Washing Machines
Solved

Too Much Foam In Machine

Asked over 15 years ago 5,220 views
0

Hi all.... my Ariston A1600WD tripped the electric today, was washing a reasonably small pillow and blanket and the machine was full of foam, My daughter said she put some washing up liquid in! GAHHHH.

Anyway the electric tripped and i now get all these red flashes. It's never had a problem before and iv'e had it a good few years. There is no foam or dampness anywhere.

Is there anything i can do to try fix it? reset it etc.....

Solution Summary

AI-generated from this discussion

This thread was marked as solved. Here's a summary of the problem and the fix, generated from the discussion below.

Ariston A1600WD tripped electrics after washing-up liquid caused excessive foaming

The problem
An Ariston A1600WD tripped the electrics during a wash after washing-up liquid was added. The drum was reported to be full of foam, and afterwards the machine showed red flashing lights.
Likely cause
The strongest supported diagnosis is excessive foam from washing-up liquid, with a possible temporary electrical leakage if foam reached electrical parts. The exact failed component was not confirmed.
What fixed it
Recommended action was to clear the washing-up liquid by filling with cold water and draining several times. Because the pump and drum can create more foam, a suggested method was to fill the machine over halfway with water manually and drain it manually by lowering the drain hose into a bowl several times. It was also suggested that, if foam had reached electrical parts, the fault might clear once the machine had dried out. No confirmed repair outcome was posted.
Checks to try
  • Reported full of foam after washing-up liquid was added
  • Machine tripped the electrics
  • Machine then showed red flashing lights
  • No foam or dampness was seen externally
Parts or tools mentioned
  • Insulation test meter
  • Bowl

Safety: Further diagnosis should be carried out by a suitably qualified appliance engineer.

Cause identifiedGenerated 8 Aug 2026 · AI summaries can make mistakes - read the full thread below.
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2 Answers

Accepted Answer
0
Verified Engineer
Answered over 15 years ago

Washing up liquid in the washing machine cause really excessive foaming which can be difficult to get rid of. Troubleshooting a washing machine tripping the electrics can't be done properly without an appropriate insulation test meter but if it was caused by foam somehow getting onto electrical parts it may cure itself when dried out.

You would need to fill with cold water and drain it out several times to try and clear the washing up liquid. The problem is the pump whips up the foam each time and the drum turning also whips it up so depending on how much liquid was put in it can be really tricky. If so fill over halfway with water manually, and drain out manually by lowering the drain hose into a bowl a few times which may help.

Whitegoods Help — appliance repair expert and forum host.
0
Verified Engineer
Answered about 13 years ago

This article not only covers what causes too much foam in washing machine but also advises on how to get rid of too much foam

Whitegoods Help — appliance repair expert and forum host.

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