Zanussi Washing Machine E10

[sotal]

Further testing...


I tested the inlet valve the other day by connecting 220v to either solenoid and both operated perfectly well.


However I have just checked the resistance across the coils on each solenoid.

The first one gave 4.96. The second one gave 0.90

Can't remember the setting the meter was on but it was a big difference between the 2 coils.

 

[sotal]

A bit more testing:

I swapped the wires round to swap which solenoid was used at a particular time. I but it on a rinse only and it stops at exactly the same point in the rinse cycle.

 

[sotal]

As I'm getting more inconclusive I decided to look for anything else.

I took the main control board out to look for any bulging capacitors. I couldn't find any with bulging tops but I did find one with white on it and around the bottom.

I'm fairly sure it isn't glue it is a very thin layer and not rubbery.

The spread looks consistent with it leaking whilst in its mounted position.

I've hopefully attached a few pictures. Does it look like it has failed?

Would that be likely to be the cause?

If it has failed can anyone point me to a replacement?

I found the original is made by Lelon.

I found this datasheet on the RXC:
http://www.lelon.com.tw/down.php?f=/file/32.pdf&n=RXC.pdf

 

[sotal]

Pictures:

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[sotal]

http://cpc.farnell.com/panasonic-el...-22uf-400v/dp/CA04989?categoryId=700000011529

Would that be a suitable replacement?



I also found a picture of the same control board on ebay:
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTA2NlgxNjAw/z/8bwAAOSwEeFVCXZd/$_57.JPG

Difficult to see but the capacitor in question is the top left one. I can't see any white round that one.

*Update* - Managed to find another picture of the control board which does show some white - is it some sort of glue or is this one failing too:

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• 5 Apr 2015
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[yardie]

Does look like glue, quite common to prevent resonant vibrations usually on coils, xfrms etc..

If you want to change it for your piece of mind and cap of the same voltage rating and uF rating will suffice. You can replace with a slightly higher volt i.e if its 16v go up to 25v, the physical size of the cap will be slightly bigger so be sure it will fit, the legs aren't really an issue just diameter and height.

Do you have a meter?

 

[sotal]

Just got a bog standard cheapy multimeter.


To be honest one I thought about it more I thought less about the chance of it being that capacitor. It looks like that is part of the power transformer circuit. If that was failing I'd expect bigger problems.


So I'm down to it possibly still being the pressure switch as it didn't test well on the bench, however it looks to switch when in place - although that could be other circuitry that is connected doing the switching. (I still have the switch on order so should be here at some point to fully rule out.)

I also have the possibility of the inlet valve - both solenoids test well on the bench and operated correctly with mains supplied. However resistance varies greatly between the two coils. Double checked by switch the solenoids round and still got the failure at the same time in the cycle.


Only other diagnostics I can give is that the wash cycle completes perfectly. It fails on the rinse cycle. The drain cycle also works perfectly. I haven't tested the spin cycle on it's own but I could do.

Is there any significance to it failing on the rinse cycle? What is different during the rinse cycle?

The only thing I can think is that the other solenoid must be used during that part? Is one used to squirt at the powder during the wash? And the other one used to squirt at the fabric softener during the rinse? If that is the case then surely the inlet valve can be the only part at fault?


As a temporary bypass would it be possible to connect both sets of wires to one solenoid so only one solenoid is used? We don't often use fabric softener so wouldn't miss that one and it would prove that one is defective. Would it cause any problems with backfeeding voltage into the circuitry?

As it is there are 3 wires feeding the 2 solenoids. There is a brown one which splits to both central pins. Then there is a blue and a yellow wire. Once goes to each solenoid. I am proposing connecting them together and then to just one solenoid so that same solenoid is activated when ever water is required.

Does that make sense?

 

[jj4091]

Without blowing in to the switch, the continuity test on my multimeter shows:

Pin 1 to Pin 2: 1
Pin 1 to Pin 3: 025
Pin 2 to Pin 3: 1

When I blow in to hear the switch actuate I get:

Pin 1 to Pin 2: 1
Pin 1 to Pin 3: 025
Pin 2 to Pin 3: 1

I also get the same results as above when I put it on the 2k resistance setting.


Does this all indicate that the switch is dead?

Pin 2 is connected to earth & switches from one to the other depending on it's state. The fact that you are not getting anything other than an open circuit when you blow into the switch definitely suggests that the switch is faulty. I would wait until you get & replace your new one before you go any further.

 

[sotal]

Sorry for not replying - I've been away.

However that gave the pressure switch chance to arrive!

On the downside - the brand new pressure switch made no difference! Incidentally it tests nearly the same as the original on the multimeter.

