Aquastop system or Aquastop hose - these phrases can often be heard in a household appliance store in relation to a dishwasher or washing machine. But even sellers do not fully understand what these phrases mean. dishwashers who, for the sake of making a catchy word, insert euphonious expressions into their eulogies. In this article, we decided to talk about hoses with the Aquastop system, we will discuss why such hoses are needed, how they are designed and how to install, replace or check them.
What is Aquastop and what are its functions?
The Aquastop hose for a dishwasher is a regular hose enclosed in protective cover and stocked special device shutting off the water flowing into the dishwasher during an accident. The system is triggered in the event of a leak or rupture of the hose, protecting your home and the homes of your neighbors below from imminent flooding.
For your information! Pressure in plumbing system quite large and water hammers often occur; you simply cannot do without a system that will protect the hose.
Modern dishwashers, for the most part, are completely protected from leaks. Manufacturers install an Aquastop inlet hose on them, and along with it they supply the machine body with a special tray with an electromechanical device. The device works according to the following scheme:
- There is a leak inside the dishwasher;
- the pan begins to fill with water;
- the float inside the dishwasher tray floats up, raising the lever;
- the lever closes the electrical circuit, the electric valve is activated and shuts off the water.
It turns out that the hose protects outdoor system Aquastop protects the dishwasher from the inside internal system Aquastop. Experts note that the Aquastop system of electromechanical and absorbent type protects the dishwasher and washing machine by 99%; only in 8 cases out of 1000 the system does not work properly, and a leak still occurs. For mechanical Aquastop valves, the statistics are worse: out of 1000 cases of operation, 147 leaks, which results in approximately 85% success. Let's talk about the types of Aquastop systems for inlet hoses and their design in more detail.
How does this system work?
You already guessed that the Aquastop system, which protects the dishwasher hose, may have different designs. It is on dishwashers that manufacturers install: 
- simple mechanical Aquastop;
- absorbent mechanical Aquastop;
- electromagnetic Aquastop.
A simple mechanical Aquastop for a hose is now becoming increasingly rare, but it can still be found on some budget Bosch dishwashers. The basis of the system is a special spring and valve. The spring is designed for a certain water pressure and if the pressure does not change, then the hose works as usual. If the hose is damaged, a rupture or a water hammer occurs, the water pressure changes sharply and at the same second the spring is activated, tightly clogging the valve.
Important! Mechanical Aquastop for a dishwasher does not recognize small leaks (fistulas, drips), but meanwhile they can also cause a lot of trouble.
A simple mechanical Aquastop valve is not able to completely protect the machine hose from leakage, but what about the rest. Absorbent mechanical Aquastop is more reliable. The mechanism is based on a plunger with a valve, a spring and a special absorbent in the reservoir. The system works like this:
- if even a minimal leak occurs, moisture from the hose enters the protective casing;
- the absorbent quickly gets wet and expands;
- this triggers the spring with the plunger and closes the valve.
The main disadvantage of absorbent Aquastop is that its protective valve is disposable. As soon as the absorbent inside the housing gets wet and expands, it hardens and locks the valve and can no longer be reused, as well as the entire hose.
Note! There are mechanisms in the world for absorbent Aquastops with only a plunger or only with a spring, but these are subtleties.
The Aquastop electromagnetic system of the Bosch machine is based on the operating principle of a solenoid valve. Either one or two valves are installed in the device body at the base of the hose. As soon as water enters the protective casing of the hose, it begins to flow into the pan of the Bosch machine, and there is an electromechanical device (the operating principle is described in paragraph 1). The device works and completely shuts off the water flowing into the Bosch dishwasher (or another).
How to install/replace with your own hands?
Now let's figure out how to check whether the Aquastop hose has worked or not. Well, firstly, the most important sign that the hose did work is that the dishwasher “doesn’t want to pump water into anything”, it simply won’t be able to do it. Secondly, the Bosch dishwasher will give a system error. This just means that the Aquastop system has worked; once you decipher it, everything will immediately become clear. 
But it happens that the Bosch dishwasher never generated an error code, and water still does not flow into the dishwasher. What to do?
- We need to turn off the water.
- Unscrew the Aquastop hose.
- Look inside the hose; you should be able to see the valve right behind the nut.
- If the valve is pressed tightly to the nut and there is no gap between it and the rib, it means that water will not pass through such a hose - Aquastop has worked.
Next, you can further verify that the Aquastop of the Bosch dishwasher is working. You need to unscrew the bottom front panel of the dishwasher and look into the tray with a flashlight. If there is water there, then the protection has definitely worked and the hose needs to be replaced with a new one.
