Drain Pump Running All The Time

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

Drain pump ran continuously, then control board failed

The problem

After fitting a new drain pump, the washing machine initially worked but later showed H2O/no water and the drain pump ran continuously. The pump would keep running even with the machine switched off at the control panel and would only stop when unplugged. The original poster later reported that the machine had then totally died and the power board had blown.

Likely cause

The accepted diagnosis was an electrical fault such as a short to earth or an unintended neutral return path involving the pump wiring/circuit. A PCB/controller fault was also suggested. The discussion indicates the blown power board may have been caused by another component fault, not necessarily the board itself.

What fixed it

Do not replace the power board blindly, as the same fault could damage a new board. Further diagnosis should be carried out by a suitably qualified appliance engineer, using an insulation test meter to check for an insulation fault or unwanted neutral return in the pump circuit.

Checks to try

• Observed H2O/no water error
• Confirmed drain pump ran constantly
• Confirmed pump continued running when the machine was switched off at the panel
• Machine only stopped when unplugged
• Reported power board had blown
• Insulation testing was recommended

Parts or tools mentioned

• Drain pump
• Power board
• Insulation test meter
• PCB/controller