[Mellow Labs] wanted a smart washer and built a simple controller. However, he found out after a few weeks it wasn’t working how he wanted. The detergent quit flowing, and he washed clothes with no soap for a week! So, a redesign was in order. You can follow the process and the result in the video below.
A bit of 3D printing, a larger pump, and proper voltage made a big difference. We didn’t see the print files, but unless you have the exact same setup, you’d probably have to customize it anyway. There is a real-time hand-drawn schematic, and the software is probably not hard to pull off the video screen (it is only 18 lines).
Washing machines are what’s known in the industry as “white goods,” and we are always surprised how often commercial implementations don’t seem particularly well thought out. For example, we’ve seen washers that have a remote control implementation that requires you to push a physical button to enable the phone app, and that disables the manual controls. It is good to know that you could just build your own smart appliances; it is quite feasible.
Internet-connected washers are all the rage. Even if your machine doesn’t have the requisite sensors, you can usually figure out something to monitor the progress.
If you really wanted to do something to improve washing machine design do something about the valves that slam closed every few minutes resulting in pipe damaging “water hammer”
That’s more likely an issue with the plumbing in your house or the incoming water pressure.
It’s easily solved with the addition of a simple ‘hammer arrestor’ and/or pressure reducer.
I just upgraded to a high water efficiency washer, and the valve slams on and off multiple times a minute. It’s ridiculous. I turned the supply tap half off to stop my pipes rattling. The old machine only activated three times for the whole wash cycle (wash, rinse1, rinse2)
Yup, still likely a pressure/plumbing issue, lots of things to check, but definitely worth starting out by checking incoming water pressure first and then fitting a regulator, if the pressure is OK then check for loose pipework and consider fitting an air reservoir hammer arrestor.
I know this because I’ve lived it.
When I bought a house which had been DIY replumbed by the previous owner, turning off taps, washing machine valve closing etc would cause banging like someone had been buried alive and was trying to escape, turning the pressure down with the stop tap would help a bit but could lead to horrendous screeching noises as cisterns refilled etc.
Eventually got it solved with a couple of hammer arrestors/air reservoir things.
First, drain the pipes. Turn off the water and let the lowest faucet run until it’s dry. Turn off the water heater first.
Obviously, don’t leave it that way.
A simple standpipe at the end of the plumbing run is sufficient airspace. Sometimes they get filled with water. I drain my houses plumbing every couple of years. Whenever the plumbing starts getting noisy.
1. Test your supply pressure, if above about 80psi, install a pressure reducing valve for your house(it’s hard on all valves, not just the one in your washing machine).
2. You can get add-on hammer arresters that have 3/4in threads that attach to the hoses.
Typo in the title:
“DIY Smart Washing Machine Redeisgn”
Should be “Redesign”
lol, they fixed the title, but the link looks like the typo’s here to stay!
A decade ago I selected a “smart” Samsung washer specifically to get phone notifications when the laundry machines in the basement are at the ends of their cycles. I even paid a large premium for this feature as at the time smart appliances were just coming of age.
I rapidly discovered that Samsung has the most user-hostile User Experience (UX) ever. Configuring the machines to connect to WiFi is horrible, and takes over an hour of try, retry, and retry again! And to get a notification, I have to open their proprietary smart phone app, enter my password to log in, and then leave their app open. Then, every time I load the washer, I have to also pick a button that says “Smart control”. Repeat all of this for each subsequent load. And if I use my phone and navigate away from their precious app, I get no alert.
It would be hard to design a more terrible UX. They obviously just had some manager say “this washer needs to be smart”, some engineers wrote code to meet whatever specs, and an army of testers pushed buttons and said “yes, this passes testing.” I can’t imagine a single human at Samsung ever reviewed it and thought it was a good idea.
Of course this is 100% fixable in software. But in 10 years they’ve never done anything to make it better. This is evidence of a company culture problem.
The important takeaway from this is that the bad UX leaves a bitter aftertaste, one which I’m reminded of with every single load of laundry. Samsung products firmly established themselves on my personal list of Brands to Never Buy.
After years of frustration, I finally plugged it into a smart switch that monitors power, and wrote a Home Assistant automation to notify me when the washer’s power draw goes over 100W for 5 minutes, then drops below 5W and stays low for more than 20 seconds. It doesn’t use any of the machine’s smarts, and it just works. And it provides all the “automation” I ever needed or wanted.
Getting back on topic, I do applaud the effort at a roll-your-own controller. I especially see it being of value at delaying starting a load of laundry until after peak electricity rates drop.
Add LG to your list. I was seduced by their “10 year warranty on motor and drive.” The washer isn’t wifi-enabled or anything like that, but you know how washing machines play a tune when the cycle is finished and you can take the washing out? Well, this LG finishes its spin cycle, then plays the “washing is done” tune, THEN leaves the door locked for another 3 minutes. What idiot designs a UI so that the “work is done” notification happens when the work ISN’T done? OK, OK I know this is a first world problem and I am very grateful I don’t have to wash my clothes by hand in a creek. But seriously, who designed this, then who signed off on the UI testing? The only explanation I can come up with is that everyone employed by LG still lives at home with their parents and none of them have ever done laundry themselves. Whatever, their hardware is now perma-banned from my house. No more LG. I think the made-in-Germany Bosch machines are still pretty good. I’m certainly happy with both my German Bosch dishwashers.
I feel a bit better after that rant :-)
Low-Tech solution. Just swap the cupboard door over .
Take the cupboard door off and swap it over to the other side. Now, it opens from the right and you can open both doors at the same time.
Sorry for being old-fashioned.
I once had a really nice “disco” shirt. I checked the washing instructions out and read the label “Give it to your mum”. (This really happened). I got married shortly thereafter (thanks in no small part to my “Disco” shirt). And so, I’ve never actually used a washing machine in my life. But I have used a screwdriver once or twice.
I still have my ‘Disco Sucks’ T shirt.
Most of it anyhow.
Back in the day, I’d yell DISCO SUCKS when it started. A guy on the other side of the club would yell it back 30 seconds later. Never knew who it was. Fast forward 35 yrs and I’ sitting at a friends house discuss theolde days. Turns out he was the one on the other side! Went to same high shcool a yr apart but never knew each other.
Now on tuesday if a disco clip comes on I still yell DISCO SUCKS — the whole bar knows its me and knows when I’m away (as it doesn’t get heard).
DISCO SUCKS! (never had the shirt though)
“Disco’s in da garbage,
dats where it belongs,
‘cuz I hate music,
and you can stick those songs!”
“I keep all my disco records in one big round bin,
let me open up the lid, and shove more garbage in!”
I‘ve „upgraded“ a laundry machine in a similar way like 3yrs ago or so.
http://seemstowork.blogspot.com/2020/12/the-older-smarter-lets-pimp-laundry.html
If you’re planning on doing this, give some thought to how it will play out if something fails and you flood the room. Particularly what will insurance company say when they find out you DIY your washing machine (even if it had nothing to do with the flood).