Remember! There is no need to change a simple mechanical Aquastop; just compress the spring again until it clicks and it can be used again.
Installing/replacing the Aquastop hose is not difficult. It is enough to turn off the water, unscrew the old hose, and screw a new one in its place. If we are talking about an electromagnetic system, then you will also have to connect a wire with a plug to the leak detection sensor. This is not difficult, since the wiring comes directly from the base of the Aquastop device, and the entrance is located at the fill valve outside the Bosch dishwasher.
In conclusion, we note a hose equipped with the Aquastop system is designed to protect your dishwasher and you from troubles associated with flooding. The system works quite efficiently, so experts advise everyone to install it. It is not difficult to check and install the system; even a person who does not have any technical knowledge can do it; the whole job will take 10-15 minutes. Good luck!
A Bosch dishwasher can significantly simplify modern life, eliminating the need to wash dishes yourself, spending a lot of time on this, which can be used much more rationally.
It is important to remember that the use of any Bosch household appliances requires compliance with some basic rules, thanks to which the devices will serve their owners longer without requiring repairs. They are usually specified in the instructions.
Particular attention should be paid to the installation and connection of the dishwasher, since not only the ease of use of it depends on this, but also the safety when it is in operation.
The Aquastop system, which is often found in modern household appliances connected to water, serves to protect against leaks.
Aquastop system against leaks
The words "water" and "stop" are used various companies in the description of various products for completing dishwashers. They are all trying to “stop” the damage caused by water leaks in different situations, providing protection. So-called “Aquastop” systems with valves in the appliances can combine a system to detect more than one leak, including using a float switch sensor at the base of the appliance, which acts as a float.
However, this article addresses the actual use of the valved aquastop hose that is supplied with several brands of dishwashers (including AEG, Neff, Bosch & Siemens).
How does the Aqua-stop hose work in a dishwasher?
Essentially, the aquastop works like a hose within a hose. The outer sleeve is made of corrugated plastic, it is designed to hold water if inner layer damaged, this is reliable protection against leaks. There is also a plastic housing at the end where it works by connecting to the water tap.
If the inner sleeve ever leaks, a device inside this housing is able to detect the incident and prevent further water from entering it thanks to a special valve, thus protecting the system. When trouble occurs, the sensor no longer allows water to enter the device and is usually indicated by a red dot in a small window in the housing. The technician will then be able to determine why this happened.
Once the aquastop is triggered, it becomes useless and cannot be restored, that is, the protection will be compromised, requiring replacement with a new one in order to avoid leaks in the future.
Note that modern aquastop systems can be different types:
– mechanical
– absorbents
– electromagnetic.
Mechanical systems for combating leaks in dishwashers are no longer installed today due to their low efficiency. Aquastop based on absorbent are much more common. It works as follows: when a leak occurs, moisture flows through the hose into the pan, where it is absorbed special material. Then it expands and the valve blocks the flow of water.
Electromagnetic aquastop works similarly, being a modern version of an absorbent with a valve.
What problems are associated with the aqua-stop hose?
The main problem is that such aqua stop systems are relatively inflexible, which is why they can create additional difficulties during installation, depending on the installation location and plumbing.
They cannot be extended if they are too short, eliminating leakage protection.
The size of the heavy plastic body with a valve at the end of the hose where it connects to the faucet makes it particularly difficult to fit in many places where space is limited. So, in many situations, this may be the reason why it is not possible to connect an aquastop hose to existing plumbing connections, providing protection against leaks.
Many owners of Bosch dishwashers note that some of these aquastops should only be installed with the pointer down. Therefore, be sure to check the instructions before installation.
Is it possible to replace the aqua stop hose with a regular one?
Many aqua stop hoses do nothing other than protect against leaks with a mechanical stop mechanism that is activated by water leaking inside the tank. Therefore, you can replace such a system with a regular dishwasher hose. Of course, if you are not worried about possible flooding in your house or apartment.
However, some aqua stop systems actually have an electrical solenoid inside, with wires running through the hose from the dishwasher.
In this case, blocking the water supply through the hose acts as a remote control for filling the valve, which would be missing in a regular hose.
If the dishwasher also has a regular solenoid fill traction device attached to it, and the aqua stop system simply feeds it electrical power, being energized when the main valve is in operating condition, then regular analogue should also work fine.
