Help me fault diagnose a washing machine!

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MontyVeda

a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
Following on from the Good Friday, my a*se thread, i need to help to ensure that I replace the correct parts in my washing machine.

For a while now, the drum has been very slowly filling with water when the machine is not in use... at a rate of say 2" over ten days. I discovered that leaving the power switch 'on' instead of 'off' reduced the unwelcome self-fill rate by about 75%, to about 1/2" over ten days... so for the last few months i've been leaving it on and checking it regularly.

This led me to suspect the water inlet solenoids are the fault, although i'm yet to determine if it's one or both.

Last Wednesday i noticed the drum had plenty of 'self-fill' water in it and was trickling out of the machine's open door, so i shut the door, put the machine on 'spin' which drained the water out (meaning the pump is fully functional, right?), then mopped the floor (i'm a modern man).

On Thursday i couldn't open the washing machine's door, but wasn't too worried as i couldn't see any water in it... but on Friday morning it transpired that there was so much water in the drum that it was full to the top and leaking out, into my downstairs neighbours kitchen (so full it looked empty, who'd have thought it!).

today i disconnected the pipe from the 'hot' inlet valve and put a bottle beneath it, and turned on the hot water to find a steady trickle going into the bottle (not a torrent, a trickle). In my tiny mind, I'd assume that the inlet solenoid would not let any water through with the machine switched off... so i suspect that either one or both solenoids/inlet valves need replacing.

does this make sense or am i having another one of my famous blonde moments?
 
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classic33

Leg End Member
Hard water area?
And if hot & cold supply, have you checked the other inlet?
 

Fab Foodie

hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
Location
Kirton, Devon.
The solonoid is ,power to open,, so no it should not pass water with no power applied. It could be that something is stuck in the valve seat, limescale build-up or the seat is damaged or worn so it's no longer sealing properly.
Can you take the valve out and see if it needs cleaning or not? Limescale remover soak overnight?

ukwhitegoods website has lots of good info for the diy type plus spares at decent prices
 
Location
Loch side.
north-west... whatever type of water we get up here.

I've checked the hot one, but not the cold one yet.
If your kettle furs up easily, you have hard water and as the Grim Reaper suggested, the solenoid is prevented from closing properly by calcium deposits, Soak it in a bit of plain spririt (artificial) vinegar. Champagne vinegar also works but it is hard to find that in gallon drums for less than a few pence.
 
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MontyVeda

MontyVeda

a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
I CBA to read all that, can't you just get another one that works.
WHAT... that's one of my finest posts ever!


I think we're soft water.... don't have any limescale issues that i'm aware of (not in the kettle anyway)... but the machine is a good 15 years old so it could be something like that... I shall try the soaking in vinegar idea... thanks Mr Perrin... i mean @Fab Foodie and of course mr @Yellow Saddle :smile:

edit... i'm assuming that other than soaking the solenoid valve in spirit vinegar or champagne, it's not user serviceable... it doesn't look like it'll come apart without the use of a hammer
 
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classic33

Leg End Member
WHAT... that's one of my finest posts ever!


I think we're soft water.... don't have any limescale issues that i'm aware of (not in the kettle anyway)... but the machine is a good 15 years old so it could be something like that... I shall try the soaking in vinegar idea... thanks Mr Perrin... i mean @Fab Foodie and of course mr @Yellow Saddle :smile:

edit... i'm assuming that other than soaking the solenoid valve in spirit vinegar or champagne, it's not user serviceable... it doesn't look like it'll come apart without the use of a hammer
Non repairable. However if possible check the state/condition of any seal inside.
Replacement of the piece can vary from a few pence for rubber seals to around £20 for each valve.
 
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MontyVeda

MontyVeda

a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
Bin it.

Buy a new one.
aye... i suspect that's the case.

Problem is i can't find the exact part in stock anywhere, but can find a very cheap generic part with looks like it should do the job... but I'll have to drill a new hole in the back of the machine as the screw fixing plate is different.

edit... there's this which looks like it has a fixing plate similar to what i need... yeah it says 'Servis' and I'm after a part for a Hoover washing machine, but a solenoid's a solenoid, right?

another edit... in fact, looking at the dud valve i've got, i reckon i can remove the fixing plate with a bit of brute force and fit it to a generic replacement
 
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Fab Foodie

hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
Location
Kirton, Devon.
aye... i suspect that's the case.

Problem is i can't find the exact part in stock anywhere, but can find a very cheap generic part with looks like it should do the job... but I'll have to drill a new hole in the back of the machine as the screw fixing plate is different.

edit... there's this which looks like it has a fixing plate similar to what i need... yeah it says 'Servis' and I'm after a part for a Hoover washing machine, but a solenoid's a solenoid, right?

another edit... in fact, looking at the dud valve i've got, i reckon i can remove the fixing plate with a bit of brute force and fit it to a generic replacement
Did you check here?

http://shop.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/washing-machine-spares
 
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