All washing machines should use standard sizes and fittings. But there are variances in design across different manufacturers and a few potential problems as discussed in this article.
You will always get new fill hoses with a new washing machine. If it isn’t too much trouble, it makes sense to use the new hoses if possible unless you are happy that the existing hoses are still in excellent condition.
Fill Hoses
The main potential problem with fill hoses supplied with a new washing machine is that due to cost cutting they might be shorter and not reach your taps. If so, you may be forced to use the old ones, which are hopefully still in good condition. If not you could try buying extra long fill hoses washing machine fill hoses (standard hoses are 1.5 metres and extra long hoses are usually 2.5 metres).
Some washing machines may come with anti flood fill hoses, which have built in flood protection. They have the same end fittings but are otherwise completely different to normal hoses in that they are large, bulky and made of corrugated plastic similar to that of the drain hose with a large fitting at the tap end.
They can be difficult to fit in some circumstances. For full details about this type of hose and whether you need to use it or not read this article – Aqua Stop Hoses
Some hoses supplied with a new washing machine may have filters built into the ends, whereas your previous ones may not. If so you should use the new ones because the manufacturer has designed the washing machine to require these extra filters.
Drain hoses
The drain hose on a new washing machine should be extremely similar to your old machine’s but it may well be shorter causing problems for some. Cost cutting has resulted in shorter fill hoses, drain hoses and even mains cable. If the new drain hose is too short it is not so simple to use the old one like you can with the fill hoses because it needs connecting to the water pump. This is possible to do, but just too involved for most people.
You can extend a drain hose using a universal drain hose extension kit. You may need to cut down the old one a little to make sure it doesn’t end up much too long but great care must be taken to ensure you don’t have any leaks from the connection afterwards.
Keep a close eye on it until you can trust it’s not going to leak and make sure it’s a good tight fit, if it came disconnected you would get quite a massive flood.
The final potential issue is that you will most likely only get one. This is because they are virtually all cold fill only these days. If your old washer was hot and cold fill and you therefore have two taps and hoses this will raise some questions such as what do you do with the now unused hot water hose and tap? And can you still somehow use the hot water – maybe by connecting it to the washer instead of using cold? All these issues and more are answered here –
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Andy Trigg (Whitegoodshelp) says
That sounds like it might do it Joseph. The 21 mm end in your current drain hose and the 17 mm end in the new drain hose.
Anne Macleod says
Hi I am awaiting delivery of a new Samsung washing machine. The only electrical wall socket is one which is connected through a small hole bored in the worktop. This means the cable has to come through a cupboard and up through a hole in the worktop. If I remember when the old machine was installed they took the plug off to enable it to be connected through the worktop. Will my new machine be a fixed plug which would cause a major problem or are they all plugs which can be removed and reconnected once the cable is pushed through the hole in the worktop?
Also do I remove the old hoses completely from both the machine and under the sink to be disposed off as not sure if all three hoses hot cold and waste will be supplied with my new machine and they are a universal fitting. Old machine is a Bosch new one Samsung. Thanks Anne
Andy Trigg (Whitegoodshelp) says
Hello Anne. All electrical products come with a moulded factory fitted plug. You will have to cut the plug off and fit a normal 13 amp plug
Best practice is to remove the old hoses and fit the new ones unless they are fairly newish and in good condition. Most new machines are cold fill only now What do you do with the old hot water tap?
The drain hose just needs disconnecting from the plumbing and the new drain hose on the new machine connecting in its place. Be aware though that if the washing machine is plumbed into the u-bend under a sink then once removed water will leak into the cupboard if the spout it fits to is not blocked off. If so and you don’t have the blanking cap leave it until the night before.