Some manufacturers have been known to threaten to void your warranty if you do not use their product. This doesn't make any sense at all. This aqua stop hose only protects against cracks or corrosion. bad water, which is actually a pretty rare occurrence these days anyway.
Any washing machine, as you know, is a potential... And if this happens, then you have to repair the washing machine, and in some cases, pay for repairs to the neighbors living below. To protect against water leakage, you can use Aquastop for your washing machine.
General characteristics of the system
Aquastop is a device designed to protect a room from flooding, which can occur if the washing machine hose is damaged.
Damage to the inlet hose of a washing machine can occur for various reasons. For example, it may be damaged by an object with sharp edges, damaged by a pet, or simply burst.
Flooding can also occur due to a crack in the pipe fitting leading to washing machine. However, regardless of the reasons for the flooding, you will have to carry out repairs not only on your own, but also, possibly, on your neighbor’s apartment. And this will lead to serious financial losses.
The aquastop system is a valve with a spring. It will turn on when dropped. In other words, the flow of water into the washing machine immediately stops if a leak is detected. Thanks to this system, you do not need to worry about opening and closing the tap that supplies water to the washing machine hose.
The most important feature of the Aquastop system is the presence of a thick hose for water supply.
This hose can withstand high pressure(about 70 bar). For comparison, a conventional pipeline can withstand only 10 bar. Inside the aquastop there is an electromagnetic valve element. This element is called a safety valve. In working order it must be closed.
The aquastop device of the washing machine is thought out to the smallest detail. For example, if the tightness of the hose is broken, all the water from it goes into special pallet. And in the pan itself there is a sensitive element. This element will close the valve contacts, as a result of which water will not flow into the machine.
The aquastop valve also shuts off the water supply if the powder dosage was chosen incorrectly. After all, if there is an excess of soap suds, the lower tank of the machine will overflow, and it will begin to come out. Also, some washing machine models have a water pumping function. It starts when the working and emergency aquastop valves do not operate.
Types of aquastop
The following varieties exist:
- It is a system for instantly stopping the water of a washing machine. It fires within 1 second. Externally, this part looks like a threaded pipe that can be connected separately to the machine. This part only works when there is a sharp drop in pressure. In other words, it will not fix small leaks right away.
- Built-in aquastops. Washing machines with this system have more high cost. There are two types of such aquastops: simple and with a valve that operates automatically. Simple ones are located at the bottom and turn off the moment the water leaves the tank body of the machine.
- Powder hitchhiking. It includes a hose for connection. One end is connected to the water supply, and the other to the washing machine. It should be noted that such a hitchhiker is disposable, since the water in it is absorbed using an absorbent. When water leaks in a double hose with empty walls, a very violent reaction begins. The valve will shut off the water supply to the washing machine and the problem will be eliminated. Such an aquastop system can protect against a couple of holes and can hardly be considered reliable protection for the typewriter.
Do-it-yourself installation of aquastop
You can install it yourself. To do this you need to do the following:
- Disconnect the washing machine from the power supply and water supply.
- Disconnect the hose required for water supply from the washing machine. At this stage, it may be necessary to replace the o-rings, as well as wash the coarse filters.
- Install the sensor on the water supply tap. In this case, the device must be turned clockwise.
- Connect the inlet hose to the aquastop.
- Check the quality of the system installation. To do this, you need to carefully release water into the hose. If any malfunctions are found, correct them immediately.
Additional measures
It should be noted that in addition to installing an aquastop in the machine, there are other ways to prevent leaks.
- Water pipes leading to the washing machine must be made of durable material. As a rule, pipes made of polypropylene or metal-plastic are used. Copper and galvanized steel pipes are also used. It should be noted that galvanized steel pipes have the shortest service life among all the above options (up to thirty years). Have proven themselves well polypropylene pipes. However, they can be damaged under strong mechanical stress. Craftsmen do not recommend installing fitting systems and taps made of aluminum. Such a part can burst under high pressure.
- in the bathroom made of waterproofing material. This will prevent flooding of the neighbors below. If such a floor is laid correctly, the water will go down the drain on its own.
- Turn off riser valves when you are not at home. This action must be performed primarily in cases where the drain hose of the machine is damaged. This recommendation is contained in almost any washing machine manual, but most people do not follow this advice.
Any washing machine is a potential source of leaks. However, modern manufacturers have thought through this problem. The solution is called “aquastop for a washing machine.” It is designed specifically to protect your and your neighbor’s apartment from unexpected incidents.
The term Aquastop means a device that can protect a room from flooding resulting from damage.
