Beko washing machine: how to check pressure chamber?

[justigator]

Beko WIY84540F, 3 years old. Fine until yesterday when it overfilled halfway through a 2-stage cycle (when rinsing the prewash I think) and flooded the kitchen. The pressure switch seems to operate ok though not yet tested with a multimeter. The pressure hose is clear and intact. However the hose connects to what looks like a pressure chamber integrated into the machine with no way of removing to check. Blowing back down the hose when connected reveals a certain amount of resistance - much more than when blowing through just the hose. The machine has done two washes ok since I screwed it back together but now I don't trust it. Any ideas on how to check the pressure chamber? I have blown down the hose as hard as I can but no change.

 

[jj4091]

No experience of Beko machines but the pressure switch tube goes to the drain pump on many other machines, perhaps you have an obstruction there.

 

[justigator]

Thanks but the drain pump is separate. The tube runs straight into a large moulded component.

 

[jj4091]

Is that component connected to the drum assembly or the drain pump?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The pressure switch, is just a large rubber diaphragm with a microswitch operated by movement of the diaphragm. They need you to just blow gently down the pipe, to cause them to operate, they are very sensitive. The idea is that the bottom end of the tube sits in the water, as the water rises, because there is nowhere for it to go in the tube, it applies pressure on the diaphragm. That signals that the machine has the required amount of water.

Any kink or obstruction in the pipe, can cause the machine not to fill if the obstruction happened with it filled, or to over fill if the obstruction came with the machine empty.

 

[justigator]

Is that component connected to the drum assembly or the drain pump?

To the drum assembly.

 

[jj4091]

A picture of the component might be helpful but given the machine is now working it would seem it is not blocked.
Harry has given a good description of how the pressure switch works apart from saying that if the switch itself was faulty & failed to close rather than there being an obstruction to the air flow, then you could end up with the machine overfilling. It's not something I would normally suggest but it might be worth just replacing the switch in case it is intermittently faulty, they do not appear to be expensive. https://www.ransomspares.co.uk/part...ater-level-pressure-sensor-switch-/827584.htm

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Harry has given a good description of how the pressure switch works apart from saying that if the switch itself was faulty & failed to close rather than there being an obstruction to the air flow, then you could end up with the machine overfilling.

I did, sorry - I intended to say that if you blow in the pipe. you should hear the switch clicking. The clicking isn't a guarantee that the switch is working as it should, but putting a meter set to continuity across the terminals, you will be able to confirm the operation.

Depending on the mode of failure of the switch, the machine might either over fill, or fail to fill at all, however these things are extremely reliable. They rarely fail apart from due to the pipe suffering blockage.

 

[justigator]

Thanks all. I have a new pressure switch on order (from the excellent Ransom Spares).

 

[jj4091]

Just as an afterthought did you check the fill valves were not gunged up & free to move & not sticking open as that could also give a similar problem. Might be worth checking when you replace the switch.

 

[justigator]

Will check that thanks.

 

[justigator]

But the overfilling stopped as soon as I cut the power, so I doubt the inlet valve is the issue.