[carboy]

Originally Posted by filcord

I have seen my white shirts getting progressively yellow over a year of washing, until I tried using Vanish in the detergent, use 60 degree water, let the eater heat up and clothes turn for twenty minutes, then stop the machine and let it soak for at least two hours.

I remember people using "Tinopal Neel", "Robin Blue" etc for white shirts. Anyone knows how this works - does it spoil the shirts, can it be used in the washing machine tc?

[sgiitk]

@carboy; Blue give the illusion of brightness/whiteness. Tinopal is a optical brightener, ie fluoresces in ultra violet light. Blue is as before.

[skumare]

We have been procuring filtered water (20l cans) and they deliver a can or two every other day at home. Off late, I noticed that tummy trouble incidents are becoming a regular affair, suspect either the water quality is the issue or otherwise contamination is happening at the time of emptying the can into our water dispenser (a stainless steel container). The hands of the person emptying the can may not be clean always :-(

The cans cost Rs25/20l and we use an average of 20 cans/month. Assuming a RO/UV filtering unit costs 20k across 3yr including maintenance, it will cost us ~ly the same as procuring the cans. Am thinking of going for a (RO+)UV unit, see that RO may not required as we get metro water, but we also use bore water some times.

a) Will RO units waste less water if the input is metro water or is it the same irrespective of the quality of input?
b) What do you recommend for an UV only unit?
c) Should I go with Kent if it is an RO+UV unit?

[Zappo]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Is it true that we cannot add clothes later (say you forgot a few clothes) in front loading (FL) washing machines? Missus is ruling out FL's just based on this.

It is all about a little planning. In my house, everything that needs to go into the washer is thrown into the washer all the time. Whenever it gets filled, or else on the weekends the machine is run with the load. That ways we do not have the scope of "forgetting" a few clothes. Anything that comes up for washing post the run simply gets earmarked for the next run.

Also, remember, you can not keep pilling up clothes inside to make them all wash at once. Generally, in front loaders you will find that the glass "port window" in the front has a marking towards the top. This is the height to which you should fill in the machine for an optimum, clean wash. The clothes will need enough space to move around once the wash cycle begins. many a times I run 2 cycles as well if that is what is needed (I have a 6 kg capacity machine).

Generally, the FL machines are considered more thorough in washing and gentle on garments. Modern ones are also extremely conservative in their water requirements.

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Please suggest. Drying of clothes is quite important for us, but I am not willing to spend on a product such as LG washer dryer which has a starting price of 48K.

I wanted something similar (washer with dryer). However, finally I settled on a compromise. If you choose a machine with spin speeds as high as 1200 or 1400 RPM you can have the washed garments up to 80% dried when you extract them. It becomes very easy to dry them post that in the open air. The alternate is to have a huge box (like the lower section of one of the cupboards in my house) with a 200 watts incandescent bulb fitted in it. Put the semi-dried clothes in it for 30 minutes and you will get absolutely dried clothes.

[S_U_N]

Originally Posted by skumare

Am thinking of going for a (RO+)UV unit, see that RO may not required as we get metro water, but we also use bore water some times.

I have been hearing about RO units stripping water off all its salts (nutrients).
Please read on that part as well.

Originally Posted by Zappo

It is all about a little planning.

Another argument was that when you have a mixed load, some clothes may not need an exhaustive cycle. So perhaps they can be removed and the other clothes can continue with the remaining cycle.

Well, I will see what scenarios we come across in reality with the top loader. BTW: It got delivered a few hours ago at home.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by carboy

I remember people using "Tinopal Neel", "Robin Blue" etc for white shirts. Anyone knows how this works - does it spoil the shirts, can it be used in the washing machine tc?

The physics is simple. White clothes acquire a yellow tinge with time. Adding Blue colour brings the yellow back to white. Robin Blue was such product.

Tinopal plain was a bleach. It would bleach yellow clothes to white, hence was quite harsh on clothes and used when the white clothes were yellowed in patches.

As synthetic fabrics do not yellow as much as pure cotton, the use of both these products has declined a lot. In fact I do not remember using either in the last twenty five years.

[skumare]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

I have been hearing about RO units stripping water off all its salts (nutrients). Please read on that part as well.

I suspect my current provider to be using a industrial RO unit, so it may not be any worse, will look up on this.

[khoj]

See my answers within your post and at the bottom.

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Questions about washing machines.
1. Is it true that we cannot add clothes later (say you forgot a few clothes) in front loading (FL) washing machines? Missus is ruling out FL's just based on this.

A1. Clothes can be added to a FL but only up to a certain time interval. This varies from brand to brand usually 5~10 minutes.


2. Are there any good top loaders (TL) which have got way to heat water (so as to give a better wash?)

A2. Whirlpool 'Bloom Wash' This is almost identical to the machines that they are selling currently in the US of A, comes with a heater built in.

3. Are there any trollies available with wheels for washing machines?

A3. YES


Please suggest. Drying of clothes is quite important for us, but I am not willing to spend on a product such as LG washer dryer which has a starting price of 48K.

If you were to buy a separate dryer you will need to shell out as much as the WM itself provided you are buying Siemens, Bosch or similar. Depending on the type of dryer you will have to make separate arrangements for venting the hot air/draining the condensate.

