Bosch WFT2800 Washing Machine Leak

[Java Jive]

Last night I set a wash timer to start early this morning on my Bosch WFT2800. It was a full wash of towels so I had the High Water Level option selected. When I went downstairs in the morning the wash had reached Anti-Crease and had apparently completed successfully - the towels were clean, spun and ready to hang up to dry - but there was water on the floor. I tried another wash at normal water-level and the same thing happened.

My first thought was that the problems I previously posted here regarding foam frothing over the top of the waste stand-pipe had reappeared, but the cupboard under the sink where the washing m/c waste goes into the standpipe is absolutely bone-dry. The water must have come from elsewhere.

I've taken off the front fascia and unscrewed the access cover to the pump, but the space behind was not clogged and the pump seems to be free to rotate. On both occasions there have been drops of water on the front panel below the door.

The full model designation inside door is: E-NR WFT2800GB/12 FD 7702 00722

Any suggestions?

[Codswallop]

I am only familiar with Whirlpool washers and from my experience of water leaks with those it has been to do with problems in the soap dispenser area (accumulation of soap residue and limescale), dirty or worn door seal, blocked filter/pump (commonly hair clips, buttons, coins, tissues), and a punctured drainage hose (including a leak from a new hose, to replace a leaking hose, that the technician left rubbing against the outer drum so that a hole was worn through the replacement hose). The machine needs to be reasonably level, especially front to back, because if it is tilting forwards then that can affect how the water runs in the soap dispenser area. You could try running it with the top cover off, being very careful of mains voltage, to see if you can spot the source of the leak from there. The following webpage deals with leaks generally and there is also forum where you can ask about specific brands.

There is a washing machine help section at

[Andrew Gabriel]

I don't know that model, but a couple of things spring to mind. Check the rubber bellows between the door and the drum. You could get a hole worn in that in one of the creases. The drum bearing seal may have failed, allowing water out along the drum drive shaft. There's usually a drain hole for water escaping this way just under the drum bearing at the rear. Once this starts happening, the drain hole quickly gets blocked with dried washing powder, and the water then gets forced out through the drum bearing, washing out the oil, making it rusty and causing failure. You may be able to see staining down the back of the drum if this was the escape route. Beware of operating with the top/back off, as the drum pulley can fling the oil-laden water off leaving a black line up one wall, across the ceiling, and down the other wall... Been there, done that...

[Java Jive]

Thanks to both for the replies and the links (and the warning about the oily water - phew, glad that wasn't me :-). I'm investigating further, but have discovered this strange pipe not attached to anything ...

standing in for ... can anyone suggest whether this is meant to be disconnected, as seems to be the case?

[Mike]

Leaking from the seal around the lint trap?

Mike

[Java Jive]

Well, it's all rather strange ...

Note useful tip: (Having isolated it from the mains and tested it with a neon tester) Working through the narrow slot exposed in my previous photo, I cleared out the water from the bottom of the machine with an old lead-acid battery hygrometer with the float removed, and then mopped up the rest with a cloth. I would guess there must have been the best part of a litre in there.

I then opened the kitchen back-door for the afternoon to the cold, drying winds we've been having, and then left it to dry further overnight. This morning it seemed completely dry, and safe to move without fear of spilling rusty water over the corner of carpet in the dining area that it has to be pulled out over, so I got it into the middle of the kitchen floor, unscrewed the top so that it could be opened on its hinges, and set another wash to run.

It's only leaking water at one particular point: when filling for the final rinse. Water came gushing out of the soap dispenser area down the inside and outside of the front, quite a lot coming from inside to outside at the bottom of the door recess some strange reason (explaining the drops I'd previously noticed), and onto the floor. Not all the final rinse water did this, only the first litre or two; the rest filled normally without incident.

So the answer's obvious enough, the fabric conditioner siphon in the soap dispenser must be blocked, right? But I whipped it out while the water was running and couldn't see anything blocking it. Perhaps I dislodged something in so doing, but if not, then I am mystified. I just can't see anything that's different to explain this sudden, new and unwelcome behaviour ...

Could the water pressure have suddenly increased, thus overloading the normal flow capacity of the conditioner siphon, I wonder?

... can anyone suggest whether this is meant to be disconnected, as seems to

[Codswallop]

Not unless the water was coming out with the force of a pressure washer! In my experience anything that interferes with the normal flow of water around the soap dispenser area, including congealed detergent and fabric conditioner, can result in water running down the front of the machine.

[Andrew Gabriel]

It could also be a split hose between the electric valve and the conditioner dispenser, or the valve or dispenser have broken creating a leak.

[Java Jive]

Thanks to both for your replies, I will investigate your suggestions further ...

[Java Jive]

No it wasn't, it was bl00dy obvious!

Once I could see it filling with the lid raised (wasn't quite quick enough before) it was blindingly obvious that a hosepipe had come off. All fixed now, hopefully ... unless it comes off again.