I have a laundry machine and I always try to wash things at the appropriate temperature, but when the machine is done the clothes/sheets etc. never feel warmer than room temperature. How do I find out if the heating element of the laundry machine is broken?
At the end of the cycle it always rinses with cold water, so it’s completly normal that the clothes are cold
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This is not true in large parts of the world.
every single washing mashine I ever owned has internal heating - maybe that’s different in the US, don’t know about that, but here in europe that’s completly normal.
Opposite in the US. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a base consumer model with internal heating.
If you look up the hardware for installing a washing machine https://www.lowes.com/search?searchTerm=washing+machine+outlet+box they all have spigots for hot and cold water.
I haven’t seen a separate hot water inlet in a machine in decades…
It only uses one source of water, so I do think this one ues a heating element.
But thanks I will try to feel the machine when it’s not rinsing yet.
I use an Electrolux front loader and it will heat water based on the setting you choose, as well as being connected to hot & cold lines.
The rinse cycle uses cold water
Is there something wrong with the things you’re washing? Don’t create a problem, if things are getting washed, not shrinking, not falling apart, and everything is just fine, just consider that the machine is working as intended, which seems to be the case.
Simple answer here- every washer I have ever seen uses the selected temperature for washing and cold water for rinse.
Feel the front of the machine while it is washing, if you chose hot water the window should be warm.
Your washing machine has gone zen. Inner warmth only.
Washing in cold water is best anyway, hot water sets stains. Unless you have powerful odor you need the hot to help kill the source of.
All cycles end in cold for that reason but it’s too late already for some clothes if you wash in hot, or even don’t rinse out a stain in cold water when it happens.
Constant cold water cycles is not good for high efficiency don’t loaders. You end up with a lot of excess sludge on the spider because cold doesn’t dissolve detergent as well.
- Touch the window in the hatch during the first half of the cycle; is it warm?
- Measure the power consumption.
Mine could be broken as I wash in cold mostly. I will use temp in winter more because the water going through the pipes get real cold to the point where if you pause and push clothes down or such its uncomfortable for the hands. like putting them in ice water. you ever pause and just see what the water temp is. my pauses by lifting the lid. oh mine is upright though. I mean the hot water comes from your hot water tank. the laundry does not heat it. none I know of anyway. so if it was broken it would be like its not drawing from the hot water line which seems kinda unlikely.
While the laundry is rinsed with cold water, before you could check, the machine itself can feel warm during the washing cycle. E.g. when I do a 60° washing cycle and I touch the upper side of the machine (it’s a front loader) after about an hour it’s warm.
Washer, dryer or a combo thing?
Only washer.
Do you have a multimeter? Would you consider yourself handy? If you’re comfortable trying, you can find the model (usually on the inside of the door or on the back). Look up “taking apart X washer machine” there’ll be videos on disassembling. Multimeter can be used to test if individual components, like the heater, are working.
While that would work, it’s massively overkill for the original question about whether the water is getting hot. There are much simpler and definitive ways to get the answer.
Now, if it’s broken and they want to fix it, multimeter all the way
I’m a big “take it apart and see what’s what” kinda guy. Probably overkill but it could also be a good learning experience. If OP wouldn’t consider themselves handy, definitely don’t open a can of worms.
You could watch the power draw with a smart plug.
https://www.athom.tech/blank-1/no-relay-consumption-monitoring-eu-plug-for-esphome
You might check to make sure the hoses are connected to the right taps.
Some washers also only mix hot and cold water for the “hot” cycle to save energy
