Device Could Make Washing Machines Lighter And Greener

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40821915

Why didn't anyone think of this before ?

[Old_Geezer]

Interesting. Probably never occurred as they were more concerned with getting something that worked in the factory, than relying on the purchaser having the sense to assemble/sort things after delivery.

[mikey4444]

I am sure that the method of filling these water tanks could be incorporated into the initial set up instructions....a simple press of a button would suffice.

[johnk]

The water container would increase the height of the machine so it wouldn't in the space most people have. It would need to be reduced in height somehow to accomodate the extra size of the tank. It also relies on the buyer having the skill to remove the machine top when not plugged in and fill the tank without drowning the electrics. It is a good idea but it relies on common sense which is a dangerous thing!

[bhg481]

From memory, the density of concrete is about 5.5, water is 1.0. In other words you need 5 times the volume of concrete for the same weight - it's going to be fun fitting that in.

[mikey4444]

I can see from the link that more water was needed, but not that overall size of the machine needed to be bigger.

Perhaps a combination of a much smaller concrete block, with a water tank would work ?

[mikey4444]

Just heard that this will be discussed soon, on the Today Programme.

[malagabob]

If I remember 1 gallon of water weighs 10 lbs. obviously they've sized the containers to replicate.

[HansUrbancka]

Very interesting idea but I think we can all agree that it will need a very big container for water weighting a washing machine.

I have been doing all sorts of calculations and, understanding that a gallon of water weighs 8.345 pounds, it could require a container with a capacity in the region of 3.3 galls in the top part of the machine ....Quite big when compared to a large garden watering 'can' of 2 galls.

As said by johnk , " container would increase the height of the machine so it wouldn't fit in the space most people have.

Hans.

[bhg481]

I don't know where you got your figure of 8.345lb for the weight of a gallon of water Hans but the definition of a gallon is 10lb of water.

[anotheoldgit]

Why not just bolt them down to the ground?

[HansUrbancka]

Thanks bhg481 for correcting me. I often get confused with weights and measures. The weight factor I gave was for a USA gallon. I still wish we had Imperial.

So with an amendment to my figures, I now arrive at an equal split of 25 kg between top and bottom of a washing machine and arrive at 2.76 galls ...... Still a big container needed to put under the top cover.

Hans.

[albaqwerty]

aog, bolting them down to the ground would mean that the floor they are bolted onto would lift off when the machine went into spin mode :-D

[Baldric]

///It also relies on the buyer having the skill to remove the machine top when not plugged in and fill the tank without drowning the electrics///

As a W/machine is connected to the Mains Water Supply surely it would be filled up via that source as part of the set-up operation without having to remove the top.

[1ozzy]

The water tank would have to be filled to the brim and extremely well baffled otherwise it would exacerbate the balance problem.

[snags]

^ Not necessarily. Housewives across the nation would be internally greatful.

[snags]

Ooops... eternally.

[1ozzy]

Maybe internally too snags ;-/

[Gromit]

Isn't concrete a lot heavier than water ?

So you either get a washing machine that is more prone to shaking itself to bits, or a much larger device (to hold more water).

[1ozzy]

Or maybe they make use of available space within the machine.

[anotheoldgit]

albaqwerty
Most ground floor floors are concrete and if they aren't it would take extreme force to lift and split floor boarding.