| User | Post |
|---|
5:11 pm
Sat 25-Jun-11 |
bobbyW
| | Suffolk | | |  Knowledegable | posts 440 | |
| | Anyone know of a UK supplier of hand powered washing machines.
Following the fat cat's increase in the cost of electrikery, I am giving serious thought into kicking the national grid. 12v lighting, bottled gas and wood burning is a good starting point, just need to lose the washer but SWMBO is not happy about becoming a riverside scrubbing board operative due to the distance involved | "Named must your fear be before banish it you can." |
|
5:13 pm
Sat 25-Jun-11 |
Toffeeapple
| | North Bucks | | | | posts 12054 | |
| | You better watch your step Bob, or you'll be down the river scrubbing clothes! | |
|
6:14 pm
Sat 25-Jun-11 |
ep
| | Bulgaria | | |  Supreme Being | posts 3646 | |
| |
6:32 pm
Sat 25-Jun-11 |
bobbyW
| | Suffolk | | | Knowledegable | posts 440 | |
| | That's not frugal Elsa, I'd have to buy a bath first, we have a shower room instead so soaking is not possible, drying should be no problem with the new wind farm that's been approved close by, and with the new nuclear power station, I could even eradicate the dirty clothes clean. | "Named must your fear be before banish it you can." |
|
7:40 pm
Sat 25-Jun-11 |
kayerunrig
| | lincolnshire | | |  Expert | posts 640 | |
| | somebody did build a cycle adaption for one im sure ive seen it somewhere………ive threatened the kids a few times with the idea |
|
7:43 pm
Sat 25-Jun-11 |
kayerunrig
| | lincolnshire | | | Expert | posts 640 | |
| |
4:13 pm
Sun 26-Jun-11 |
SOL
| | UK | | | Knowledegable | posts 274 | |
| | how about a camping washer? we have one, it came from ebay, wonder washer http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem�…..0581223793 you could also check out camping and caravan 2nd hand websites/ it does help to soak some clothes over night. not woollens but dirt encrusted items. wring out as much as you can by hand. and then I have found it helps to roll items up in a towel and then foot on one end and wind with you hands at the other end. a few links below that may be of interest http://www.thomson-caravans.co.uk/advice/diyprojec…..washer.htm http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/07/qa_electricity.php http://tinyhouseblog.com/tiny-furnishings/tiny-was…..g-machine/ one to make http://www.thomson-caravans.co.uk/advice/diyprojec…..washer.htm I hope there is something there to help. I think the water barrel one would also work if you could get hold of a pharmacy one. you could email a hospital and see if you can take any any. They are normally blue with a white lid. The lids screw on. it maybe water tight? it would be a free way of trying it out. good luck! |
|
12:21 pm
Fri 19-Aug-11 |
Glen
| | Northumberland | | |  Improver | posts 70 | |
| | Whilst on the subject of washing machines, years ago, as you most of you will know, washing machine manufacturers changed from hot and cold fill to cold fill only. I've heard claims that because of the low amount of water they use compared to the first ones (machines). by the time the hot water from your tank reached the machine, it was full and had switched off anyway (though mine used to be right next to my combi boiler so that was not the case), through to them claiming that the machine heats it more economicaly (which is nonsense of course) and so on – of course, the real reason was it's a lot cheaper for them to make one with only a cold fill. One less pipe entry and solenoid valve to pay for. However, with our wood heating we are in a position where hot water is freely available. If I simply plumb the hot in instead of the cold though, then the fill water would be far too hot for some washes. Presumably as more people have solar hot water, they too will be like us where to all intents and purposes it's "free" (or so cheap it's not worth working it out). It seems mad to be paying for electricity to heat water when we have so much at hand. Anyone any ideas on a work-around that would make use of our domestic hot water? With a family the machine is on every day almost, so it would probably make an impact on our electricity use if we could make use of our existing hot water. Any thoughts? (other than a new machine – it's 2 years old and in a fitted kitchen) | Meus terra erro est frigus |
|
2:42 pm
Fri 19-Aug-11 |
JoannaS
| | Latvia | | | Supreme Being | posts 4800 | |
| | Could this be your answer? Link It's a concentric thermostatic mixer valve It's meant for showers to prevent scalding due to a drop in pressure from cold water but does mean that you can set the temp of the outflow. Can that not then be attached to your washing machine?  | |
|
9:01 pm
Fri 19-Aug-11 |
Glen
| | Northumberland | | | Improver | posts 70 | |
| | Thanks – that's a really interesting idea. I forgot about those things often fitted for the eledrly too to prevent scalding. It could be set to the highest "safe" temperature so we'd have to accept some electric heating for say the hottest of washes, but it would not overcook the delicates/wool things. Just away to look at my plumbing catalogue….. | Meus terra erro est frigus |
|
8:25 pm
Sun 21-Aug-11 |
JoannaS
| | Latvia | | | Supreme Being | posts 4800 | |
| | Let us know if you manage to get it fixed and working. Would be interesting if we ever move to a place that uses wood fired heating like our other apartment. | |
|
Forum
G4-PF