Thread Number: 17046
Leave Our Washers Alone!! |
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Post# 280828 , Reply# 2   5/19/2008 at 21:30 (5,792 days old) by andrewinorlando ()   |   | |
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Ross, I think the folks in the Northeast would agree with you!!! |
Post# 280878 , Reply# 8   5/20/2008 at 07:22 (5,791 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
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~In Maine for some strange reason the more you use the less you pay. Makes sense huh..... Bulk discounts are sometimes necessary. OTOH... Utilites have many fixed /overhead costs (i.e. those that do not vary with usage levels) that have to be passed along to consumers regardless of level of usage of their product/service. So yes if everyone conserves, the price PER UNIT of items sold MUST go up to cover those costs. Of course variable costs follow usage and are not the point here. This is why cellular/mobile phone service continues to become more affordable. The fixed-overhead costs are now spread over a much larger subscriber base. Also the R.O.I. (retrn on investment) to stockholder stays in a certain range. So if the CEO and CFO make $20,000,000 per year, all said and told, the utlity will charge to cover that and still return to stockholders the "stanard" market-level return. Bottom line=> Public and semi-public utlties have little incentive at times to reduce their costs. The rates will simply be approved to be raised to cover costs and provide a "standard" R.O.I. |
Post# 280879 , Reply# 9   5/20/2008 at 07:23 (5,791 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
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Post# 280926 , Reply# 15   5/20/2008 at 14:06 (5,791 days old) by volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)   |   | |
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One thing about utilities is infrastructure maintenance and repair. Many people complain bitterly when their rates go up, even if it is to repair leaking pipes and broken equipment, not for additional water. As for saving water, I am generally all for it, BUT... I will not replace a serviceable appliance for a new one if the new one is inferior. Inferior to me means the following: longer cycle times, less effective, more failure prone, more flimsy, and a shorter expected lifespan. In the case of comparing my 1980 Maytag A208 against my mother's GE Adora HE front loader, the GE is inferior in every way. There is also the matter of gray water recycling. Gray water is sewage from sinks, laundry, and showers. In many cases, it can be used to water lawns and plants. A Suds Saver is a great example of reusing gray water. If using gray water for irrigation, you could reuse ALL water from washing if you are careful not to use detergents which could kill or damage vegetation (like borax or chlorine bleach). Imagine washing without producing one drop of wastewater! If you are going to water your yard anyway, the water consumption of your washing machine in this situation is irrelevant. Presently, due to a lack of water and drain connections, I have no hot water connection where I use my Maytag. I connect the cold water washer hose to the garden hose and drain into a large trash can. I wash with Cheer or Roma depending on the load and I sometimes use Mrs. Stewart's Bluing. None of those has adversely affected the lawn or plants, and even the pH of the soil has not been affected affected. We had the greenest garden on the street last year during the drought because the wash water, which would have ordinarily gone down the drain, was used to water the plants. TOP LOADERS ARE THE BEST FOR ME! Dave |
Post# 280996 , Reply# 19   5/21/2008 at 06:28 (5,790 days old) by mrx ()   |   | |
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A good clear out is essential for any type of washing machine once in a while. The 90C cycle's certainly useful for this! |
Post# 280999 , Reply# 20   5/21/2008 at 06:41 (5,790 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
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Post# 281044 , Reply# 22   5/21/2008 at 11:42 (5,790 days old) by decodriveboy (FL, US)   |   | |
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Keep in mind guys that front loaders here in the States differ greatly from European ones, and not in a good way in my opinion! All this eco, water-saving bullshit needs to stop already when it comes to laundry. |
Post# 281053 , Reply# 23   5/21/2008 at 13:03 (5,790 days old) by westyslantfront ()   |   | |
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Hi Patrick. Although we do need to keep some degree of conservation in mind, I think that sometimes, people have gone overboard. As the saying goes...."too much of a good thing..." Ross |
Post# 281056 , Reply# 24   5/21/2008 at 13:34 (5,790 days old) by newwave1 (Lincoln, United Kingdom)   |   | |
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Post# 281057 , Reply# 25   5/21/2008 at 13:36 (5,790 days old) by decodriveboy (FL, US)   |   | |
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WAY too much! :) |
Post# 281058 , Reply# 26   5/21/2008 at 13:41 (5,790 days old) by stainfighter (Columbia, SC)   |   | |
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are the folks that won't recycle ANY newspaper, glass, cans - NOTHING. I think yes, folks should conserve water - and agree with not keeping the water running when brushing teeth, shaving, washing and rinsing dishes (that's also a lot of WASTED water). When possible I try to recycle the plastic forks and spoons from takeout, the plastic containers that some restaurants use can also be recycled. We may go back to a classic TL when the Frigmore's bearing finally dies (it is not on life support - yet). In this FL I recently experimented by doing a load on 'delicate' vs. 'normal' cycle. The clothes did not feel all that much different in dampness but certainly had less wrinkles. Drying time did not seem to go up that much - maybe another 10 minutes? Conservation takes on many forms
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Post# 281070 , Reply# 27   5/21/2008 at 14:40 (5,790 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
