Washing Machine Banged Then Stopped Mid-cycle

This is another one where you really need a proper insulation test meter to fault find I'm afraid.

All you can do without one is to make sure the washer is disconnected from the mains supply, take the top off and look to see if the suppressor has blown which may be quite obvious. The suppressor is a small device with 4 wires on it. It should be at the back of the machine right next to the terminal block (where the wires come in from the mains cable.)

The suppressor filters the spikes out of the electricity and it's the first part that power runs through. It's usually cylindrical and usually metal (silver) but these days it's more likely to be plastic.

The live and neutral come into the washing machine from the mains cable and go through the suppressor. Then a live and neutral comes out of the suppressor and on to the timer and other parts. Older suppressors (not so much now) can blow up (they short out inside) and they go with a bang. When doing this they take out the fuse but the machine will either blow again, or be totally dead when a new fuse is fitted, depending on how badly damaged the internal parts of the suppressor are.

If you can't see anything wrong with this part, or anything else that's obvious like a wire off, then you need to use an insulation test meter to find the fault. Sometimes the suppressor can blow the top off and the insides spill out. Other times you may notice that where the wires go into it, there is evidence of burning, melting etc.

A word of warning when dealing with suppressors on washing machines.

Apart from the obvious one of never working on a washing machine with the mains still on, suppressors (and capacitors) can hold a charge and discharge it into you if touching the terminals which can hurt (Can you still get a shock if the washer is unplugged?)

Before touching the terminals of the suppressor, make absolutely sure the washing machine is unplugged or has no power to it and has discharged.

I've seen cases where the programme PCB has blown up, which leaves the washing machine dead. This would be too much to tackle DIY-wise as apart from the expense, you need to be sure a new one wouldn't also blow.

Finally, if the bang was mechanical, and not the sound of something electrical blowing, then apart from a bad load pulling a wire off, you could try draining the water out and seeing if it then works.

Releated:

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Fusing electrics

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