Bosch Washing Machine - gone up in smoke

[Buffyrose]

Hi - I have a 5 year old machine. It has issues, but it was still going. During the morning there was a massive 'crash' in my house - like a metal tray being dropped. Couldnt trace the source.

A couple of hours and a couple of washes later in the day, I suddenly detected smoke coming out of the washing machine - there had been a bit of electrical smell in the house earlier but I couldnt find a source. So, drained water out asap, switched off, removed fuse. Took out washing. Pulled it out, took off top, nothing obvious but it stank of burning.

Made the decision to ditch it - I have replaced the capacitor in April this year during lockdown. And it doesnt wash amazingly well, nor does the programme button work everytime - sometimes I have to move it on by hand. Also leaves a bit of brown sludge on washing sometimes.

So, have researched washing machines on line for 5 hours - there's always issues with one or other. Anyone any recommendations? I dont need one that puts the washing powder in for me, small to medium size. Bit horrified at the prices nowadays - easy to spend over £1k and I want one thats got a good guarantee - I've always gone for Bosch but my last 2 have been disappointing. Thought I might go for a Siemens / Samsung / Miele - there's so much to get right - must be LH hinge / pref 55 cms depth / not noisy / etc etc. So tiresome isnt it.

Anyway, as it was pulled out and ready to be ditched, I thought I'd just take the back off - just out of curiosity and was interested to see the following - best described in photos - and I wondered if anyone knows what it is and whether its worth thinking about getting it repaired rather than buy new. Obviously I know a call out will cost me minimum £60, plus parts, and any other labour - so could be £100 - £200, but even so.

So, theres this thing on the left which appears to have blown out - which was presumably the 'crash' I heard. Intrigues me why the electrics didn't blow and more to the point, that the machine kept working.
We were just about to go out for a walk, so Goodness knows what could have happened if I hadnt noticed the smoke.

Thanks everyone. Apologies for the long post - musn't have much else to do.

 

[mattylad]

That is the end of the element.

You could replace the element if everything else is fine.
I like bosch machines.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It looks as if the heater element as exploded. Probably a cheap DIY replacement job, if you can get it out easily. What happens if you undo the nut in the middle, it looks as if that retains the heater element in the drum?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Original-Washing-Machine-Heating-Bosch/dp/B0151PS6EA £60, but likely cheaper from other sources.

 

[Buffyrose]

Oh! That’s really interesting, thank you both. So it probably didn’t heat up - didn’t notice as the load that was in when it started smoking had only just gone in anyway.

I was a bit concerned that the thing that that ‘solenoid’ (?) pushes into would be damaged internally too - I can’t get all that lose wire bit to go back in the hole - seems too much of it to go in. ( wasn’t intending that as the solution obviously, just seeing if that’s where it went). Inside that ‘female’ it’s all black and gungy and stinks - i poked about with a cocktail stick.
I’ll go and undo that nut.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Here is a video...

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

A cheaper element here...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BOSCH-Ma...766043?hash=item3b505433db:g:7IwAAOSw--Fa90hp

 

[Buffyrose]

Wow Harry, that’s amazing. Yes, that’s exactly it. I’d just been fiddling around with it and only just now seen your post - and the video too. Fabulous. When I pulled off the 2nd from left connector a whole lot of water came out which has disappeared into the bowels of the machine so I hope I haven’t shorted out anything else.
Will do some more research tomorrow. Exciting. Thanks SO much. Video to watch now. Thanks, Buffy

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Wow Harry, that’s amazing. Yes, that’s exactly it. I’d just been fiddling around with it and only just now seen your post - and the video too. Fabulous. When I pulled off the 2nd from left connector a whole lot of water came out which has disappeared into the bowels of the machine so I hope I haven’t shorted out anything else.
Will do some more research tomorrow. Exciting. Thanks SO much. Video to watch now. Thanks, Buffy

The bang was the element exploding. They are a copper or maybe alloy tube, with the element running down the centre, insulated from the outer tube. Outer tube becomes damaged, or they suffer wear and tear, water gets in and they explode. Because the tube/element is permanently below the water level, once the explode, water will be able to escape.

By the time your replacement element is delivered, the machine should be perfectly dry. Hopefully, your element exploding has not caused any further damage to the machine. Do check with the seller, that the element is the correct model of element for your model of machine.

