"Door open" during wash on Whirlpool washing machine - simple repair?

Our Whirlpool washing machine has taken to stopping half way through a wash with the "door open" light flashing.

Presumably this suggests that the door latch mechanism which detects the door open/closed (and locks it closed) is faulty. It's easy enough to remove.

Is my diagnosis likely to be correct and just replacing the door latch electrics will fix it?

Reply to
tinnews
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I'd fudge round it by linking the switch out first to test the supposition. No point in replacing it if the fault turns out to be somewhere else.

Bear in mind that if it does appear to be the switch it could either be the switch itself, or the mechanism that operates it.

Reply to
Skipweasel

It's all one assembly so replacing the switch replaces most of the mechanism, the only bit that's separate is the 'pin' on the door that pushes into the switch mechanism.

The only problem with bypassing the switch is that one needs some information to do it because the switch assembly has three wires connected to it and has the door lock in it too.

In fact, thinking about it, I'm not absolutely convinced that the detection of whether the door is closed is done by the same thing as the door locking.

Reply to
tinnews

One will be a power feed to heat the bimetal strip that operates the delay. Probably. Take it apart and have a look.

Reply to
Skipweasel

If you're going to take it off, check for wear and/or lubrication gone sticky, and it might be fixable. I would not link out the switch other than as a one-off test - it's a safety feature and you might seriously regret doing so later on.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

As it turns out (and after a bit of Google searching for the fault) the Door Open flashing can *also* mean that the main motor brushes are worn. That appears to be the cause on our machine as removing the brushes, stretching the springs a bit, cleaning them up and putting them back has cleared the fault. I will order a new pair and replace them next time we see "Door Open".

It does seem a very odd diagnostic to say "Door Open" when the brushes are worn. The machine can output error codes on its display for other faults (e.g. drain blocked is "FH", water input fault is "FP") so why on earth don't they use one for brushes worn rather than making you think something is wrong with the door?

Reply to
tinnews

Like I said - link it out to test the supposition, not link it out to correct the fault!

Reply to
Skipweasel

I wouldn't wait to replace them. Damage to the motor may result, at best teh commutator will become less smooth, resulting in quicker wear of the replacements.

Cost cutting!

Reply to
<me9

Why do washing machines have such a *long* delay on the door mechanism these days? I've had three Hotpoint W/D over the past 25 years, the first two you could open the door the second the drum had stopped, the present one is about a three minute delay ... very annoying.

Reply to
Andy Burns

I've ordered them, will replace when they arrive.

But it isn't really, there's no more hardware needed, just (presumably) a change in some firmware somewhere such that "flash the door open light" becomes "display Fx".

Reply to
tinnews

Aggravating, isn't it. I did think to tamper with ours but then had an attack of the CBAs.

Reply to
Skipweasel

Although I can't find a ref for it I have a dim recollection of it being a legislated safety requirement, hence why they all have it and the minimum 2 minute period being common to all.

Reply to
fred

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