The Waterproof System on the Miele W919 wps

[geordief]

Can I replace this hose with a regular hose or will the machine not function properly unless it has the original Waterproof System hose installed?

I do not need the flooding protection and I suspect it may be tripping the machine as I have to fill it manually every time because the red light flashes after 3 minutes......

Is there a solenoid in this model and is it connected to the machine the way it is set up now?

 

[RichardMNZ]

I can answer partof this question.
There is a solenoid valve. Its in the square box at the end of the inlet hose.
Do you feel it buzzing when its supposed to be filling?

Do you fill it manually for the main wash and the rinse cycles or just once?

 

[geordief]

I can answer partof this question.
There is a solenoid valve. Its in the square box at the end of the inlet hose.
Do you feel it buzzing when its supposed to be filling?

Do you fill it manually for the main wash and the rinse cycles or just once?

Hi there
Yes I do feel a buzzing now that you ask (I never noticed before)

What I generally do is to let it fill itself on its own at the start of the cycle.Invariably ,after 2 or 3 minutes the red light comes on and I have to manually add an amount of extra water from a jug for about a minute or so until the red light goes off.

Then I wait to see if the main wash "engages" or aborts.

If it aborts, I try again and it always (touch wood) works the second time.

Once it reaches the rinse cycle the problem starts again and I have to "top up" again nearly always.

I would like to dispense with the "waterproof system" hose as I suspect it may be clogged with scum from my outside tank ,but I cannot be sure it is the whole problem.

I also ,sadly think that I may not be able to replace this "waterproof system hose" with a plain hose as it may be integral to the machine (mutters to himself darkly)

 

[RichardMNZ]

Have you looked under the lid?

Does the hose connect to a triple-valve assembly?
Here is a link that may enable you to get it into service mode and to check the inlet valves.


http://inm0310.tripod.com/miele_f1.htm

 

[RichardMNZ]

See if you can test the inlet valves in service mode.
Peek through a partially open drawer to see which one is faulty.

 

[geordief]

Once I get into service mode ,do I need a mechanism to get out of it or does the machine do that itself automatically if I turn it off at the mains and turn it back on again?

If the machine (as it does) fails (=the red light comes on) at every stage of the cycle where water is required does that not indicate that the inlet valves are equally compromised (if indeed they are?

By the way ,there is a filter with this box and in the distant past cleaning it would solve the problem but that has no effect now.

I suspect that the box may be irredeemably clogged with gunge from the dirty tank.

This "waterproof system" box is sealed . If I was to attempt to clean it ,is there any cleaning product I could pour into it that would not damage it? Household ammonia?

It has been this way for around 2 years (with clean water being used) so it has had all the time in the world for any gunge to be flushed out in the normal course of use.

Might all 3 inlet valves be "gunged up"? Would that be an easy job to deal with? Cheaper than the "waterproof system" box to replace?

 

[RichardMNZ]

To get out of service mode you open the door.

I don't know about the use of chemicals in cleaning the valves.


I did clean apart the inlet valve of a w828 years ago. It was a fiddly job.

 

[geordief]

Thanks that is great link (yes I managed to get out of service mode very easily)

http://inm0310.tripod.com/miele_f1.htm

(it is the correct machine) but how do I see the Fault codes ? The LED screen does not illluminate .

I turn the program selector switch to the "desired setting" and the machine (at 95 deg) lets in water but ,as I say the LEDscreen does not illuminate even after the machine has stopped filling.There is no error message and no "cor" message to be seen.

The same with all the other settings. The machine runs but there are no error messages.

I am definitely in service mode but am getting no feedback when I select one or other function to test.

 

[RichardMNZ]

I wouldn't worry about it not saying COR, but you can see that the pre-wash valve is OK when it is at 95 deg. What happens at 75 deg and 60 deg?

 

[geordief]

I wouldn't worry about it not saying COR, but you can see that the pre-wash valve is OK when it is at 95 deg. What happens at 75 deg and 60 deg?

Do you mean can I hear it filling or can I peek in the soap container draw and see the water coming through ?

Yes it does (each of the three times). I can't actually see inside the valves and I can't say if the flow of water into the soap containing drawer is what it should be but I can't see any difference between the flow rate of the three valves (ie the three settings 95, 75 and 60 deg.)

