Bosch Logixx slimline DW, about 9 years old, not draining

[vladman]

Hi,

I was hoping to get a bit of advice about this, so that I can try and fix it.

Basically, the machine'd been running fine, until a few days ago, after it finished the washing cycle, upon opening it, I discovered it didn't drain the water. There was a lot of water in the bottom.

This happened a few months back too. I tried using the reset buttons, switched it on and off numerous times, all to no avail. I then called an engineer who said he could come in 2 days. Believe it or not, when he came, and after I haven't touched the machine (with the water still in it) for 2 days, when he switched it on, it drained! Charged me £20 for coming out.

Anyway, it's now happened again. It's now been 2 days, and alas, it's still not draining.

Earlier, I googled this, and found I should remove the plastic bit that protects the pump impeller and see if anything was obstructing that. So I scooped all the water out, then did that (it was a major pain, it wasn't as simple as removing one screw or unclipping something. I ended up removing about 6 screws and still struggled to remove this bit of plastic). It was very awkward, but I couldn't see or feel anything substantial causing the blockage. I tried to see if I could turn this impeller, but I could only feel it with my finger (not see it), and it felt smooth, and I couldn't turn it. I expected some kind of ridges, or something that I could push or rotate with my finger, but I could only feel something smooth (like hard plastic) in there. After this, and cleaning around as best as I could, I put everything back together and run a short program again, and it still won't drain.

I think the pump tries to do it, and I can hear a sucking sound for 3-5 seconds, but it kind of sounds "dry".

Somehow, I have a feeling that possibly nothing is wrong with the machine, and that I might have a blockage somewhere in the drain pipe, or where it joins the sink drain. I should add that any water in the sink itself drains fine.

I've taken a picture of the way all this is hooked up under my sink.

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• vladman
• 8 Jan 2013
• 1

Untitled

• vladman
• 8 Jan 2013
• 1

Untitled

• vladman
• 8 Jan 2013
• 1

Can someone advise (sorry if this is such a silly question) how I can disconnect this and check for a blockage, without dirty stinky water spurting out everywhere?

Anything else you think I should try?

Many thanks!

 

[vladman]

Managed to resolve this.

It was a blockage at the end of the drain hose, right where it joins the main pipe under the sink. Cleaned it all out, and the machine works again now.

 

[vladman]

I still need some advice, if anyone's able to offer some.

After I last resolved this, it was fine for a few days, and now back to the same issue again.

I'm almost certain there's a blockage somewhere in the drain hose, and it's loose hardened limescale debris that's causing the blockage. I say this because during my attempts to get the machine to drain, I used the vinegar + bicarbonate soda + hot water trick I found on youtube to try and clear any blockages. I did this 2 or 3 times, and every time, I would find bits of hardened limescale at the joint of the drain hose with the plumbing under the sink. I now think this has got stuck somewhere further in the hose, or maybe where the hose exits the machine.

The machine still runs the pump, and occasionally, I can hear a trickle, but mostly it doesn't drain anything at all.

I've now been battling with this for the last several weeks and am at the end of my tether. I don't even know if calling someone out would help, I don't know how they would clear this blockage, and if it’s possible, I’d rather do it myself.

Can anyone help with some suggestions?

I'd hate to have to capitulate and replace the machine, and have this nagging feeling the machine isn't even broken at all, it's just a simple blockage somewhere.

Thanks.