I have a new LG wm3400cw FL washer that I bought in June. I noticed early on that the wash temperatures seem pretty low, but I thought it was just how new washers are with energy restrictions. I bumped up the wash temp on all my regular loads. I know it uses hot water if the wash temp is set to hot, because I can feel it running through the hose. It doesn’t seem to use any hot when set to any other setting, though. I sat with it for the whole wash portion of a “normal” cycle today with the wash temp between warm and hot and it never called for any water from the hot tap. Not even once. It just used tap cold for everything. Surely this can’t be normal right??? I’m assuming the inlet valves are fine because it uses hot water when set to hot. Could it be a computer issue?
LG wm3400cw not using hot water
- Thread starter swedusa
- Start date
Help Support :
Does it also have an inbuilt heater?
It is common enough that front loaders, if they even have a hot water connection, only use hot water inlet in the hottest settings, and fill with cold and heat it to the set temp for lower temperatures.
my recently retired LG Intellowasher, over 20 years old, would fill with hot water when set to 60 degrees (Celsius) or higher, but would fill with cold and then heat it when set to 30, 40 or 50 degrees C.
My current washer, a Miele that has hot and cold fill, fills with hot water when set to 40 degrees C or higher - temperature controlled fill, starts to add in cold as well if temp gets too high.
It is common enough that front loaders, if they even have a hot water connection, only use hot water inlet in the hottest settings, and fill with cold and heat it to the set temp for lower temperatures.
my recently retired LG Intellowasher, over 20 years old, would fill with hot water when set to 60 degrees (Celsius) or higher, but would fill with cold and then heat it when set to 30, 40 or 50 degrees C.
My current washer, a Miele that has hot and cold fill, fills with hot water when set to 40 degrees C or higher - temperature controlled fill, starts to add in cold as well if temp gets too high.
Know the 3400 CW does not have an on-board heater. And if you use the normal cycle that's the energy star cycle in you're not going to get any hot water even if you use the hot water temperature particularly without an on-board heater. Try using other Cycles such as whites to get warm or hot.
SwedUSA/Robert ... some hot water may be added on Warm (and Cold) in your winter season if your tap-cold supply gets low enough but probably not during the summer. I'll hazard a guess that the target temp for Warm on Normal is probably 70°F to 75°F. Medium Hot probably is 80°F to 85°F.
As Reply #2 advises, the designated Normal cycle is the basis for EnergyStar testing and is the most restricted on temperature. Choose other cycles to get higher temperatures. The only way to know is try them all on all the temperature choices. Warm on Delicate possibly is warmer than Warm on Normal.
No on-board heater. I sat with it again on the “towels” cycle. I had it set to the second highest wash temp and it never used even a drop from the hot tap. Just trying to figure out what these different wash temp settings are even for if they all end up being the same as tap cold except for “hot”. Who wants towels washed in cold water?!
Seems like if the target temp for warm or semi hot is 80-85° it should still need to add at least a little from the hot side.
On a different occasion I opened it up at several points in the “tub clean” cycle and the water in the drum was cold, although I didn’t sit with that one to verify that it never called for any hot.
Guess I’ve just got to only use cold and hot and stop bothering with anything in between.
Seems like if the target temp for warm or semi hot is 80-85° it should still need to add at least a little from the hot side.
On a different occasion I opened it up at several points in the “tub clean” cycle and the water in the drum was cold, although I didn’t sit with that one to verify that it never called for any hot.
Guess I’ve just got to only use cold and hot and stop bothering with anything in between.
only use cold & hot and stop bother with anything in between
Combo52, who has been an appliance repairman for over 40 years, pretty much says that's a fair assessment for modern front loaders, especially those without an onboard heater to maintain hot & warm temperatures.
Combo52, who has been an appliance repairman for over 40 years, pretty much says that's a fair assessment for modern front loaders, especially those without an onboard heater to maintain hot & warm temperatures.
Little Or No Hot Water On A New FL Washer
I would only use the normal cycle on a new energy-star washer if you are only trying to make your clothing damp, not do any serious cleaning.
Use one of the longer cycles and I would only use HOT water period, you will not ruin your new black jeans or your hand made wool sweaters in this washer on the hot setting.
Many clean cycles use cold water, if you use your washer properly there should never be a reason to use the clean cycle. After having my SQ FL washer for over 15 years now I have never even thought about cleaning it in anyway other than wiping off the top of the machine, and I still love the fresh new smell of the interior of the washer when I open the door.
If you use liquid fabric softener or even dryer sheets you mush wash your clothing in pretty warm or hot water or the softening agents will build up in your clothing and in the machine and cause mold and washer damage, heavy mold build-up can destroy a washing machine in as little as 5 years.