We have a LG washer dryer combo 8/6 kgs and it is worth it's weight in gold on rainy days and especially during Dilli winters when the Sun refuses to spread it's warmth for days at end. It does double up the machine running time and increases the power consumption too but an extra spend of Rs10~15 (based on the latest rate @ Rs7/unit) on odd days is worth more than the currency's real value as long as the ladies are happy.

Oh and the washer dryer combo machines from LG are 'made in Korea' and generally are much better in build quality/grade of materials used compared to the locally assembled ones. This per a fellow Tbhpian who used to work with the Korean major in what else but the R&D department specific to WMs and has since moved to a Japanese conglomerate. Which reminds me that Panasonic has recently introduced their FL machines and these have excellent build quality, though they are yet to launch ones with the dryers built in.

[fine69]

I've had a samsung split 5-star rated AC for about 2 years now. Its huuuge and the outside fan unit is almost double the size of a 1.5 ton window AC.

The downside of this humongous AC is that the parts are costly, so are the maintenance charges and I continue to have some or the other niggles with it every 3 months.

Plan is to get rid of this and buy a not so expensive window AC that would be easy on the pocket right from the purchase to the electricity bills. So what would be my options for a 1.5 ton window AC that helps me achieve a fine balance between initial cost price and doesn't lead to hefty electricity bills later on.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Why not a smaller split unit then? You have the hole in the wall, supports for the unit, etc, all ready --- but you will have to loose a window and alter the frame to accommodate a window unit, which is cost and inconvenience.

The window unit will be noisier by far, and a given amount of cooling, give or take for unit efficiency, is always going to cost you a certain amount of electricity.

And... are the parts for a Window system much less than for a split?

My not-so-humble opinion: after a split, a window unit is a big downgrade.

We have had Samsungs for around five years. Post warranty, we spend a few thousand every year on maintenance and repairs, but every time we look at the repair cost we consider that a new unit would pay for quite a few years of welding and gas fills ...and we repair.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Post warranty, we spend a few thousand every year on maintenance and repairs, but every time we look at the repair cost we consider that a new unit would pay for quite a few years of welding and gas fills ...and we repair.

Why would you need gas fills every year. Is there a leak?

[Thad E Ginathom]

At least one out of our three ACs develops a leak about once a year.

Technical inaccuracy: I should have said brazing/soldering and not welding.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by fine69

I've had a samsung split 5-star rated AC for about 2 years now. Its huuuge and the outside fan unit is almost double the size of a 1.5 ton window AC.

The downside of this humongous AC is that the parts are costly, so are the maintenance charges and I continue to have some or the other niggles with it every 3 months.

Plan is to get rid of this and buy a not so expensive window AC that would be easy on the pocket right from the purchase to the electricity bills. So what would be my options for a 1.5 ton window AC that helps me achieve a fine balance between initial cost price and doesn't lead to hefty electricity bills later on.

The perennial problems with Samsung AC was the reason I sold my window AC after three years of use.

As suggested get another Split - either Hitachi or Daikin. In case you run the AC a lot ( 12hrs/day, 6 months a year) then an Inverter 5 star will save a lot of electricity, enough to recover the difference in a year.

In my experience I find that the split AC are more efficient (in terms of power consumption) and cool better, primarily due to larger ODU. I have 2 Hitachi 5* Window units and 2 splits - one Hitachi 3* and Daikin 5* Inverter.

[fine69]

Actually I'll be shifting to another rented house so will have to get the hole drilled again. Not to mention that if i have shift again next year the next landlord might not even allow a hole in the wall.

Given this situation a window ac makes better sense to me. Also, do i need a 1.5 ton AC only for a 12 by 12 ft room or would a smaller AC work as well?

The AC would run only in nights ~10-12 hrs daily for at least 7-8 months a year.

Where do i start looking now, should daikin n hitachi still be my top choices to choose from?

[S_U_N]

Originally Posted by khoj

If you were to buy a separate dryer you will need to shell out as much as the WM itself provided you are buying Siemens, Bosch or similar. Depending on the type of dryer you will have to make separate arrangements for venting the hot air/draining the condensate.

Thanks Khoj. I bought an LG for 18K on Sunday. The machine arrived on Monday and the demo guy came on Tuesday.
Had some drainage related issue, and hopefully got that sorted out just some time back. This was nothing to do with the machine, but the drainage area was blocked so, we had some flooding at the place where the machine is kept. Luckily we have a pause button on the machine which we used judiciously.

We are still experimenting with the machine settings and trying out various modes and water levels and the free Ariel powder that has been provided.

Now our maid is back and the machine is going to be used only in spin mode for a month mostly. Then we will discontinue with the maid I guess.

The drying capabilities are pretty decent - clothes are not dripping wet, they are mostly moist. But due to overcast weather and no outdoor drying (due to rains), indoor drying is still a slow process.

But yes, the machine has sped up the process of clearing the backlog and also clothes getting back inside our wardrobes.

We have a LG washer dryer combo 8/6 kgs and it is worth it's weight in gold on rainy days and especially during Dilli winters when the Sun refuses to spread it's warmth for days at end.

Had considered those, though we did not find those machines on display at any of the retail outlets.

The machine has a consumption of 350 W and at full water level, the water quantity is 65 lit.
I am not sure if it fills 65 lit during first wash, then throws that out and fills another 65 lit. I do note that the existing 100 lit or so of water in the tank comes down to very low, at full water level.