washing machine troubles

[chade]

Hello,

I have a Zanussi ZWH6160P washing machine. Lately it has been giving me tro uble. It started when the door would not open after a wash. I ran the "Drai n" program then the door opened. As per the manual I removed and cleaned th e drain filter even though it did not seem to be dirty. I am confident I re placed it according to the instructions. However since then the machine wil l not wash.

When I select the program I want and press the start button it fills with w ater for about ten seconds then spins at a high speed for about five second s then just stops. The door will not open again until I have run a "drain" program. I have looked at the drain hose and can not see any kinks. The oth er end of the hose attaches to a sink spigot. The sink appears to be draini ng freely. The lights on the front of the machine are not displaying an err or code.

The only fault listed in the manual that is vaguely similar is to do with a n unbalanced load but that only kicks in after ten minutes (or so it says). Is the next step taking it apart? If so how should I get the water out? Ev en after running the "drain" program several times there is still water in the machine, I know because I can see it when I lift the filter cover.

TIA

[Brian Gaff]

Could be a sensor issue. Brian

[Lee]

As Brian suggests, it could be a sensor issue Google also suggests this. However, just because the sink is draining freely doesn't necessarily prove the machine is. I would check that first, taking the waste hose off the spigot and putting in a bucket would be worth trying to eliminate that possibility and also verify that the drain pump is working.

[Michael Chare]

I had a problem with a 10+ year old Hoover w/m where the door would not open at the end of the cycle. The difficulty was caused by the drain pump not working hard enough. It uses a permanent magnet which had no doubt lost its strength over the years.

[chade]

I have just tried messing about with it with the drain hose over a bucket. Water flows quickly down the hose when the pump is running. The fault with washing remains the same. If it is a sensor fault is it easy to identify wh ich one and replace or is it not a simple amateur repair, and so a sensible place for me to stop and get a different machine?

[Lee]

Ok, so assuming the pump is ok.

How old is the machine and do you live in a "hard" water area? The sensor most likely to give problems is the water level sensor which is easily identified as a (usually) thick round disk with electrical connections and 2 (maybe more) small bore water hoses.

It's not usually the sensor itself, it's more commonly one the small hoses being blocked with "gunk". Taking the hoses off and checking they are clear by blowing through them should be easily doable. Usual precautions, make sure power is off etc :)

You can also try to see if the sensor is working mechanically (it's normally a switch) by blowing very gently into the hose and listening for a "click". But don't blow too hard or you risk damaging it.

This Youtube video is not about your machine but has generic info:

[Lee]

*or more usually just a single clear tube.

[MrCheerful]

if the water is not getting pumped out it won't be happy, perhaps there is a something stuck in the pump? usually there is an access through which you can reach the pump impeller and see if it turns, at the same time any remaining water will fall out.

My sister had a similar problem after a new sink was installed, the 'plumber' had not cut the blank end off the spigot onto the waste pipe/u bend !!

[chade]

et. Water flows quickly down the hose when the pump is running. The fault w ith washing remains the same. If it is a sensor fault is it easy to identif y which one and replace or is it not a simple amateur repair, and so a sens ible place for me to stop and get a different machine?

I have taken the top off the machine. There was only one hose running past the drum. I pulled it off the push fitting to a black electrical unit and b lew. I was rewarded with the sound of bubbles. I pushed it back together th en ran a 'drain' then 'wash' programme. There was no change. While the wate r drained/filled I listed to the sensor but it did not click. I disconnecte d the sensor and tried blowing down the rigid section of pipe that the hose pushed onto. There was no click.

Is the lack of a click a definite test?

[chade]

cket. Water flows quickly down the hose when the pump is running. The fault with washing remains the same. If it is a sensor fault is it easy to ident ify which one and replace or is it not a simple amateur repair, and so a se nsible place for me to stop and get a different machine?

t the drum. I pulled it off the push fitting to a black electrical unit and blew. I was rewarded with the sound of bubbles. I pushed it back together then ran a 'drain' then 'wash' programme. There was no change. While the wa ter drained/filled I listed to the sensor but it did not click. I disconnec ted the sensor and tried blowing down the rigid section of pipe that the ho se pushed onto. There was no click.

Just wanted to add it is not a hard water area. The machine is about five y ears old.

[Lee]

Even if you have identified the correct part, not really, a definitive test would be to hook a meter to it with the thing running... I did not think failure of the switch itself was that common though, maybe others can chime in here?

Sludged up pipes are highly unlikely to be your problem then.

[chade]

I have looked up a pressure sensor for my washing machine on a spares website. The picture of the sensor looked the same as the part I was testing.

[Lee]

The problem is that while the symptoms are highly suggestive of that part failing (or the hose being blocked) it's not definitive. There cold be issues with poor solder joints on the control board or connections that have broken due to vibration. I would not want to suggest purchasing a replacement switch based on what you have said here.

[chade]

Okay. Thanks for your help Lee, and the other people who chipped in. I think I will go for a another machine. At least i know I have done some basic stuff to try to fix the old one first.