The inlet hose of a washing device can become damaged for various reasons:
- burst;
- be cut by objects with sharp edges;
- spoiled by pets.
We cannot discount a banal breakdown from which no one is immune. A crack in the fitting of the pipe leading to the washing machine can also lead to flooding. But whatever the reasons, they lead to significant financial losses, because you will have to repair not only your own, but also your neighbor’s apartment.
Technically, the aquastop system is a valve with a spring. Such a device will operate if the pressure drops. For example, if a leak is detected, the incoming water is immediately shut off. This allows you not to worry about closing and opening, which supplies water to the hose.
Leakage protection system Bosch WFT2830
One of the main features of such a system is a very thick water supply hose - it will withstand a pressure of approximately 70 bar (by the way, a regular pipeline will only withstand 10 bar). It is in it that it is installed electromagnetic element valve, which is similar to the one in the machine itself.
This element is called a safety valve, and its normal position is when it is closed.
Manufacturers have thought through the structure of this system down to the smallest detail: for example, the hose itself is not sealed - water flows out of it into a special tray. And already in the pan there is a sensitive element that will close the valve contacts, and water will simply stop flowing into the machine.
By the way, another function of the valve is to close the water supply if it is incorrectly calculated. This is due to the fact that soap suds will overfill the lower tank and begin to come out. Some models also provide for water pumping, but this will happen if the emergency or operating valves do not operate.
Types of aquastop for washing machines
The developers of Bosch washing machines were the first to introduce aquastop for a washing machine back in the early nineties of the last century. Since then, many varieties of such valves have appeared - each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages:
How to install aquastop yourself
If your washing machine does not have such a device “from birth”, you can install it yourself. You can do this as follows:
- The unit is disconnected from water supply and electricity.
- The water supply hose is disconnected from the machine. Perhaps the O-rings on it should be replaced and at the same time a rough cleaning.
- The sensor itself is installed on water supply tap- in this case, the device should be turned clockwise.
- The inlet hose is connected to the aquastop.
- Before completing the work, it is necessary to check the quality of installation by carefully releasing water into the hose - this will allow faults to be detected and eliminated in time.
Additional measures to prevent flooding
There are other methods of preventing leaks besides installing special means in the washing machine.
- For installation of supply lines to the unit water pipes can be used different material. Mainly metal-plastic or polypropylene, but there are also copper and galvanized steel pipes. It is the latter option that has the shortest service life (no more than 30 years). As for metal-plastic, it is best to use it on crimp molds. Polypropylene has proven itself well, but such a pipe will not withstand strong mechanical damage. Experts advise: it is better not to take aluminum taps and fitting systems. There is enough pressure in the system for such a part to burst, and this will lead to possible leaks.
- In the bathroom you can lay the floor from waterproofing material . This will prevent water from flowing to the neighbors below. Properly laid flooring will provide self-care water into the sewer. The only negative is that the floor level in the room will rise a little.
- The correct solution would be overlap all riser valves when the owners are not at home. This is necessary, first of all, in case of existing damage to the washing machine: if water oozes somewhere, it can break through and flood. By the way, this recommendation is given in any instructions for such a unit, but not everyone clearly follows what is written in the manual.
Aquastop for washing machines is a significant breakthrough in the field of improvements for washing machines. The presence of such a system will prevent serious water leaks, and, therefore, reduce the risk of serious financial losses.
Users of water-based household appliances hear these phrases all the time: in specialized stores, many sellers quite often insert these words into their speech when explaining the advantages of the home appliances they sell. What is the Aquastop system called, how is it used to actively protect the dishwasher, what does it consist of and how to replace it yourself - we will try to answer all these questions in the article.
In world practice, any protection against leaks is called Aqua-Stop or Aqua-Control. In principle, this is an ordinary water supply hose for household appliances, only enclosed in a special protective casing with a device that shuts off the water in case of unforeseen circumstances: a break in the hose, its leakage due to a crack, etc. Thus, the built-in protection system protects you from unwanted flooding. Its task is to immediately turn off the water supply to household appliances, dishwasher or laundry assistant to prevent water from leaking onto the floor.
Many homeowners do not even realize that the pressure in the plumbing system is quite high, and water hammer - a sudden increase in internal pressure - occurs frequently. Without reliable system You simply cannot do without hose protection.
Consists of standard system Aquastop from the following main parts:
- block of mechanical or solenoid valves;
- water inlet hose into the device;
- pallet;
- float;
- safety wire;
- excess water release button.