You can also protect your washer and keep it clean by always using chlorine bleach in loads that can take a little bleaching, and always use it when washing the dogs towels and cleaning clothes etc.
John L.
I would only use the normal cycle on a new energy-star washer if you are only trying to make your clothing damp, not do any serious cleaning.
Use one of the longer cycles and I would only use HOT water period, you will not ruin your new black jeans or your hand made wool sweaters in this washer on the hot setting.
Many clean cycles use cold water, if you use your washer properly there should never be a reason to use the clean cycle. After having my SQ FL washer for over 15 years now I have never even thought about cleaning it in anyway other than wiping off the top of the machine, and I still love the fresh new smell of the interior of the washer when I open the door.
If you use liquid fabric softener or even dryer sheets you mush wash your clothing in pretty warm or hot water or the softening agents will build up in your clothing and in the machine and cause mold and washer damage, heavy mold build-up can destroy a washing machine in as little as 5 years.
You can also protect your washer and keep it clean by always using chlorine bleach in loads that can take a little bleaching, and always use it when washing the dogs towels and cleaning clothes etc.
John L.
Dang. Now I’m wishing I had sprung for a model with the internal heater. Oh well.
I was using the heavy duty cycle on light soil instead of normal at first, but it seemed like the normal cycle actually used a little more water and did a better job rinsing. I’ll have to keep experimenting. It’s crazy to me that there’s no setting that gives you warm water. It only uses like 10 gallons of water... what’s the big deal if 5 of them are hot!
Thanks y’all. Live and learn I guess.
I was using the heavy duty cycle on light soil instead of normal at first, but it seemed like the normal cycle actually used a little more water and did a better job rinsing. I’ll have to keep experimenting. It’s crazy to me that there’s no setting that gives you warm water. It only uses like 10 gallons of water... what’s the big deal if 5 of them are hot!
Thanks y’all. Live and learn I guess.
If you want faster water coverage,
upgrade to the front load turbowash360 model.
upgrade to the front load turbowash360 model.
I fully understand.
pinkpower4
Well-known member
@appnut
Wow. Front loads use so little water. There is no reason tap hot should not be available when selected at least for the wash cycle.
Just curious if the SQ front load has tap hot with its front load model like it does its top load TC5. If so, that's worth mentioning! That's ridiculous. Is it all newer LG front loads that do this now? What about other brands?
This is one of the reasons I will go with a top load again or portable washer. I can always find a way to add tap hot when needed.
Wow. Front loads use so little water. There is no reason tap hot should not be available when selected at least for the wash cycle.
Just curious if the SQ front load has tap hot with its front load model like it does its top load TC5. If so, that's worth mentioning! That's ridiculous. Is it all newer LG front loads that do this now? What about other brands?
This is one of the reasons I will go with a top load again or portable washer. I can always find a way to add tap hot when needed.
eurekastar
Well-known member
Tap Hot
As far as I can tell, my LG 3900 provides tap hot. But by the time the line is purged, it provides a nice warm wash. That's why I select HOT on most wash cycles. When I'm washing whites, I select "VERY HOT" to allow the heater to kick on.
As far as I can tell, my LG 3900 provides tap hot. But by the time the line is purged, it provides a nice warm wash. That's why I select HOT on most wash cycles. When I'm washing whites, I select "VERY HOT" to allow the heater to kick on.
Trick to check temp
Unless LG changed this on their newest models, hold down the "Delay Wash" and "Temp" buttons at the same time to see the current water temp in degrees Celsius. Hold down the "Delay Wash" and "Spin" buttons to see the current RPMs.
Unless LG changed this on their newest models, hold down the "Delay Wash" and "Temp" buttons at the same time to see the current water temp in degrees Celsius. Hold down the "Delay Wash" and "Spin" buttons to see the current RPMs.
re: tap hot
When "hot" wash is selected it actually gives you pretty close to tap hot. Just based on feeling the hoses when it fills, it does use some cold but very little. I suppose you could just turn off the cold water line to get tap hot if you really wanted it? The problem I have is that even one level below that is literally just tap cold. It doesn't activate the hot water line at all. So strange. I live in the south, so our tap water isn't super cold, but to me "warm" should contain at least SOME water from the hot water line.
When "hot" wash is selected it actually gives you pretty close to tap hot. Just based on feeling the hoses when it fills, it does use some cold but very little. I suppose you could just turn off the cold water line to get tap hot if you really wanted it? The problem I have is that even one level below that is literally just tap cold. It doesn't activate the hot water line at all. So strange. I live in the south, so our tap water isn't super cold, but to me "warm" should contain at least SOME water from the hot water line.
