Whirlpool w/m not filling fully

[spatchtadley]

A while ago we noticed that our washing machine didn't seem to be rinsing the clothes that well - there are often streaks of powder on the clothes.

Today, after the machine had completed it's wash cycle and last rinse, I noticed that it still had a lot of bubbles in the window.

I ran the rinse cycle again (programme B) and noticed that it didn't fill with much water - you couldn't see any in the window.

I ran it on the slow rinse cycle (programme C on the delicates wash) and this time the machine took in plenty of water - about a third of the way up the window.

When this had finished, I ran B again. This time it filled with plenty of water, about a third up the window again.

Is there a sensor which the machine uses to tell how much water it has in it? If so, I suppose it could be causing this problem. I was also wondering if it meters the water into machine. In which case, I suppose a partially blocked pipe would cause it to under-fill.

If this is an intermittant fault, is it likely to be a circuit board?

Any ideas?

 

[tockworth]

The machine monitors the amount of water coming into the drum by a device called a pressure switch. This is a thin hollow plastic tube which is connected to the rear bottom back of the tub and terminates somewhere near the top of the machine into a plastic mechanism which is called the pressure switch.It operates as follows, water enters the tub and starts to fill, as the level rises in the tub, it equally rises in the plastic tube (which is mounted perpendicular at rear of tub) by the same level. because the tube is airtight it compresses the air in the top half of the tube to an extent were it flips a diaphragm which triggers a switch which the tells the programmer to close the water input valve. The pressure switch is pre-set in the factory so it will switch off when there is approx 7ltrs or one third of the drum filledwith water. Faults connected to this part of the machine is overfilling or underfilling and is usually a pinhole leak in the tube or small blockage (fluff or threads) trapped in the small resevoir at bottom of tub or tube itself.

 

[spatchtadley]

Thanks for your reply. I'll have a look at the pipe and see if I can see a problem.

Cheers

Al

 

[spatchtadley]

I took the back panel off and had a look inside.

I couldn't see any pipe that meets this description.

In fact, I checked where all the wiring went and I couldn't see anything that went to anything that looked like a water level sensor. There was wiring to the motor, the door catch, the pump and the bottom of the drum (I assume water heater).

I've noticed this...
The programmes are controlled by turning a dial. There is one set of programmes on one half of the dial (normal proggrammes), on the other half are delicate programmes (such as wool). It seems that the programmes and rinses on the normal half of the dial only partially fill the drum. The programmes on the delicates side of the dial seem to fill the drum correctly - about a quarter of the way up the door.

Also...
The machine has auto-half load detection. If it possible that this is malfunctioning, causing the underfilling?

Any replies greatly appreciated!!

 

[tockworth]

Yes I wrongly assumed without the model number your machine was the awm series or before. The machine you have is is I think a quite new washer with what I believe incorporates sixth sense technology which electronically senses the weight of the washig and inputs water and wash time to suit. This is a far more sophisticated system and the only advice I can give is to thoroughly read the manual with the machine to see if a incorrect button or option has been accidentley selected and to check a troubleshooting chart if it has one, before calling out an engineer.

 

[spatchtadley]

Sorry, I should have said - its a AWM 321.
I don't think it's a sophisticated model. The programmes are controlled by dial you turn clockwise to the programme that you want.

Cheers

Al

 

[Sleepyhead]

Pressure tube should run from the front of the tub up to the top of the cabinet somewhere and is plugged into a round switch assembly.
Chances are that there is some gunk in the pressure chamber floating about.

 

[tockworth]

In that case this is what you have overlooked on examining your machine

http://speedyspares-appliances.com/main.asp?modelid=2817&cat_id=2&catmakeid=2&makeid=13&itemid=34

bear in mind this is a replacement part and may not be exactley like the original but the platic connector at the bottom of this switch is were the plastic tube slots on and will terminate at the bottom of the tub. Apologies on this model as sleepyhead points out the the pipe runs down the front of the tub, the switch can be viewed from the top of machine but access to the tube and outlet can only be gained by removing front panel.

 

[spatchtadley]

Thanks folks

I've located the pipe now - the picture was a great help. It's a narrow rubber tube about 8mm wide.

I took off the sensor at the top and blew down the tube in case there was anything blocking it. It seems to be clear.

I was thinking though...
The tub DOES seem to fill correctly on the delicates/wool cycle, but not on the cotton/synthetics cycle. If the sensor was defective or the pipe blocked, wouldn't it underfill on all cycles, not just some of them?

What do you think? If this is right and it's not the sensor/pipe, what else could it be?

Thanks

Al

 

[tockworth]

You would need to do quite a few wash programmes to verify that is correct. I believe it does sometimes fill correctley on a cotton wash. (ie a bit of a intermittent fault)Theoretically nothing changes as far as the different programmes are selected when it comes to rinse water input. The pressure switch does have two different states which effects amount of water brought into the tub on rinse, but is switched only by the half load option switch.You must make sure all your option switches are deselcted when testing the programmes.

 

[spatchtadley]

The machine doesn't have many switches...

An on/off button
A rinse hold button
A temperature dial
A programme dial

That's all there is.

It has a auto half load feature. We always put in full loads, so this will never get used. How does it detect half loads? Is it possible to bypass this so that I can eliminate it from the problem?

Cheers

Al

 

[Sleepyhead]

On rinse, any cycle, the machine uses 16 litres of water.
On wash, Cotton, coloured, Easy care it uses 6 litres.
Delicates and woolens, 16.5 litres.

Program B isn't a rinse cycle, it's a spin cycle. Programs A and C are rinse and spin.

AWM321 is the generic model name. There are 9 variants of this machine.
Post the 12 digit 85 number and I'll be able to verify from the correct program chart.

 

[spatchtadley]

Here's the code...
8570 321 15611

 

[Sleepyhead]

The tub DOES seem to fill correctly on the delicates/wool cycle, but not on the cotton/synthetics cycle. If the sensor was defective or the pipe blocked, wouldn't it underfill on all cycles, not just some of them?
Al

The figures I quoted are correct for your machine. It will and should take in less water on cotton, synthetic and easy care cycles.

To achieve AAA ratings and the like, machines take in less water and wash for longer to achieve the same result. Delicates and woolens are washed in more water with less drum action and a slower spin.

No idea why your machine should take in water on program B though as the technical data for the machine states it's a spin program.