Indesit W133SUK Stops/waite Mid-Programm

[geary]

My Indesit W133SUK 'hangs' or 'waits'. during the main wash cycle just after the water has come in. I think it is trying to heat the water but failing. If you move the temperature dial to cold the machine progresses and finishes the programme. If you leave it it will move the clothes forwards then backwards for hours. The water is warm but it is a hot fill machine so I expect some warmth. I have tested the element (put a multimeter over the contacts it reads 31.5 ohms with no leak to earth) and it seems fine. I have tested the element probe (put it in a cup of hot water with a multimeter across the contacts it reads 35k Ohms when hot dropping gradually to about 3k Ohms when cold) so they both seem ok. Does anyone have any idea what else it may be?

Thank you vey much for your help.

Regards,

Gary.

 

[scotsman]

What you have to do is remove the backplate and meter the heater. You will probably find it is open circuit. To get a new one you will have to take the original with you as there are different ones for this model.

 

[geary]

Hello Scotsman,

Thank you very much for your promt reply. Tonight has been an evening of washing machine repair and I think I may have fixed it. Here's what I did:

I took the meter out of the machine and using a multi-meter I found it was a closed circuit at about 30 Ohms.

I put the element in a large jam jar full of water and with appopriately insulated terminals connect it to the mains to be sure it actually got hot. After a few seconds I could see bubbles appearing and heat ripple in the water. I disconnected it and noticed the jar was warm - result: the element was fine.

I put it back into the machine along with the probe. I put the connectors back on but noticed the neutral wire looked kinked as it entered the connector. I traced it back to the module and checked continuity with the meter, all seemed ok. But for good measure I took the module out, removed each connector one at a time and re-seated them as described in other posts. Then I re-seated the connector on the temp control at the front.

I then started the machine on the 'faulty' cycle (number 3) at 60 Degrees as before. I then used the meter to check if the heater was recieving current and it was. In fact it was cutting in and out as expected after the machine stopped for a while as the water was heated. I heard the 'hissing' noise like a kettle coming from the element. Then it switched off the supply to the element and the programm carried on its way all the way through!

I don't really know why it worked this time, but I m guessing it was either a faulty connection on the Module (computer/programmer) or a broken wire on the heater loom. At the weekend I am going to cut back the heater wires and solder on new insulated connectors to be 100% sure it isn't a broken wire.

The machine is out of action until then anyway as I found a 'weep' on the inlet hose.

I will let you know how I get on. I hope my experience helps other to diagnose their machines. Remember if you take the back off the machine to isolate it from the main before working on it.

Thank you once again.

Gary.