 

[Buffyrose]

OM Goodness.

Unbelievable. And the scary thing is - this would happen exactly the same if I’d bought a £200 machine or a £1500 Miele. I need to become an advocate for Calgon or whoever. We have a Scaleout fitted, living in a very hard water area, which stops limescale, so I thought I wouldn’t need any extra precaution. Maybe I’ll treat the new element with a bit more respect.
I always use eSpares. They’re great at confirming parts. You’re video was ofcourse essential and invaluable - thankyou. ( albeit mine is in the back).
If it doesn’t go bang when I put it back together ( not your fault if it does obviously), I’ll buy you a socially distanced drink!!
Whatever, it’s been very interesting.
Can I ask a silly question - that hole in the end of the element, where water came out - is that how it works - that’s the water that goes in and gets heated up and then moves off into the washing machine? If so, ofcourse, there’s water there anyway then isn’t there so I won’t have done any harm. Ofcourse all my little connectors are soaking but as you say, they’ll be dry by the time the element arrives. Obviously, the side of the element that’s black is the side that blew.
I’ve spent about 5 hours looking up new machines - 5 minutes on this forum and I’ve got all the answers. Incredible.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Can I ask a silly question - that hole in the end of the element, where water came out - is that how it works - that’s the water that goes in and gets heated up and then moves off into the washing machine? If so, ofcourse, there’s water there anyway then isn’t there so I won’t have done any harm. Ofcourse all my little connectors are soaking but as you say, they’ll be dry by the time the element arrives. Obviously, the side of the element that’s black is the side that blew.

No, there is not supposed to be any water inside the element at all, it is supposed to be sealed against water by the tubuler jacket. When water gets in, that's when they explode. It is supposed to work exactly like the element in your electric kettle - it sits at the bottom, heating all the water above it.

I am not convinced by that Calgon (and similar) have any value at all. What you would spend on those, you may as well put in the bank for the day when you need to replace the washer. Both the solutions for washing machines and dishwashers are over sold - if something is that good, that essential, it would not need that much spent on TV advertising.

 

[SpecialK]

I don't bother with calgon - Every 6 months or so I run some proper scale remover in the machine on a hot wash (such as HG stuff). If you place it in a plastic bowl inside the drum it doesn't get emptied out when it pumps before the cycle starts...

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I don't bother with calgon - Every 6 months or so I run some proper scale remover in the machine on a hot wash (such as HG stuff). If you place it in a plastic bowl inside the drum it doesn't get emptied out when it pumps before the cycle starts...

Is it the Calgon ad which shows a load of horrible smelly gunge inside the drum, demonstrated by a washing machine repairer with a badly dubbed in voice? Completely rediculus - I have never seen a washer of ours in that state. How could a washer possibly get in that state, with so much water passing through them. I agree, they can build up limescale - we are in a very soft water area, but it still builds up in our kettle. I am not convinced it causes the problems they suggest in the ads.

What's the 'HG stuff'?

 

[SpecialK]

Its this brand - Any will do as long as its good stuff!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/HG-Profess...ocphy=1007203&hvtargid=pla-385611310502&psc=1

I think they sell it at B&Q etc

I must get some more and do my new washing machine as the pump filter had a load of limescale chunks in it!

Is it the Calgon ad which shows a load of horrible smelly gunge inside the drum, demonstrated by a washing machine repairer with a badly dubbed in voice? Completely rediculus - I have never seen a washer of ours in that state. How could a washer possibly get in that state, with so much water passing through them. I agree, they can build up limescale - we are in a very soft water area, but it still builds up in our kettle. I am not convinced it causes the problems they suggest in the ads.

What's the 'HG stuff'?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

This makes interesting reading, on the need for Calgon - https://www.which.co.uk/news/2011/05/do-washing-machines-really-live-longer-with-calgon-254634/

More here - https://conversation.which.co.uk/home-energy/calgon-washing-machines-limescale-live-longer/

 

[magicmushroom666]

When putting the new element in, have a good look into the hole first to see if there's any clips etc. When I did mine, there was a metal open spring clip similar to a pipe clamp for copper plumbing, and this engaged with the end of the element so its not floating around loose in there. Easy to miss that when just sliding a new unit in, and I imagine it would melt plastic if it touched somewhere.