From the link you gave me to the service mode access I think I can see that there is no test that applies to the actual "waterproof system" box. So would a fault in one of the inlet valves be the closest to a fault diagnosis in the box itself?

 

[RichardMNZ]

According to the website if you have the dial set to 95 deg, it should fill to level 1 and stop. Does the machine stop?
Then when you turn it to 75 deg, does it fill until level 3 and stop?

Are you able to pull the soap drawer out and observe the force which the water is coming out? Mind it doesn't slosh onto the floor.

The machine senses the water level through the pressure sensor. From what you described before, the valves are working fine.
I want you to confirm that the water comes out with equal force when the dial is at 95 and 75 deg.
Also I want you to confirm the machine stops filling when it should.
If the tube that connects the pressure vessel gets blocked then the inlet valve flashes too.

 

[geordief]

Hi Richard
it is hard for me to gauge the force of the water as it comes out onto the soap drawer. I would say it is not that strong but I have to say that the force is the same at all steps of the cycle .

And so if the 3 valves are blocked then are all equally blocked.

I did suspect that that tray above the soap drawer might well be blocked but I have removed the 3 hoses connecting it to the 3 valves and have blown through it(the tray).

There was no blockage and it was easy to blow through . So any blockage there was would surely have to be in the valves or the waterproof system box.

After I had blown air (with my mouth ) through the tray above the soap drawer I tried to run the machine again -and the result was the same as before -no improvement.

I don't know what to do now . I don't think it is advisable to try and clean the valves and I do not think it is possible to replace the waterproof system hose with an ordinary hose.

EDIT: If you still think the valves are working fine ,. then do you think there might be a problem with "the tube that connects the pressure vessel " or perhaps the waterproof system box ?

 

[RichardMNZ]

From what you describe it sounds like the valves are working fine.

You should now check the breather tubes. There is a hose which runs from the back of the detergent drawer to the top of the drain.
Check that this is clear.
Check the breather hose from the pump up to the soap drawer is clear. (Its not the big black tube that takes the water and powder down to the tub, its smaller to the left. It may have a removable cover)
Check the hose from the top of the tub to the side of the detergent drawer is clear too. Pull it from the detergent drawer as its easier than pulling from the top of the tub.
If these are clear then look into the pressure tube. That requires opening the front.

 

[geordief]

Thanks
So I have checked those two extra hoses and I think they are clear.

The first one allowed me to breathe/blow into into it but not to suck the air out . I assume that that is as it should be.

The second one from the top of the drum to the side of the soap drawer was clear.

So ,that being the case are you going to suggest that I open the front ?

Will I need any special tools to do that? What does the pressure tube connect up ?Is is it made from rubber also or is it a metal tube?


By the way I have found (provisionally) that if I pour a small amount of water manually (and at as regular a rate as possible) from the very beginning of the cycle the red light does come on after 2 minutes but it goes off again and goes into the main wash .

This is not what I have been doing up to now. I normally wait for the ref light to show and then start pouring in water. This used to work but ,lately the cycle aborts even after the red light has gone off the first time(even after it appears that things have stabilized)

I don't know if this pattern of errors has any significance.

EDIT:I have tried one other thing(just once) . I have tried ignoring the red light. It came on in the "usual" way (ie as it always does now) and it went off allowing the main wash cycle to start.

Does that tell you anything?

I doubt that I could rely on that as a system (although I may stop manually filling it for the time being).

The red light cannot be misreporting ,can it -so that when I add water manually I aggravate the situation and the sensors (wherever they are and however they work) get confused and out of kilter?

By the way ,last night I filled the water tanks outside the house (on the roof) to the maximum so water pressure does not seem to be (or to have been ) a problem.

No we don't have mains pressure but we managed for about 10 years before we had any problem and so it doesn't seem to be the cause of all this( the plumber also said he thought the pressure was just fine when he had a look some time back)

 

[RichardMNZ]

To open the front you need to remove the screws inside the soap drawer (I cant remember if there are 2 or 3) and the 3 bolts around the door (when the door is open)
You will need to open the drain flap and un-tuck the rubber hose part.
You may need to remove the lid incase the front sticks on it.
The whole front swings open like a door where the hinges are on the right.
There is a brass clip that holds the door shut but a decent pull can get past that.