Hotpoint WMFL 833 Washing Machine - Fault / Flashing Lights

[jespencer]

Hi everyone,


We have the Hotpoint WMFL 833 washing machine which has developed a fault.

Sometimes it will stop mid programme - all the lights on the bottom row with the buttons will flash and the light beside the drain indicator stays lit.

It has quite a bit of water in it and so hasn't yet completed the drain / spin cycle. If I drain the unit manually it operates fine until the next time it decides to act up (say every 10 washes or so).

Seems to happen more often on the Whites 60 programme but not always.

We thought it was the pump at first and have replaced it but no joy.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

 

[yardie]

When changing the drain pump did you check that all the hoses and the drum sump are all clear? Waste pipe and 'U' bend clear?

 

[jespencer]

Thanks for the reply,

The repairman did check the hose to the pump, found a coin and a sticker, but nothing else. He also checked the hose with the ball check valve.

It is weird that it does not happen each time, just periodically..

I don't know if he checked the sump..

Does anyone know where I can find the fault code for the washing machine?

 

[yardie]

Sump - ball float valve, so has been checked.

Are you using the sink or something else draining at the same time it throws up the error?

 

[jespencer]

That is a good point - the sink and the dishwasher are on the same pipework, and both connect farther from the drainage point (so when draining flow past the point where the wm connects into the flow)- I had not noticed anything but maybe will keep a lookout.

Not uncommon to have the dw and wm on at the same time and of course the odd use of the sink...

The kitchen was redone in the summer (but same appliances) and I am guessing this problem staarted occurring some time afterwards, think back then the wm was the item farthest from the drainage point...

J.

 

[jespencer]

Yardie,

The wm drains into the same trap as the main bowl of the sink into a trap that looks like this

http://www.screwfix.com/p/mcalpine-appliance-trap-40mm-white/81714

This assembly then flows into a outlet pipe that is also connected to the trap for the small sink bowl and the dishwasher outlet. This assy connects after the wm / main bowl feed.

Could it be the sink causing the issue? I would think, but may be wrong, as the dw and small bowl feed into the piping past the point the wm and big bowl that should not interfere?

In the meantime we started a 'one appliance at a time' to see if that helps.

James

 

[yardie]

See how 'one appliance at a time' goes.

If that solves the issue its almost certainly the waste system at fault and will need further investigation.

It could be that both appliances draining at the same time cause the appliance furthest away from the main waste outlet pipe i.e wm, is not being able to pump out quick enough.

The trap nearest the main waste outlet pipe i.e small bowl and dw in your case, should be lower than the trap further away i.e main bowl and wm in your case. But if your not experiencing problems with the dw or sink draining then these are probably ok.

The traps/pipes/hose could be starting to sludge up, just a possibility.