Do you have a hot and cold fill washing machine, but only have a cold water supply available to connect it to? Well, you can still connect it up and use it, but you will need a y-piece connector. If you just connect the cold water hose to the cold water tap and leave the hot water hose unconnected, then some wash cycles may not work.
The y-piece connector is a plastic connector shaped like a Y. It splits a single water supply into two. You may be able to buy this part from a DIY store like B&Q, or Amazon – y-piece connectors (affiliate link).
This photo shows two washing machine hoses connected to a single tap using a y-piece connector. The tap shown is hot (red), but ignore that. You need to connect to the cold (blue) tap. Connect the single section of the y-piece to the cold water supply tap. Now connect the hot and cold water hose pipes to it and your washing machine will work on all wash cycles.
What if you just leave the hot fill hose unconnected?
You could just connect the cold water fill hose directly to the cold water tap, and leave the hot fill hose unconnected. But without a water supply to the hot valve, some wash programs may not work. This is because on a hot and cold fill washing machine, some wash cycles may only fill with hot water. So with no hose connected to the hot water valve, the cycle will fail, or produce an error code.
Some cycles will work without a water supply to the hot valve
Some washing machines may work OK with only the cold fill hose connected. You could always try it and see. It may be that some programs work, but others don’t. The worse that will happen is the washer could either stick on the odd wash programme or may abort with an error on some. This would happen if you select a cycle that only fills up with hot water. But if you only use one or two wash cycles, and not the 60 or 90 degree cycles, they may work OK.
The washing machine may now use slightly more electricity, but it shouldn’t be significant unless you use a lot of 60 or 90 degree washes. This is because modern washing machines use very little water on wash.
Try to use a y-piece connector
It is better to use a y-piece if possible so that water is supplied to both valves as designed. The washing machine will not know the difference between hot and cold water. It won’t know there’s no hot water coming in. But as long as water is coming in, it will just heat up the cold water to the correct temperature.
Cold fill washing is usually better
Manufacturers argue it’s more efficient to fill with cold water only, and to slowly heat up the water. Especially on the most common wash cycles at 40 and 30 degrees. You can see a detailed explanation of this in my cold v hot water article below –
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Yes you can not imagine how much has been ruined. I’ve also tried google to see if the landlord has an obligation to have a cold water pipe installed as washing machines ARE cold fill – and also the fact that he tricked us putting a blue cap on the hot pipe.
Mia, I would have thought if it’s a fully furnished rental property then all necessary appliances should be there and working correctly. Even if not, the basics such as electricity and plumbing are clearly prerequisite, and I’ve never heard of someone trying to rent out a property which doesn’t have the ability to use a washing machine – no one would accept such a property.
If there is somewhere like a letting agent involved you should try to get them to sort it out. Alternatively you need to take advice from a consumer or government advice group, try searching google for –
who do you complain to about rented accommodation – and you will get good links to research.
I realise you are in a difficult position but the fact you are researching implies you are not willing to accept the situation. There is a lot of protection against landlords available these days.
Yes we have an agent and they wrote a letter informing us the landlord have no intention of fixing the pipe situation :(
This is just among a lot of issues! There are unclosable doors and other repairs he has refused to carry out. I have tried google but can’t find any direct help. He has decided to end our tenancy when the contract ends in June so he doesn’t need to fix anything. We have lost hundreds of pounds in agency and moving fees. I have 2 kids under 3 and we now have no where to go in June as the deposit won’t be released until July and he has even threatened to keep it! I have decided to bring him to court because of this and his harassment.
I feel like I have no rights!
Hi Mia: There’s a lot of help and direct advice on google searching for the exact phrase I recommended. The first result is ideal. Good luck.
Hi, I live in a caravan and am looking to buy a mini washing machine from good ideas, model 889, which has a single fill pipe which you connect to the hot water supply. I only have a cold water supply. Can I connect the inlet to the cold water supply and expect it to clean my washing if I use a biological washing poweer?
Hello Vic: The reason you need to connect the mini washing machine to the hot water supply is almost certainly because it doesn’t have a heater. Checking some of the reviews on line about it, most people seem to say it washes OK but they have all said you need to fill it with water already at the right temperature. The chances of it washing well in cold water aren’t good but you should at least use biological detergent and let it soak a while so you may be OK if stains aren’t strong. If you could get hold of detergent designed for cold water it might be better but not sure if they do it. Also, it’s a twin tub, which always needs special twin tub detergent. If they still sell twin tub detergent you need to try that first as normal detergent designed for automatic washing machines won’t work as well inside a twin tub.
Hello. I have moved into a new flat that has a washing machine with cold and hot inlet but the boiler is waiting to be repaired so have no hot water. Will the machine work or do I need to disconect the hot and use a y thing. Thanks
It’s all explained in the article Ross. However, if you can still connect the hot water hose to the washer and you just mean there won’t be any hot water (i.e the water will still run through but it won’t have been heated up) then just connect and use it as normal and it will all work fine. It will just take a little bit longer. If the hot water system is out of commission and no water running to the hot pipe then just read the article which explains it all :)
Hi, 1st time setting up a washer so not very good.. Can i use 2 blue pipes to go on the hot & cold tap?
Hello Charlie: In the old days the cold water hose needed to be able to cope with higher water pressure and the hot one cope with higher water temperatures but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were exactly the same hoses – just in different colours. However, I can’t say for sure. They used to be made of soft rubber where the pressure and temperature may make a difference but they are now made of different material. I can’t see any harm in using one temporarily but to be on the safe side it’s probably best to use a red one for hot on a permanent basis just in case.
I have a Whirlpool American top load washing machine we have connected both hot and cold feed but both to cold water, water is going into the machine but not heating up not sure if i have to defo have hot water going in