My old washing machine didn't have computer parts. It was great while it lasted. I could stop and start or leave sit in the middle of a cycle whenever I wanted.
Now, with a computerized washer it is much different. Now, don't get me wrong. I have the least expensive, least fancy washer there is. But it locks, and you can't pick out a point in a cycle. You can pause it, which comes in handy, but don't leave the lid up or it will drain after 10 minutes.
So, I start the cycle. Click, lock. Spin, balance. Water begins to fill. Pause. Now I add the dish rinse water. I continue to fill one level at a time. Which is, I fill to the smallest load water level. Then I pause and wait a good amount of time, then turn it up a level and let it fill to small load. I decide how much more if needed then start the cycle. If it washes, I wait until it drains and does a spin rinse. Then I shut it off and rearrange the clothing and change the cycle to just spin, getting out all excess water. Then, back off again. I repeat the filling procedure for the rinse cycle. Now, usually it takes all day. A wash cycle in the morning, and the rise cycle in the afternoon.
No drier. I hang everything on hangers in the washroom to air dry. Unless, of course, I started the wash cycle for the first time at night with the dinner dish rinse water. Then the final rinse is in the a.m. before others get up and we have to water the animals. Then I have the option of hanging outside if weather permits.
Come summer time, We have the pool water I can use if it gets too bad. But that means hauling about 60 gallons of water. Thirty for wash, thirty for rinse. oof.
