Air gap on Maytag water injector: Purpose?

[dnastrau]

Greetings:

I have a general question that may turn out to be dumb, but I will ask anyway. What is the purpose of the air gap water injector design on Maytag washers? When I took my '61 A700 apart I was amazed at the "copper pipe spraying into a funnel" design that I saw. I know the later ones were more enclosed but still employ an air gap. Why not use a solid hose instead for filling the washer?

Thanks in advance to the AW.org gurus!

Andrew S.

 

[yogitunes]

The air gap design is so when, by any chance, a power failure of some sort, that would cause the water coming into the washer to be siphoned out via the inlet hoses, and contaminating the water supply with water, detergent, soil, and chemicals,....kinda a safety device....not that I have ever seen this happen.....all machines have them in one configuration or another....

I have a Maytag where the plastic broke, all I did was take a piece of 3/4 inch plastic pipe, about 3 inches long, took out the air gap and installed this with 2 clamps, and cable tied it in place, problem solved

I have extrememly high water pressure, and on my GE FF it would whistle loudly when filling, actualy annoying, so I did the same thing with a few pieces of plastic pipe, all quiet fills now!

 

[tomturbomatic]

National sanitation standards mandate that all devices that can be connected to the water supply must have a break between the water supply and the device. It's the reason that you were never supposed to allow the fill hose to rest in the washer or tub you were filling. The chance exists, minute though it may be today, for water that has exited the water supply to be sucked back in. Even a very small quantity of contaminated water could sicken or kill people with the right combination of a water pressure drop and a breakdown in chlorination. And chlorine only works for some organic contaminants. Some poisons are not affected by water purification chemicals. That is the reason for air gaps or anti-syphon valves in plumbing codes. Even my new outside hose bib has such a device to keep contaminated water from being drawn back into the mains.

 

[dnastrau]

Thanks for the great explanations guys

That is very interesting and makes sense. Thank you for educating me!

Andrew S.