Stops During The Wash Cycle With Soapy Water In
Hi,
My washing machine stops during the wash cycle with soapy water in. If I then put it on pump/spin, it pumps the water out in under a minute, but does not continue to spin. It just turns the drum slowly a few times. I hear a periodic vibration and noise which I would say is the pump still working, but there is no water left to pump.
My only idea is that there is a sensor or electronic fault of some kind.
Any tips welcome!
Solution Summary
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This thread was marked as solved. Here's a summary of the problem and the fix, generated from the discussion below.
Washer stops mid-cycle with soapy water and will not spin
- The problem
- The washing machine stopped during the wash cycle leaving soapy water inside. On pump/spin it emptied the water in under a minute, but then only turned the drum slowly a few times and did not go into full spin. The pump could still be heard running periodically even when no water remained.
- Likely cause
- The main diagnosis discussed was that the machine might not be draining fast enough due to a partial blockage. The pressure chamber and pressure switch were also considered. After the owner checked the pump, pipework and pressure chamber, the remaining possibilities suggested were a defective pressure switch, motor fault or PCB/electronic fault. The exact cause was not confirmed.
- What fixed it
- Recommended actions were to check for partial drain restrictions, including the drain hose and sink u-bend spigot, and to verify drain performance by running the hose into a bucket. The pressure chamber was also advised to be checked for blockage. As these checks did not produce a confirmed fix, professional diagnosis was recommended rather than further guesswork.
- Checks to try
- Pump removed and found to turn freely
- Pipes checked for blockage
- Pressure chamber checked and found clear
- Small pressure-switch hose blown through and switch heard clicking
- Pressure switch tapped to see if it was sticking
- Pressure switch wiring noted as 3 wires
Safety: Further diagnosis should be carried out by a suitably qualified appliance engineer.
6 Answers
It sounds like it might not be emptying fast enough, possibly due to a partial blockage. Try the information in this article aimed at washing machines not emptying any water but equally relevant for ones not emptying fast enough won't drain out the water
If a washer hasn't drained enough water after a set time it will usually stop, and wont spin.The fact that the water is soapy tallies up with not emptying fast enough as the water just gets churned around and rinsing obviously won't be effective.
If it's not that check the pressure chamber isn't blocked with gunge. There's lots of info on pressure chambers on these forums if you search for pressure chamber.
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Thanks very much for that Andy, I'll look into what you suggest.
Hi Andy,
There are definitely no blockages in the pipes or the pump which I have removed, it turns freely and seems ok.. Also the pressure chamber was clear, and when I blew into the llittle pipe I heard the switch clicking so that seems to be ok.
So I'm stuck. Perhaps the switch is defective even though I hear it clicking?
That's possible, although it's also possible for a blockage to be in the drain hose or the plastic spigot on the u-bend under the sink if that's where the drain hose pumps into. I wouldn't investigate them though unless you suspect it isn't emptying the water fast enough. You could test it by holding the drain hose into a bucket at about waist height and seeing if it's pumping out properly.
Pressure switches on old washing machines used to have 2 or even 3 levels. If your pressure switch has more than 2 or 3 wires to it maybe it has more than one level? They can sometimes stick, try firmly but not damagingly tapping it on the side. Some can only have one level though.
Check this out - can't find a blockage but still not draining water out of washing machine
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Andy
My pressure switch has 3 wires so has only one level. I have tried tapping it, while trying to run the pump/spin cycle, with no success.
I'm pretty sure that when the spin fails to occur, the pump is running continuously with no water in the machine, so think it must be a problem of the switch, or the electronics. Might be worth trying a new swich, but haven't seen any for sale.
Otherwise, I'm beginning to think I may just have to get a new machine. As you say, it's getting a bit old...
Would be glad of any more suggestions, but in any case thanks for all your helpful advice. I've learned a lot about washing machines and how to investigate their troubles!
It could be various things including a motor or pcb fault. You've checked for obvious and simple explanations, it's probably best to leave it at that or get a professional in.
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