ECN Electrical Forum - Discussion Forums for Electricians, Inspectors and Related Professionals
ECN Shout Chat
ShoutChat
Recent Posts
UL 508A SPACING
by ale348 - 03/29/24 01:09 AM
Increasing demand factors in residential
by tortuga - 03/28/24 05:57 PM
Portable generator question
by Steve Miller - 03/19/24 08:50 PM
Do we need grounding?
by NORCAL - 03/19/24 05:11 PM
240V only in a home and NEC?
by dsk - 03/19/24 06:33 AM
New in the Gallery:
This is a new one
This is a new one
by timmp, September 24
Few pics I found
Few pics I found
by timmp, August 15
Who's Online Now
1 members (ale348), 302 guests, and 14 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
#19177 12/21/02 12:53 PM
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,498
Likes: 1
C
C-H Offline OP
Member
Hi!

What are the temperature settings of American washing machines? I have searched the net but come up empty handed, probably because it's something 'everybody knows'.

European (or at least Swedish) washers have settings 30°C (86°F), 40°C (104°F), 60°C (140°F) and 95°C (203°F). Often there is only a cold water connection and the washer therefore heats the water itself.

Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 558
G
Member
ALL U.S. washers that I am aware of are furnished a hot and cold water supply. The hot water temp is determined by water heater thermostat settings, normally this is between 110 and 120 degrees.Washers such as you describe would be incredibly expensive in the U.S.I would think.

Joined: May 2002
Posts: 382
H
Member
C-H,

Mine is rated 10A at 120V and is fed with both hot and cold water.

There are three heat settings available: Cool/cold 30°C/85°F, Warm 40°C/105°F and Hot 50°C/120°F. These temperatures are quoted straight from the instructions and I don’t know whether it’s the Fahrenheit or centigrade temperature that is definative.

The instructions ask for the household supply to deliver hot water at 120 to 140°F (48 to 60°C)

Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,498
Likes: 1
C
C-H Offline OP
Member
You call a maximum temperature of 50°C hot? How do you get white textiles clean? Advanced washing powders?

If 50°C is enough in North America, 60°C should be enough in Europe. Washing at 90°C or 95°C consume a lot of electricity.

Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 507
G
Member
50° C is the maximum safe water temperature that can be provided at the tap or shower. Higher temps are a scalding hazard. If the water heater is set higher than that for clothes and dish washing, then the rest of the house should be tempered down.

This is fairly common for high end homes but is not typical of the average US house.

GJ

[This message has been edited by golf junkie (edited 12-21-2002).]

Joined: May 2002
Posts: 382
H
Member
I did read your maximum temperature of 95°C with some amazement as at the 5500 foot elevation where I live the water must be getting close to boiling point given a good low pressure storm! [Linked Image]

One of my company’s mines here is at 10 000 feet and I swear your washing machine would be a very inefficient boiler at that elevation! [Linked Image]

Seriously, with modern washing powers, most washing can effectively be done in cold water and that saves an awful lot of power whether you are heating in the machine itself or heating the water externally using electricity or gas.


[This message has been edited by Hutch (edited 12-21-2002).]

Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,498
Likes: 1
C
C-H Offline OP
Member
Quote

50° C is the maximum safe water temperature that can be provided at the tap or shower. Higher temps are a scalding hazard. If the water heater is set higher than that for clothes and dish washing, then the rest of the house should be tempered down.

Finally, something that is the same on both sides of the pond! Indeed, water at the tap isn't allowed to be hotter than 50°C here either.

Hutch: There are pressurised 110°C washing machines. [Linked Image] Only used where clothes get extremely dirty, like oil rigs.

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
P
Member
This is another area where U.S. and U.K. practice are at odds.

Most domestic British washers are designed to take both hot and cold feeds and incorporate a 3kW heater to boost the temperature when needed. In most machines it's possible to just connect the cold and let the built-in heater get the water up to whatever temperature is required.

Maybe one of our California members can confirm this, but I seem to remember seeing somewhere that under CA law the thermostat setting on the hot water cylinders of all new homes must be set at no more than 120 degrees. Is that correct? A lot of U.K. stats seem to be set around 140.

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3
L
Junior Member
Some washers have internal heating elements which can increase the water temperature above that provided by the water heater. These are available in America as imports, such as the Bosch, AEG, and Miele. Some Duet washers also have heating elements. These washers cost around $1,000. They also generally use 240V.

Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 95
J
Member
The industrial washers at my fathers laundry, get ground temp cold water 60 F, 190 F hot water, and live steam 325 F if needed. They can draw over 300 gallons a minute of each. They have PLC's to control all the formulas and temps, inverter driven motors, all stainless steel, 800 lb capacity and spin at 60 miles an hour. They use 48 lbs. of soap per load. They're made in Syracuse NY by G.A. Braun The last two he bought were $125,000 a piece, matching dryers are 2,500,000 btu's 800 lb capacity pass through models wet clothes in the front dry clothes out the back. They were only $102,000 each, the lint trap is a 55 gallon drum emptied every other day.

If anyone has ever done any work for Unifirst, Aramark, Cintas, G&K, RUS, or you west coast guys Mission uniform then you've seen these.
I spent 15 years keeping this place going 6 days a week.


Lighting the way
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5