setting up 3rd Miele washer, help needed

[enduring]

Hi, its been a while since I've posted. I have 2 Miele w1918 set up in the basement on one set of laundry shutoff valves. I got brass "Y" connectors to do this, several years ago and it has worked great. Now I have a 3rd set, a Miele w1113, that I'd like to hook on. I would need to hook up onto this same setup, or get the plumber to plumb me a new shutoff valve further down the line.

Other issue is getting the intake hoses long enough if I use only one shutoff valve with "Y" connectors. I could connect 2 sets to get 10 or 11 feet which is about what I'd need.

3rd issue is discharging the water. I'm thinking of discharging 2 machines into a large laundry tub. Currently one discharges into the shower to the left of the setup, and the other discharges into the intake valve area, as seen in the photo.

So I'd like to know:
1) can 3 washers can work off one shutoff valve setup?

2) If 3 washers can be connected to one valve box, will it work to hook up 2 lengths of hoses to get the length I'll need to connect water to the machine, 10 or 11 feet away?

3) Can I discharge 2 washers into one large laundry tub, approximately 24x24" wide and 12" deep.

 

[yogitunes]

1 and 2.....YES....several of us use a 4 gang valve....and on some setups, we connect a hose, then a "Y", and a hose off of that, and then another "Y"....sort of in series, and that also kind of fills your need for extending the fill hoses across....

you will also need a 3/4male to 3/4male to connect a washers female to the "Y" connector

3.....either tap into your existing drain line, and add another pipe or two.....and as a lot of people do, have them all drain into a laundry tub....sort of beneficial at times, especially when using top loaders, if your drain can't handle all draining at the same time, the tub will allow for the drain to handle water at its own pace...

but your setting up FLers, not a huge draw on water supply, or large draining volumes...

HarborFreight is usually a great place to find this stuff inexpensively.....but can be found at most HomeDepot/Lowes

 

[revvinkevin]

Short answer: Heck yes!!!

Thomas Ortega is M U C H better equipped to asnwer this question and share photos, but he is VERY occupied with family visiting from out of the country.

As I have been in his laundry room many times, I can say that he has AT LEAST 10 different washers (probably more) all connected to ONE hot & cold supply valve (with many, many, many “Y” connectors and hoses)! For drains, he uses the one standpipe drain for 2 I think, but the majority drain into a very small utility sink. Some machines are as far as 10 feet away from the connection / drain points.

Kevin

 

[enduring]

sharing more options for laundry set up.

Oh thank you both for the encouraging words! I do farm laundry and I like to do it all at once if I can. Husband is in wonder of my machine fetish, but supportive, and just laughs. I'd like to run all 3 machines side by side in a row. I have the sink that is not set up yet, but I was going to have the plumber put it in the spot where the water valve box is located.

One thing I was wondering if that location of the sink is code legal, with the outlets so close. I was thinking, since husband and I need to build some sort of bracing for the sink to affix to the wall, that I could frame a shelf/box to isolate the valves from the outlet. If there are any thoughts on this sink project I'd like feedback.

I have a tight squeeze in this run of wall. I think I might be able to get 3 machines in there, and the sink, before I run into the shower way over to the left of the picture above. My other option is to do a remodel of the space and take the sink to the other end of the run and shower, perpendicular to the run. It would mean that the sink is further away from the set up but it might be the best in the end. I would have to build a partition wall on concrete floor, to joist above. Or just a tall pony wall with end posts for stability. But I am getting ahead of myself. Buying this $100 machine is turning into a laundry room remodel/creation, where there really wasn't one before.

So questions are:
1) is the sink location in picture below a bad location considering the electric?

2) The door stairway door to the right may be an issue too, what do you think?

3) any thoughts on building a tall, 6 foot pony wall to support the sink, and possibly a new prefab shower stall?

This is my uninstalled sink location, below.

 

[revvinkevin]

Personally I have 4 washers (usually FL’s) lined up along one wall in the garage, all connected and used each week. I ran copper supply lines and connected them under a near by utility sink, same for the drain line.

A side note: I also have 3 Miele W&D sets too (W1926, W1213 & W1215 and matching vented dryers) and I’m considering a 4th set (a W3033). I quite like them, but won’t give up my larger “American size” washers.

Kevin

 

[DADoES]

 
I have a 4-port distributor like shown above on a bathtub faucet with 2-way valves on three of the ports to support up to three machines in my master bathroom (they drain into the tub), although I rarely run more than one at a time.  Fourth port is open to allow purging the line, and rinsing/cleaning or using the tub.

I never leave the faucet turned on when not running a machine.

Had an incident after 5+ years ... I moved the distributor slightly when cleaning the area or disconnecting a machine, don't recall ... and it broke off at the swivel, an internal sleeve had corroded.  So, peeps who connect machines with those, be advised to keep watch on the condition to avoid a disaster.

 

[askolover]

Ditto that...I had one of those 4 way manifolds outside and one day it just fell off! 

 

[thomasortega]

Here I am!

In my setup, everything starts with a Y-hose because some washers are cold fill only and other washers have the annoying ATC control. This way I simply ignore the temperature selector (kept always on warm, so washers fill a bit faster) and I select the temperature by opening and closing the taps. (I always rinse in cold)
Immediately after the Y-hose I have the first 4-port manifold exactly like the first picture above.

After that, i have a crazy sequence of hoses, 4-port manifolds, 2 port manifolds, some Y-hoses connected to washers that have 2 inlet valves.

For your setup, you'll just need 2x 2-port manifold. connect the manifold to the fill valve in one of the washers. as it's rare to have a washer with the inlet valves separate enough to fit two manifolds, put one in one washer hot valve and the other on the second washer cold valve. Other alternative is simply buying longer hoses.

For draining, i have a super small laundry sink and a stand pipe. Only one washer is draining in the stand pipe because the drain hose can't reach the laundry sink and I was lazy to buy a longer hose.

Please note that my setup have several top load washers (2 Speed Queens, a Whirlpool Catalyst, a Skinny mini, a hotpoint portable, 2 Silk Lux, 1 SuperPop, and 3 prototype washers, plus 3 front load washers.

I can run them all at the same time but I have to pay attention to the laundry sink. If I have 5 washers or the Catalyst + 1 washer draining at the same time, the sink will fill in 10 seconds and overflow.

As I always use exactly the same cycle and always maximum water level, no matter what I'm washing, in 3 or 4 laundry days I learned how to start the washers in an specific sequence, so they start draining some seconds after other washer finished draining. It worked!

For the first time ever, last week I had to leave 9 of the washers running by themselves to give attention to my family. No Flood happened!

The stainless steel sink shown above is 4 or 5times bigger than mine, so with only 3 front load washers, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Even if you had 3 Whirlpool direct drive top loaders (they are known for the absurdly powerful pumps) draining exactly at the same time, You'd never have the sink more than half full. Of course, you have to make sure the drain screen is always clear from any lint or debris.

As you have 3 similar washers, I recommend starting them immediately after the previous washer finishes filling, this way you always have full pressure to flush the dispensers and they will never drain exactly at the same time.