Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => The Knowledge => OT Knowledge => Topic started by: Tim Hall on 23 January, 2019, 10:14:24 pm

Title: Washing machine fault
Post by: Tim Hall on 23 January, 2019, 10:14:24 pm
My friend Cat Head has a faulty washing machine.  Symptoms described are it doesn't spin up to full speed but only goes slowly. Where would you start? Belt? Brushes? Other?
Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: hellymedic on 23 January, 2019, 10:21:45 pm
I don't really have a clue but I might start by checking the outlet pipe is not clogged with limescale and then call in folk with Clue.
Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: De Sisti on 24 January, 2019, 05:45:30 am
Could be bearings, especially if the machine has been very full whenever it has gone through
its wash cycle (damhikt). Smaller loads, using the machine more often is the way to go.
Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: tonycollinet on 24 January, 2019, 06:28:39 am
Most machines have a door at the front where it is also possible to remove the part that catches coins, hair bobbles, sweets and other general pocket detritus. Worth a look and removal of such objects.

Other than that - could be anything, including controller of whatever type.
Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: rafletcher on 24 January, 2019, 10:43:34 am
Controller for the VSD I suspect.
Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: Brucey on 24 January, 2019, 10:53:09 am
first (easy-ish) things to check are that

a) the drum spins freely
b) there is enough belt tension
c) that the brushes are not worn out in the motor.

machines that are heavily loaded or that are much used can suffer faults in the drum drive.  Too much belt tension can be as damaging as too little; it isn't unknown for the drum pulley to (irrevocably) work itself loose on its fitting for example.


The machine also won't spin at any speed if the pump isn't emptying the machine fully for whatever reason before the spin starts. [BTW this works the motor double-hard and can cause the motor to fail.] . Often this signals itself by throwing water out of the soap tray (well anywhere actually).  In hard water areas the emptying pump is often vulnerable to seizure; I think that most modern detergents no longer contain as much of the ingredients that soften water which leads to such problems.

if you have doubts about the emptying pump, run some tests; normally you can hear if it is running or not. It should run in any program, before any spin.  Often the emptying pump will go intermittent before it actually fails.

cheers
Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: Kim on 24 January, 2019, 01:15:30 pm
I'm going to vote for brushes, simply on the basis that I'd much rather get covered in carbon ick than in washing powder residue.   :hand:
Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: rafletcher on 24 January, 2019, 01:43:52 pm
Thinking about it, with ours it was the optical encoder that provided the speed reading for the spins that had failed.
Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: Gattopardo on 24 January, 2019, 08:53:35 pm
Some machine have a sealed drum, meaning that is sealed and can't be opened.

Make and model?

How old.
Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: Tim Hall on 25 January, 2019, 08:58:56 am
Some machine have a sealed drum, meaning that is sealed and can't be opened.

Make and model?

How old.

Bendix
BIW103W
Old. A good 15 years I'd say.

Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: andytheflyer on 25 January, 2019, 11:02:32 am
Some machine have a sealed drum, meaning that is sealed and can't be opened.

Make and model?

How old.

Bendix
BIW103W
Old. A good 15 years I'd say.

I was surprised recently to find loads of used parts (and new) for our 20 yo Hotpoint. I was able to change the drum bearings for  new OEM parts for about £40: seals, bearings, drum spider etc...  The main Hotpoint dealers wanted about 3x that - which could have made the repair uneconomic.  There were loads of used motors, controllers, seals, drums etc available on Fleabay at what I'd have thought were almost giveaway prices.  On that basis I can see our WM lasting me out.

If you can ID the problem, I'd bet you can fix it for not much.


Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: Tim Hall on 25 January, 2019, 01:01:12 pm
Some machine have a sealed drum, meaning that is sealed and can't be opened.

Make and model?

How old.

Bendix
BIW103W
Old. A good 15 years I'd say.

I was surprised recently to find loads of used parts (and new) for our 20 yo Hotpoint. I was able to change the drum bearings for  new OEM parts for about £40: seals, bearings, drum spider etc...  The main Hotpoint dealers wanted about 3x that - which could have made the repair uneconomic.  There were loads of used motors, controllers, seals, drums etc available on Fleabay at what I'd have thought were almost giveaway prices.  On that basis I can see our WM lasting me out.

If you can ID the problem, I'd bet you can fix it for not much.

That's what I'm hoping. I'll see if I can have a peek at the brushes this weekend, on the basis that they're (a) cheap and (b) easy to replace (for washing machine values of easy.). After that itsa bit trickier.
Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: rafletcher on 25 January, 2019, 01:21:04 pm
I'll see if I can have a peek at the brushes this weekend,

What kind of establishment is this, that the washing machine can be out of action for days!??
Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: Tim Hall on 25 January, 2019, 01:23:27 pm
I'll see if I can have a peek at the brushes this weekend,

What kind of establishment is this, that the washing machine can be out of action for days!??
Not my machine. Not even my friend's machine, but that of his friend. It sort of washes just not properly. His friend has MH issues too, so it's not going to be straightforward. Also: launderettes.
Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: Gattopardo on 25 January, 2019, 09:03:37 pm
LMelectrical on fleabay have been good, they get the parts from qualtex direct.


Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: McWheels on 26 January, 2019, 07:32:21 pm
If it's 15yo then it probably runs on cams to time, rather than sensors to condition. Bushes I've replaced in the past had symptoms of running or not running, but not reliably slow running.

That makes me think voltage, windings, friction, safety cut-in. Start with the filter, usually bottom left or right, and then the outlet pipe. After the easy bits start taking things apart and try to see what's what.
Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: Diver300 on 26 January, 2019, 10:22:45 pm
If it's 15yo then it probably runs on cams to time, rather than sensors to condition
Computerised washing machine controllers are much older than 15 years. The fraction of working washing machines with cam timers will be tiny.

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washing_machine (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washing_machine):-

Quote
In the early 1990s, upmarket machines incorporated microcontrollers for the timing process.
Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: drossall on 28 January, 2019, 07:23:51 pm
Checking for a pump or outlet problem is pretty easy. Just disconnect the hose, stick it out the back door and run the machine.

Most machines have a door at the front where it is also possible to remove the part that catches coins, hair bobbles, sweets and other general pocket detritus.
And some don't. I once stripped down a pump (which I first had to extract from the machine, obviously) to find one of my five-year-old daughter's hair bands jamming the rotors.
Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: Kim on 28 January, 2019, 08:04:32 pm
I once extracted a very small pair of Y-fronts from one.  Not sure if they'd started out that size or what.
Title: Re: Washing machine fault
Post by: drossall on 28 January, 2019, 08:24:25 pm
Just as long as the owner wasn't in there too :o