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They are too expensive and gimicky either way
(sh.itjust.works)
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this post was submitted on 15 Jan 2024
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Yeah but washing machines either use a really simple micro controller or a whole load of really complex voltage based logic and control board electronics that even the guy who designed it couldn't fix without a lot of writing notes and doing maths.
There's more to go wrong on an old washing machine and each control board was unique to the machine so tracking down a replacement is hard - a nice simple raspberry pi Pico you can flash over WiFi would make it so easy to switch out one heater for another without too much thought about impedance or upgrade the turbidity sensor without desoldering resistors.
Plus it gives you infinite control over the program cycles allowing you to update up the best wash method for your detergent and lifestyle.
Of course you can only do that with an open source one. I think it's coming, year of the open source ~~desktop~~ kitchen work surface coming soon.
What? Old washing machines just use switches and a cam that's on a timer. Anyone who can read a basic schematic can figure out what is wrong with one.
That's not really true though, the electronics is pretty complex and requires significant work to use different components - I'm sitting next to a pile of dissembled washing machines so i could talk you through a few of the complexities involved in reworking those if you like
There are washing machines without anything more complex than a switch in them. If you really had a "pile of disassembled washing machines" you'd know that.
Nothing to control the motor, nothing to control the heater, nothing to do timing or turn on and off water in and out?
Even a really shitty one has door lock sensor, temperature sensor, turbidity sensor..
Which means logic gates and transformers and things to shift voltages or control power flow.
That's before you even get into the logic of controlled programs or advanced features like weight based energy saving.
A micro controller connected to a few relays and sensors could replace all the complex stuff and it'd cost far less, plus it could tell you which sensor is out. Plus it allows you to do otherwise very complex things like reprogram the current job while it's running or to sync with other devices to limit max power load.