Washing Machine Woes

Hey Newshound

Thanks for that. Yes mine has this release strap, but there is absolutely no reference to this in the manual supplied with the machine. Er indoors can now at least get at her uniforms she needs for work next week.

Phil

Thanks guys

I'll try the lid off route tomorrow and try to recover the contents.

As it is around 10 years old it looks like a new one is in order.

Phil

Hi Adam

I've waited about 2 hours but no good.

I don't have any non RCD supplies to power circuits. Nor to the cooker as you may well remember :)

Phil

Wait, or try a non RCD supply.

Yes, and every washing machine repairman knows it :-)

Hopefully the machine isn't full of water or there's a pump sump/filter you can open to drain it.

Isolate the machine, take the lid off and there'll be something to pull to override or disengage the door interlock. It probably won't be obvious but try googling for your machine model.

In many cases just waiting long enough will do it as whatever power is holding the interlock on should run down eventually.

Owain

snipped-for-privacy@gowanhill.com laid this down on his screen :

Often an electrically heated wax unit. The wax expands, and blocks the door release for several minutes until the wax cools and contracts.

Sometimes the door release mechanism is solenoid, so power is needed to release it, but that will not operate with water in the machine.

So drain it first, then remove the top cover with the machine unplugged and look down for a mechanical release.

Drain it first. If it still doesn't open, sometimes just giving it a smack then works, if not others have commented further.

NT

There is a trick to opening them using a bit of string which you weedle in around the rubber seal and manipulate the lock mechanism, I was surprised when it worked for me ...

Search for your model, there are probably variations of the trick.

It's not hard to temporary bypass a RCD.....

When mine did this it was a short in the motor internals and a new motor for about £60 fixed it

for you quite easy - but for a realy amateur

What does the manual say?

2) About manual door release.

Come now. Why would he RTFM?

I was suggesting a last resort, obviously.

If it's not worth fixing at only 10 years old it's not a Bosch / Miele or AEG.

He could quite easily correctly wire up his own cooker supply.

These days, quite a lot of machines (e.g. my Bosch) have a little plastic strap that comes down under the cover to the drain pump. You pull this down hard, and it releases the catch. It is quite fiddly to do, on the Bosch.

Often you have to drain the water first. The drain hose attached to the machine at floor level so you have to take the outlet of this drain hose level or below this level and then gravity will empty the machine of water.

Two back to back 110V isolating transformers?