably to replace the Surestop with a standard stopcock).

[wanji]

Re: John Lewis JLAFFB2011 American Style FF – ice maker faul

OK, all fixed. Technician diagnosed a failed heater element in the freezer compartment. The one around the incoming water feed that’s supposed to stop water freezing in the pipe. With the pipe plugged with ice, next time the water valve opened the water pressure blew apart the rear pipe coupling. He returned on Saturday with the new heater tube and fitted it in minutes.
Fingers crossed, but all seems fine now. Plenty of ice cubes, no water leak!
10/10 for the Daewoo guys.

[wanji]

Re: John Lewis JLAFFB2011 American Style FF – ice maker faul

Following up my own post;
I heard the freezer make the “squirting water into the ice-maker” noise, but looked inside and found the ice tray still empty.
Pulled the FF away from the wall and immediately noticed the water!
There’s a thin grey polypropylene pipe running from bottom to top at the right hand rear (as seen from behind). I assume that’s what feeds the water to the freezer. Except this pipe has come adrift from the white plastic fitting at the top. Every time the freezer tried to top up the ice tray it was spraying water over the back of the cabinet (and on to the power socket – hence the circuit breaker trip).
The grey pipe does not simply push-fit back into the white fitting. Something must have come adrift inside.
Good news is that the FF IS still under warranty and the Daewoo technician is booked for Wednesday 🙂

[wanji]

Re: Creda Reversair sensadry

Reporting back as promised.
Drive-belt fitted no problem, thanks for the upside-down-front tip iadom. Whilst inside (where does all that lint come from!) I checked the tension pulleys. One had migrated along its axle just as another contributor here had mentioned. Quick tap with the toffee-hammer and it’s back into place. Didn’t have any PTFE spray though, so gave the axle a tiny drop of 3-in-one. Reassembled, reinverted, and off it went like a dream. Hasn’t been that quiet since we bought it.
Thanks for the advice – these forums do make interesting reading. I’ll keep lurking and picking-up product reliability advice, we’re planning a new kitchen in 2006, with all new white goods. It’s always good to buy something that those in-the-know speak well of!

BFN

Anji

[wanji]

Re: Really smart tumble dryers?

c’mon! I’m not going to tell you exactly how to do it… As you’ve identified, the drum container would have to be beefed up, which would make the complete device heavier, but still not so heavy as a washing machine with its concrete blocks.

-When can I see a prototype? 😉

Anji

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