Siemens WD14H421GB Washer-Dryer Doesn't Spin

As per title, the latest in an alarmingly and depressingly long list of household item that have died or malfunctionned recently is a Siemens WD14H421GB Washer-Dryer which was last used about a week and a half ago and worked fine. Turned it on this morning to wash some sheets, and it's not spinning, further during normal agitation the drum only turns anti-clockwise, whereas it should alternate directions, and AFAICR spinning is clockwise.

Fortunately, unlike the late fridge/freezer, whose saga has already been told, it's still comfortably within its 2 year warranty, but until I have time to read the instructions, etc - just now I have to go out unexpectedly to buy a new clothes line to hang my dripping sheets on - and/or can arrange for it to be repaired, has anybody who has experienced similar have any suggestions?

Reply to
Java Jive
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My first thought is that there's probably some sort of triac or thyristor drive circuit. One blown power semiconductor out of four would allow power to the motor in one direction, but not in the other. It could also be the circuit driving the power devices instead.

If a power semiconductor has blown, you'd usually be able to see the physical damage to it.

SteveW

Reply to
Steve Walker

I'd read the OP as wanting suggestions on what to check before making a warranty claim. If so, I wonder if opening it up to look at such things might be said to have invalidated the warranty.

Reply to
Robin

I haven't got a Siemens machine (mine is a Bosch washer) but I have noticed on rare occasions that whatever is in the machine is still sopping wet at the end of the programme. If that happens I select "Rinse and Spin" and it does another rinse then a spin and everything comes out spun dry.

The Bosch machine has a Rinse Hold capability and I have a suspicion that perhaps this can be accidentally set by someone brushing past the programme modification buttons during the wash cycle, though I have never investigated this.

I did do a quick look at the Siemens write-up for the model you quote and I found "If (Rinse stop = without final drain/spin cycle) was selected, press Start/Reload button to start the final drain/spin cycle". So it is vaguely possible that your wash may have accidentally been started with Rinse stop, in which case the above advice might fix it.

Alternatively, you may genuinely have a fault. I leave you to decide whether to experiment a bit first or whether to get it looked at under guarantee straight away.

Jim

Reply to
Indy Jess John

Have you tried turning it off (at the socket) and on again? With many appliances these days it's always worth a short.

Tim

Reply to
Tim+

Try running it empty in case it detected 'out of balance' and therefore inhibited spin.

Bill

Reply to
Bill Wright

The other (fixable) thing which leaves you with wet sheets is a pound coin in the impeller of the drain pump. Sensors tell it that draining has failed and that locks out the spin cycle.

Reply to
newshound

Sometimes the coin gets stuck in the outlet pipe.

Bill

Reply to
Bill Wright

Could try a complete disconnect and restart, it is probably one of these new intelligent ones. For intelligent substitute confusable. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Well don't about that but if all his appliances that have failed in a relatively short space of time are connected I'd suggest that some weird event on the mains may be to blame. I normally find these triacs go short and then things do go very peculiar indeed even emitting smoke. I'd just try to prove its not finger trouble of confused software and then shove it back to the suppliers. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Machines usually raise an alarm and indicate a fault for something like that though.

SteveW

Reply to
Steve Walker

Yes I'd not want to do that, but some very odd things can be made to occur with dodgy software. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Yes. I suspect that Steve's suggestion is either correct or very close, because it explains both the symptoms, the one-way agitation and the failure to spin, but you are correct in that I was looking for things to check before chasing the warranty.

As suggested by others, I checked the filter, which, perhaps surprisingly, was very clean, not quite pristine, but not far off. However I didn't expect that to be the problem, because it didn't explain the one-way agitation.

The suggestion of an unbalanced load also doesn't explain the one-way agitation.

I've rung John Lewis, who passed me on to Siemens, and I await their maintenance partners to call to arrange a visit.

Thanks all.

Reply to
Java Jive

You are not one of these people like Kate Bush who prefers to watch the clothes going around in the machine than what is on the telly are you? Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Actually on the other group this was posted to my real first thought was to knock on the neighbours door smile like a useless bloke and ask her to put them in the spinner for you. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Have you tried a factory reset, unplug the aerial and do a full retune?

Reply to
Andy Burns

Some do, some don't. Mine just stops.

Reply to
newshound

+1 If you can grasp what you see it is not a digital-tv . Probably a washing machine or a microwave oven. HTH lol
Reply to
bilou

For the record most modern machines use a stepping motor which makes it much easier to control direction and speed of rotation. However because it is doing part of the wash it is unlikely to be that at fault.

In practice the commonest fault is that the machine has failed to drain as it will not continue if it thinks there is still water in the tub. As has been suggested it could be a coin in the pump or a sock stuck in the outer drum that is blocking the pump inlet - fingers will usually find if it is.

The other question, is the OP using liquid wash at lower temps rather than powder? Liquid can cause horrendous gunging up of the pump, the outlet pipe of the machine, and especially the fixed pipe into the drainage system. We have a Miele and they recommend that if you use liquid you should do a long high temp powder wash with the machine empty about once a month or so to remove the gunge. We find it is very effective. Generally if there is gunge it will stink.

Reply to
Woody

Interesting.

Bill

Reply to
Bill Wright

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