Washing machine

[ann_h]

My washer (ordinary UK automatic) normally works off both hot and cold water supply.

All of a sudden, it has refused to operate except at a 30degree wash, filling from cold only.
I have tried all the programs and it is the temperature which is the deciding factor!
This seems to have coincided with the freezing weather, but as far as I can determine none of the water supply pipes is blocked or damaged.
Even so, there is no reason it should not fill from cold but then heat to any program, as do many machines.

I'm hoping someone can help as a) I need to do hot washes and b) it's expensive to heat cold water with electric instead of using gas-heated water

[beso]

It may be that the hot water solenoid valve has failed.

[ChuckFickens]

as beso says, probably hot water inlet valve gone faulty.

If it has then the machine will not fill with cold water and heat it as it will be trying to take water in from the hot pipe and won't get any, so it will just sit there doing nothing.

it's fairly easy to check if it is the inlet valve, first thing to do would be pull the machine out, turn the hot water tap off where the pipe to the machine connects, then turn the tap on and see if water comes out the pipe. if it does then it's not the supply.

The next step requires a electrical meter, take the top of the machine set it on a hot program and test to see if there is power going to the valve, if there is power to the valve but it's not letting water in then the valve is faulty (WARNING! it is mains voltage on the valve so be very careful, if you are not sure or do not have the correct equipment to test it do not do this yourself!)

Just to address your last point of "b) it's expensive to heat cold water with electric instead of using gas-heated water"

This is not true. it's cheaper and more efficient to heat the water in the machine, that is why all new machines are cold fill only.

[ann_h]

Thanks, that makes sense. I know the hot supply is reaching the machine so it must be the valve thingy - which I will not attempt to do myself I think!

Very puzzled though as to how the leccy at 10p kwh is cheaper than the gas at 3p but presumably the gas heating (instant like a big ascot) is very inefficient and I am losing three-quarters of the energy into the pipes as twere?