Aquastop device: A - Solenoid valve,C- inlet hose B - control cable D - leaks (water hoses)
All modern home appliances that use water are protected from unwanted leaks during the manufacturing process. Each manufacturer wants users to buy only its model, so in addition to the inlet hose, they supply their products special pallets with electromechanical devices.
The whole system works smoothly and quite efficiently:
- Electromagnetic or mechanical valves (1) are built into the water supply hose (2).
- When the equipment is connected to the power grid, then safety valve voltage is applied, it opens, but the working valve is still closed.
- If the user presses the start button and the machine begins a cycle, then service valve opens.
- If a leak occurs, all water flows into the pan (3), where its level is monitored float control(4). If the water level rises, the contacts open. The safety wire (5) is designed to cut off the power going to a similar valve, the current supply is interrupted - the valve shuts off the water supply.
- After eliminating all faults, you need to press the reset button, and the system is ready for operation again.
Every famous brand household appliances today use just such a leak protection system, because it is of a double type: Aquastop of the inlet hose is an external protection, and the equipment itself is protected by an internal Aqua-control system.
Inlet hose protection
The industry produces special hoses with built-in mechanisms to shut off the water supply. different ways. There are the following systems that are responsible for protecting against unwanted leaks of the inlet hose:
- mechanical;
- using an absorbent;
- electromagnetic type.
The first option is now used very rarely, but you can find it on budget dishwashers. Bosch machines. The system consists of a valve and springs designed for a certain water pressure - when a leak occurs, it drops, the spring is activated and the valve shuts off the flow of water. Such a system is not able to recognize small leaks from a fistula or leaking gaskets, which can cause a lot of harm.
System with Aquastop mechanical type recognizes only 147 leaks out of 1 thousand, and this is only no more than 85% of protection, which today is considered much lower than the norm.
At its core, such a system works like one hose inside another, made of corrugated plastic: if the inner layer is damaged, then the plastic one will be quite reliable protection.
Mechanical type
When a leak occurs, the protection system is immediately activated - the red indicator on the housing lights up, and the water is turned off.
Mechanical valve, installed on drain device, after activation due to failure of the hose, it is unsuitable for further use. Therefore, a new drain hose is installed, which is the main disadvantage of such protection against leaks.
Application based protection system absorbent It is used much more often, its operation is not complicated: moisture from the leak flows into a special reservoir with an absorbent, which instantly swells, expanding at the same time, thereby blocking the access of water to the dishwasher using a valve.
Using an absorbent
The main disadvantage is the fact that it also disposable: the absorbent inside the body swells and hardens, tightly closing the valve, eliminating the possibility of it reuse, including the hose. Systems using an absorbent come with a plunger or only a spring; there are no others in world practice.
Electromechanical The protection system with Aquastop works according to a similar scheme as the system with an absorbent, but its basis is an electromagnetic valve. The body of such a device may have one or two valves. Water flows through the hose into the pan of the Bosch machine, the device with the absorbent begins to absorb it, swells - the valve blocks the access of water to the machine.
Experts say that Aqua-control, working with solenoid valve, does not provide protection in only 8 cases out of 1000 types of leaks.
Electromechanical protection system
Possible problems
The main problem with hoses with Aquastop is the impossibility of extending them or installing them in hard-to-reach places. Due to the dimensions of the rather massive body, connection to the tap can be very problematic. In addition, many users Bosch machines They assure that the housing must be installed with the arrow pointing down, so when installing, check your actions with the included instructions.
If any leak occurs, the machine displays error E15 - if the Aqua control system has worked, check the instructions and everything will become clear to you. But sometimes such a warning does not appear on the display, but water does not flow into the car. In this case, your actions should have the following sequence:
- close the water supply tap to the device;
- unscrew the hose equipped with the Aquastop system;
- look inside the hose - the valve should be visible immediately behind the nut;
- if there is no gap between it and the nut body, the system has worked and water will not pass through such a hose to the machine.
To be completely sure, you need to unscrew the lower front panel, shine a flashlight into the pan: if there is water, then the protection system has worked, all that remains is to find the leak.
Self-installation
Replacing an old hose is not a difficult job - we turn off the water and dismantle the hose, and install a new one in its place. If you used a system with a solenoid valve, then you need to carefully connect the wire with the plug to the sensor, which is located next to the filler inlet on the machine.
Any system is quite effective and protects your household appliances from various leaks and troubles that end in a flood. It is not for nothing that experts advise installing Aquastop protection systems; they work simply - any user who does not have any technical knowledge can carry out the replacement.