Electra washing machine won't spin !

[Adrian Brentnall]

Hi All Don't these things always happen at the worst possible times !

Our Electra AWM900A washing machine decided to stop spinning this morning.

It gets as far as the spin part of the cycle, does the \\'slow backwards & forwards\\' bit (?to distribute the clothes in the drum) but never steps on to do the actual spin.

From other comments around the net I am suspecting the pressure switch (machine does not think that it has pumped out the water??) or motor brushes ? - but I am by no means a washing machine expert, and I have not taken a screwdriver to it yet

Any suggestions / comments please ? And a very Merry DIY Christmas to all

Thanks in advance Adrian Suffolk UK ======return email munged================= take out the papers and the trash to reply

[Mark A]

I used to get this on an old washing machine. It was always a little pipe running up just inside the back from the top of the pump to a pressure switch up near the top. It got clogged with gunge that I reckon was undissolved conditioner. Just unclamping the pipe (there was a pressure clip at each end of the pipe) and blowing out the tube cured it and the machine would once again go into spin cycle.

Regards

Mark

[Santas little helper]

"Check that the pump is not blocked. Its the crappy little motor assembly connected to the discharge pipe. The pump body usually splits away from the motor for inspection...see if the impeller turns freely. Also check that the outlet pipe is not kinked / squashed and that there is a gap where it goes into the stand pipe [assuming it's not a direct connect]

[Adrian Brentnall]

HI Mark

Thanks for the reply

Interesting. I had a quick look at the (outlet) filter on the machine and that was full of crud. Now cleaned out.

Tried the machine again and this time it wouldn't fill with water (perhaps if the switch is stuck it thinks it's _already_ full ?) Also runs the pump 'forever' - thinking that it's still full of water....

Sometime in the next few days, when festivities allow, I'll have a look inside the machine and see if the pipe feeding the pressure switches is bunged up......

Many thanks & Happy Christmas !

Adrian Suffolk UK

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[Adrian Brentnall]

I think I can hear the pump spinning - it was a replacement item a few years ago - but as I said to the other kind person, there's a fair bit of crud in the filter (possibly blocking the pressure switch pipe) - so it might be a good idea just to check inside the pump for grit / debris / old conditioner etc.

I'll take a look 'inside' and see what's going on....

Many thanks for your help & Happy Christmas

Adrian Suffolk UK ======return email munged================= take out the papers and the trash to reply

[Mungo "Two Sheds" Toadfoot]

Could be the motor control board, especially if it's got Merloni innards. This often lives inside a small plastic box attached to the side of the machine near the bottom and is about 4" by 2" with lots of wires connected to it.

Si

[Adrian Brentnall]

HI All

Good News ! (touch wood )

So far it looks as if the problem has been cured.

Pressure switch works fine - but the pipe feeding it was filled with gunge. In the case of this particular machine, there is a large rubber tube which is kind of a grommet-fit into the bottom of the drum. This has two 'forks' - one goes to the pump and the other goes to the smaller pipe which feeds the pressure switch. This 'fork' was full of grey, lumpy gunge. Cleared it out - and the machine once again seems to be working.

Many thanks to all for their assistance & suggestions !

Adrian Suffolk UK

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