If you turn on the washing machine without water, what will happen?

Washing clothes without water is, of course, impossible. But how often do we check to see if there's cold water in the house before starting a wash cycle? Very rarely, if ever. But it's possible that the wash cycle has started, but the washing machine can't fill with water. Then the owner immediately begins to worry about what will happen if they run the washing machine without water—will it harm the household appliance?

What threatens the machine?

In most cases, running a washing machine without water poses no danger. This is especially true for newer washing machines, which are equipped with a self-diagnostic system and a control module.

How does it work? The washing machine will only begin washing once the module receives a signal indicating a sufficient water level in the drum. This must occur within a specific time period, specifically allocated for this procedure. If the time period has passed and the pressure switch still doesn't signal the wash cycle, a modern, certified machine will "realize" something is wrong and automatically stop the wash cycle.

If your home assistant is equipped with a display, you'll likely see the corresponding error code on the screen. The only unpleasant consequence for you is that you'll have to postpone your wash cycle for an indefinite period until the water supply returns.

Some believe that while the washing machine is unsuccessfully trying to fill with water, the inlet valve coils or the heating element may overheat. This is generally a false alarm. The heating element won't start heating the water until it receives a signal from the pressure switch, and the coils simply don't have time to overheat and fail; the module responds to the problem quite quickly.

Important! Please note that a heating element failure is rare if the control module is faulty or if there is a firmware error in the washing machine.

There is no water, but I need to wash.

Putting off laundry until a better time is certainly a good idea, but it's not for everyone. What if you need to wash something urgently and have time to dry it, or if you're a new mother who can't wait to do the laundry? There are many situations where washing clothes the old-fashioned way in a basin or simply waiting isn't an option. But what happens if you try washing without water?

1. Place the laundry in the drum.
2. Pour some water at room temperature into a bucket or basin (the washing machine will heat the water itself if necessary).
3. Pour the washing powder either on top of the laundry or into the detergent compartment, after pulling the dispenser out as far as possible.
4. Set the washing parameters you need and start it.
5. Gradually pour water into the drum through the detergent compartment until the detergent is completely rinsed and drawn in. If the detergent is already in the drum, simply carefully pour water through the detergent drawer, being careful not to splash anything around.
6. To make sure you've done everything correctly, listen to the inlet valve. It will hum until the water rises to the desired level. Once the pressure switch detects that water is present, the wash cycle will begin as normal.

The only thing that complicates the process is that during the wash cycle, the washing machine changes the water at least once, and sometimes more, depending on the selected program. It pumps out the used liquid and fills it with fresh water. What should I do?

• Don't blink when the water starts to drain.
• During this time, add a new portion of water to the container.
• After draining through the rinse aid compartment in the powder compartment, pour the liquid into the tank.
• If additional rinsing is required, repeat the procedure after some time; if not, wait for the spin cycle to complete.

How long exactly does it take for the pressure switch to detect a lack of water and signal the cycle cancellation? On average, it takes 12-17 seconds for the water to reach the required level, meaning you need to fill the drum within this time, otherwise the wash will not complete. Running the washing machine without water has no negative consequences, does not cause any damage, and, if desired, you don't even have to postpone the wash cycle, so there shouldn't be any problems.

   

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