The only difference is that pin 1 to 3 is 0.35 instead of 0.25.


I've sat and watched the washing machine most of today! I managed to figure out that it fills up with some water. Then starts to wash and then gives the E10 code. I start it again and it puts more water in (doesn't drain the last lot out). It then fails again with the E10 code. I repeat again - on the 3rd time there is enough water in the washer and it continues. It runs through the wash cycle fine until it gets to the rinse. The last thing it does before the rinse is to drain the water out. It then puts some in but obviously not enough. It then gives the E10 code. I can then go back to the rinse program and it continues from there and gives another E10 code. On the 3rd go it continues fine and finishes the rinse and goes on to the spin and completes.

So it seems like it isn't getting enough water in.

So is it likely that it is the solenoids at fault in the inlet valve? I'm dubious about this as I swapped them round and it still had the same problem.


I decided to test the water flow in the house to see if that was an issue.

The sink in the kitchen (the first thing after the stop cock) has a flow rate of approx 17L per minute.

The sink in the utility room (closest thing to the washing machine) has a flow rate of approx 14L per minute.

The washing machine had a flow rate of approx 9L per minute.


It seemed odd that the washing machine was so much lower - the only bit of equipment between it and the sink was a shut off valve, so I took this off and found a partial blockage. I fixed this and replaced and tested again and it was now 14L per minute.

I thought I had found the problem and reassembled everything but it made no difference the washer still isn't putting enough water in.

Just to make sure it wasn't a coincidence with it being 3 times then it works, I removed the drawer from the top and when it was filling I added extra water and it runs fine then - so it literally just needs more water going in!

So is it the inlet valve? Or has some sort of timer gone faulty that times how long to switch the solenoid on for?


Does the flow rate in the house sound about right? 17 L/m at the first tap, then 14 L/m at the utility room. The utility room is about the furthest point away from the stop cock.


Is 14L/m plenty for the washing machine?

 

[sotal]

I removed the inlet valve again and tested it on the bench. I put the hoses into a watering can and timed how long it took to fill.

They both gave exactly the same fill rate - which worked out at about 10.5L / min.


I just can't figure out why it doesn't just switch the water inlet valve back on again later to fill?

It switches on at the beginning and water gushes in but obviously not enough. It just spins slowly then for about 5 minutes (the time doesn't go down on the screen). If I add about 5L of water through the drawer during this time then it carries on fine.

So the solenoids both seem to be working correctly, they operate correctly at the beginning and some water goes in (just not enough!)

The pressure switch seems to work correctly as it detects when I have added enough water and the cycle continues.

The heater seems to be working as once I've got it going the water comes out of the drain warm.

I'm running out of ideas!

Can anybody think of what else it could be?


Should it add all the water in one go at the beginning? Or should it add some, then add a bit more etc until there is enough?


Is it failing to add enough water at the beginning? Or is it failing to add more water later?

 

[sotal]

I was getting stuck for ideas so I pulled the inlet valve out again for a bit more testing.

I had tested the solenoids would both operate multiple times but I hadn't tested that they would stay working for long periods of time.

I checked the first one and let it run for 2 minutes which it did with no problems. I disconnected it and connected the second one up and repeated the test - again it functioned perfectly. I disconnected it and nearly burnt my fingers - it was burning hot to the touch. The first one was barely warm.

The hot one is the main fill solenoid.

This made me suspect that the fault is definitely in the solenoid. However I had connected them up in reverse before and it was exactly the same.

I put the inlet valve back in the machine and connected the wiring to only the cooler solenoid. I connected the wrong wires to it so it would operate instead of the hot one for the main fill. This time I left the other solenoid disconnected with the wires just hanging.

It now appears to work perfectly!

Obviously whatever the other solenoid squirted water on (softener or prewash?) won't work now, but we are using the things where you fill a little ball with liquid and place it on the washing so it doesn't even use the drawer.

I ran 3 loads through on the setting which takes about an hour and all three finished correctly. Out of curiosity I connected the other solenoid back up for a load and it failed again. Disconnected it and it ran through perfectly.

So I will order a replacement inlet valve when I get chance but for now we seem to have a working washing machine again!

Can anyone see any problems with running it with just the one solenoid?

 

[jj4091]

Other than the fact you will limit some of the programs ( as you already realise ) then no.
Well done by the way!

 

[sotal]

Thanks! Trial and Error got there in the end!



Just couldn't understand why plugging it in stops it filling properly! It must be drawing too much current and tripping something internally or something like that!


Got a spare pressure switch now if anyone needs one!