Jlwm1202 Washing Machine

This thread was marked as solved. Here's a summary of the problem and the fix, generated from the discussion below.

JLWM1202 query about eco valve and longer economy wash times

The problem

New John Lewis JLWM1202 washing machine owner asked what the manual meant by pouring 2 litres of water into the detergent drawer to 'activate the eco valve', and why an Economy 60 programme takes longer than a normal 60 wash while using less electricity.

Likely cause

No fault was reported. The accepted explanation was that the eco valve is in the sump hose and prevents detergent being lost into the hose before the first wash. The longer Economy 60 cycle was explained as using less energy for water heating and compensating with a longer wash/soak time so the detergent can work effectively.

What fixed it

For first use, follow the manual instruction to add 2 litres of water into the detergent drawer to ensure there is water in the sump hose and the eco valve arrangement is activated before the first wash. The longer Economy 60 programme is normal behaviour rather than a defect.

Checks to try

• Manual instructed pouring 2 litres of water into the detergent drawer before first wash
• Accepted reply explained the eco valve is inside the sump hose leading from the tub to the pump
• Accepted reply explained Economy 60 takes longer because lower-temperature washing can require more time while using less electricity for heating