Is there any way to slow down the rate at which water is discharged to the drain pipe? I'm on an old septic system and the rate of flow from our machine overwhelms the drain line capacity. I'm hoping there's a setting, or a valve, that I might adjust to cause the washer to drain more slowly. thanks. -- tom
Unfortunately the only way to restrict the flow directly would almost certainly cause the machine to malfunction, as the drain pump and valve system is not designed to deal with significant downstream pressure. The only way I can think of would be to install a small tank (a jerrycan or similar may be ideal) that will take a full load's worth of waste water. Connect the tank to the washer, and ensure there is an air-hole/breather at the top. Fit a pipe low down in the tank through a normal (ball-valve type ideally) tap, and open that tap just enough for the new tank to drain slowly into your drain system. (some camping shop type water cans may already be fitted with a tap that may be suitable). The height of the tank would be the only thing you would have to be careful with, as the bottom drain would have to be above the outlet drain pipe, and the top inlet from the washer would have to be below the maximum level permissible (usually described in the leaflet with the washer, normally only a few inches/centimetres above the top of the washer is the maximum recommended, sometimes just below the top of the washer). Get a plumber to check for blockage in the drain line, as the amount of waste water from one of these machines should rarely be too much for a properly functioning drain unless the pipe from the machine to the main drain is too small or blocked, or the main drain is at least partially blocked. If you wish to go with my first idea, then I am more than happy to supply rough drawings of what would be needed, and I would not expect parts to cost too much - only issue would be if you had the space to put a small tank, and that you would have to ensure the tank was empty each time before starting a new load. An alternative solution would be to lead the waste from your washer into a garden water storage tank, checking first if the detergents you use are harmful to plants or the environment generally (many are not and plants sometimes thrive on this sort of water) - you can then water your plants for free and solve the drain issue. Obviously having some sort of garden is a pre-requisite for this, but it could be a good solution if this is the case. Please check local environmental regulations before discharging anything about which you are unsure, as fines can be quite steep. I believe a plumber should be your first port of call to check the drains.
I bought a $2.50 "C" clamp, put on my drain hose and tightened it to the point where the drain could handle the outflow. The idea is to pinch the hose restricting water flow. Works great.
Install an siphon kit on your drain hose
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I have the same problem but not on a Kenmore. I've seen a lot of posts on different sites and a lot of people seem to overcomplicate the situation. I have an older house with a 1-1/2" drain tube. Washer pumps nowadays are pumping rates designed for 2" drains. Someone on this site said that constricting the flow might cause problems with the washer pump. I don't know. I was about to try that... I certainly hope not. I guess I could try cleaning the drain first. It has always been borderline and sometimes it overflows and sometimes it doesn't. It's always just a little bit but enough to leak out of the shallow pan and down the wall, what's left of it... :-D
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