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~Conservation takes on many forms. Having one fewer child is perhaps the best way to conserve resources.......technically. Water usage reduction is ok, but OIL-use reduction......... Retrain and divert military personnel that are currently overseas to the task of installing photo-voltiac (power generating) solar collectors on every roof in this country and I'll show YOU a smart use of resources to the aim of conservation, foreign oil independence and greater self-sufficiency. |
Post# 281073 , Reply# 28   5/21/2008 at 14:54 (5,790 days old) by newwave1 (Lincoln, United Kingdom)   |   | |
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Oops i forgot to add my piece on water conservation and washers! There was a time over here when manufacturers decided to start making machines save unnecessary wastage on machines, they for a few years stuck to the 65-70litre bracket, i don't know what that is in gallons for the US guys. Now that seemed to be a good amount, the machines didn't over use water, they rinsed to a good standard too. then in 2000, they dropped to stupid levels, and it is no coincidence that from the year 2000, skin problems in the uk rose with the decline in washing machine water usage! & that is why every machine just about on the market for years and years has had an extra rinse facility! Because it takes a certain amount of water to Rinse detergent out effectively!!!!!!!!!! Though it appears the manufacturers know this, as machines are slowly creeping back up in water usuage. Cold fill is great, heating in the machine the amount of water needed. I've always gone on the line that doing full loads & using the right amount of detergent is the best way to be do things economically, as opposed to little and often! Darren |
Post# 281138 , Reply# 31   5/21/2008 at 18:45 (5,790 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
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1 U.S. gallon (as opposed to an imperial gallon) = 3.78 litres. Therefore 4.0 litres per gallon is a quick an easy mnemonic device/method. Let me bring you up-to-speed on the English system. (That's TRES ironic isn't it?) 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces = 230ml. 2 cups = 1 pint 2 pints = 1 quart (a/k/a 4 cups) 4 quarts = 1 U.S. gallon There will be a quiz next week. 1kg of water is the definition, IIRC, of a litre. One U.S. gallon of water weighs 8.345 lbs. (pounds)so figure 8 lbs. rounded. Since a U.S. gallon of water is 4 quarts with 4 cups in each, then a gallon of water is 16 cups. Therefore each cup weighs half a pound. Since there are 16 ounces per pound, each cup then weighs 8 ounce or 1/2 a pound. How's that for useless tid-bit? There will be a quiz nex week. CLICK HERE TO GO TO toggleswitch's LINK |
Post# 281142 , Reply# 32   5/21/2008 at 19:46 (5,790 days old) by dirtybuck (Springfield, MO)   |   | |
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In regards to the quiz, I won't be here...I'm gonna have a uh..er, headache or something. How much will it count towards my final grade? ;) |
Post# 281146 , Reply# 33   5/21/2008 at 20:42 (5,790 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
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Post# 281158 , Reply# 34   5/21/2008 at 21:50 (5,790 days old) by decodriveboy (FL, US)   |   | |
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Something that you will never even come close to seeing in the US! I wish our country would import some European sense. |
Post# 281159 , Reply# 35   5/21/2008 at 21:53 (5,790 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
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Post# 281227 , Reply# 39   5/22/2008 at 11:39 (5,789 days old) by thomasortega (El Pueblo de Nuestra Seņora de Los Angeles de Porciúncula)   |   | |
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It reminds me the best FL washer ever made by Electrolux LE750 the largest cycle is 2 hours (pre wash, whitest whites and 5 rinses) Water level is excellent, the capacity is small (5 kg) but enough to wash king size comforters. The only contra is the spin speed, only 750 rpm, but for a 40 years old project, itīs fantastic. This washer was discontinued in Brazil 1 year ago and many people miss it. Hehehe i have mine and iīll never sell it. |
Post# 281277 , Reply# 40   5/22/2008 at 15:44 (5,789 days old) by vivalalavatrice ()   |   | |
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TLHA! Why not?! Just this to say... nothing else. Diomede |
Post# 281296 , Reply# 41   5/22/2008 at 17:33 (5,789 days old) by mrx ()   |   | |
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kirk280980, I have to agree the Aqualtis wash gets the water usage spot on. It's not wasteful, but it's not stingy. It's certainly 'Deeply different' to quote the slogan. It's still an A,A,A rated machine!! |
Post# 281339 , Reply# 44   5/23/2008 at 02:18 (5,788 days old) by newwave1 (Lincoln, United Kingdom)   |   | |
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Post# 281391 , Reply# 46   5/23/2008 at 12:24 (5,788 days old) by newwave1 (Lincoln, United Kingdom)   |   | |
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Post# 281396 , Reply# 47   5/23/2008 at 13:56 (5,788 days old) by mrx ()   |   | |
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What's with the fixation on condensers? They're terrible! |
Post# 281400 , Reply# 48   5/23/2008 at 14:55 (5,788 days old) by newwave1 (Lincoln, United Kingdom)   |   | |
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Post# 281422 , Reply# 49   5/23/2008 at 18:11 (5,788 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, Thereīs a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Vented tumble dryers are fine if one has a wall opening for the vent, or can make one. Many parts of Europe, such as Paris for instance forbid cutting holes into outside walls hence condenser dryers and those "portable" air conditioners that have hoses one sticks out of window, or worse collects water in a drip pan. If you own your own home,or modern buildings things may be different, but you simply cannot go around making holes in 100, or even 200 year old buildings, well at least not in Paris. |