Washing Machines

January 3, 2005 2:15 PM

WasherHackerFilter: When we moved into this place, we found that the previous tenant had installed an AEG Oko_Lavamat 74620 washer in the apartment. While we really love having a washer, it is a prime example of a vicious species of washer: one that washes a full load with about a tablespoon of water, over the course of 2 hours of wash-time. I'm in favor of the idea in theory, but after living for 4+ years with British washers that destroyed most of my clothing and didn't ever really clean them properly, I've done some tweaking with this one.

It turns out that it will wash a normal load in 38 minutes very well if an extra 7.5 gallons of water are added to it. This works fine, but I'm tired of running back and forth to the bathroom to fill the jug 3 times. Hoses also don't really like our faucets-- go figure.

So what I want to do is see if I can reprogram the machine to add the extra water in. I have no idea if AEG machines are hackable through the front panel, but I'm hoping that someone here has tried something similar and can share the results. Any thoughts?
posted by yellowcandy to home & garden (13 comments total)

Are you sure your sink cannot handle a hose? I've been able to put a nozzle adapter onto my kitchen sink that allows me to connect a standard hose onto it for when I homebrew.
The setup cost me about 6 bucks for the adapter and a threefoot long rubber "utility hose." For a few bucks more, you could get an adapter and a longer hose.

If you can't adapt, you can rig up a hose attachment of your own out of some aquarium tubing and some clamps pretty easily and avoid cutting up Mr.Washer.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 2:34 PM on January 3, 2005

Why not get a 7.5 gallon bucket and fill it in the tub?
posted by Sidhedevil at 3:01 PM on January 3, 2005

Never done anything like that.. but I would wonder whether it measures the water as it comes in, or if it just has a sensor of some type inside the machine. It can't just be a timer, because varying water pressures would throw it off.

Rather than run a hose to a bathroom, I'd use the water source you have coming into the machine. It has an existing copper water line somewhere, so I'd split that pipe off, put a garden hose faucet on it, and get a bit of hose, maybe fix the hose in place, so you just have to twist the knob.

It shouldn't take more than 10-30 minutes max. for anyone who's done plumbing before, perhaps a friend/person at local hardware store? You can buy the braze on garden hose fitting, a "T", and a length of pipe yourself if you want.
Just remember to measure the diameter of the existing pipe before you go buying stuff.
posted by Jack Karaoke at 3:08 PM on January 3, 2005

OK, the sink has a strange nozzle and does not play well with hoses.

Large buckets, while great for floor-based jobs, are not as nice for lifting up to heights of 5 feet in the air, while not spilling any of the 60 lbs of water in them.

I really just want to let the machine do the work. It ought to be able to do this too...
posted by yellowcandy at 3:10 PM on January 3, 2005

Great idea Jack Karaoke! The problem with doing that is that the machine is in a closet and the water line is inaccessible without yanking out a ton of heavy stuff (and then replacing it)...
posted by yellowcandy at 3:12 PM on January 3, 2005

7.5 gallons of water is about 60 pounds for one thing...
posted by RustyBrooks at 3:16 PM on January 3, 2005

Am I frightening everyone by suggesting that 60 pounds is nothing for me to lift, even 5 feet in the air? Because I figured that was about how much 7.5 gallons weighed and didn't give it a second thought.

However, seeing that not everyone else spends their spare time in the weight room and/or schlepping their goddaughter around, how about getting a 7.5 gallon bucket and a 1-gallon dipper and bringing the bucket to the washer, then dipping the water out of the bucket into the washer?
posted by Sidhedevil at 3:37 PM on January 3, 2005

Reading the manual, have you tried enabling the additional rinse feature? It's not activated by default, and perfoms and additional rinse for several programs. (page 34). I know that's not the same as an extra 7.5 gallons, but it might be a tolerable improvement. Also, page 47 tells how to remove the flow regulator, which might allow more water in. Warning - I am not even remotely assocated with anyone qualified to modify washers, and that last piece of advice may make your washer explode.
posted by sysinfo at 4:05 PM on January 3, 2005

"...the sink has a strange nozzle and does not play well with hoses..."

yellowcandy, you need one of these.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:06 PM on January 3, 2005

Sysinfo: good stuff-- that's the kind of thing that I've been looking for.

I would like the extra water at the beginning of the wash cycle, not at the end, though...

I'm going to check out the flow regulator page now too.
posted by yellowcandy at 5:55 PM on January 3, 2005

Hey, I don't mind lifting 60 lbs into the air, it's not spilling it and getting it into the detergent drawer that's the issue.

Plus, I really just want to reprogram the thing, if it's possible, not find a better bucket/hose solution.
posted by yellowcandy at 6:01 PM on January 3, 2005

What is the point in getting an enviromentaly friendly washer if you waste water to use it? That being said, have you considered pulling the washer out selling it, getting a cheap washer that takes plenty of water, and then get some nice scotch and pizza with the leftover money.
posted by Megafly at 7:35 AM on January 4, 2005

Megafly: The washer still consumes substantially less than a regular washer, even with the extra 7.5 gallons added to it. So, in that sense, it still does serve its purpose.

We can't fit a standard washer in that closet because it is a very small space-- this washer is one of the only ones that will fit. Also, it has to be paired with a ventless dryer of the same size, so our options are limited even further. The scotch does sound nice though... Bruichladdich would be my choice.
posted by yellowcandy at 11:53 AM on January 4, 2005