Zanussi washing machine FJ 1254 W

[Handyman]

Help! Came back from holiday over Christmas and when I press 'green' start/pause button, it bleeps but nothing else happens, regardless of which programe is selected. I've cleaned out fluff filter, checked water supply to valve, and checked connections between the "controls" PCB and the programmer PCB, but still nothing: no clicks, no noises from motors trying to turn, just zilch apart from the button bleep.
Machine is 8 years old and in good condition, but located in an unheated location and therefore subject to the low temperatures we've had recently (although that's never been a problem before).

Any ideas, plese?

 

[zipper]

I don't suppose your machine has a digital display, so what is the status of the far right series of 8 vertical LED's?... i.e; which LED's are on counting top to bottom 1 to 8.

 

[Handyman]

Woops, sorry Zipper. My bl**dy internet access packed up. Tiscali decided to change my login details without telling me.

Anyway, thanks for your response. I did a bit of research (someone else's PC) and found that most of the "non-operation" faults that occur with Zanussi machines of whatever model, seem to be either door interlock or water level sensor. So I checked both of these and, yes, it was the water level sensor (1 of 2). Neither were broken, just blocked. Easily remedied by blowing down the pipe. All sorted now.

Thanks again for response, and apologies for not acknowledging sooner.

 

[Froggy0]

Hi,

I have a problem with my Zanussi FJ1254. The machine does run, but beeps constantly after a run. I've run the diagnostic and it comes back with the 1st, 4th and eighth light on - not sure how to translate that into an error code. Does anyone have any thoughts as to what this is? I've cleared the filters both on the water input and the output and cleaned the powder tray, but no change.

 

[Mikefromlondon]

Woops, sorry Zipper. My bl**dy internet access packed up. Tiscali decided to change my login details without telling me.

Anyway, thanks for your response. I did a bit of research (someone else's PC) and found that most of the "non-operation" faults that occur with Zanussi machines of whatever model, seem to be either door interlock or water level sensor. So I checked both of these and, yes, it was the water level sensor (1 of 2). Neither were broken, just blocked. Easily remedied by blowing down the pipe. All sorted now.

Thanks again for response, and apologies for not acknowledging sooner.

You are still with Tiscali, I thought it was long dead!
any way, have you tried disconnecting the machine from mains completely and then reconnect after a few minutes, and see if power intrupt may restore and reboot your processor.

I still have my Zanussi Turbodry WDT 1061 going strong like a tank, I can't even remember when I bought it, it must be coming to almost 30 years! Never had any mechanical failure except for one ON/OFF button went bad and motor replaced when a sensor behind a motor failed so this comes as integral with motor.

 

[Froggy0]

No Tiscali, that was the message above mine.

I have tried that, but no change.

 

[jj4091]

Please tell us what the 1st,4th & eigth lights are & the number of times they flash before or when the machine the machine finishes the cycle

 

[Froggy0]

The 3 lights are continuous when I run the diagnostic ( power off, start and reset held in, power on, release start and reset after a few seconds, the LEDs cycle, put the temp to 40 degrees, read the lights on the rhs). I was told that the lights on the right reading downward give a code that can be translated into an E number - identifying the fault.

When the machine runs, when the program finishes, the machine constantly beeps.

Is there something else I should look at?

 

[Mikefromlondon]

you will have to google from the looks of it, or use logical approach
1. Did you leave a sock behind?
2. a coin stuck in the pump,
3. well that was joke.

Do you know if your pressure sensor (I call it pressure sensor but in WM industry it may be called something else) it is a sensor that when your drum fills up with water and when water level reaches nominal height, the sensor trips in causing the water taps (Solenoid controlled water inlet tap or valves or whatever anyone care to call it, doesn't effect its function, you can call it a critical pressure reactor if you like) closes, and the machine cycle begins.

When it had gone through various cycles, the last cycle is rinse and spin dry, and if the machine still beeps it may mean that water has not drained completely, even if it has, but the sensor (pressure sensor) is still engaged as if the drum has not completely emptied, this happens when small plastic tubes leading from the pump housing to this diaphragm operated pressure switch/sensor has a strange blockage with soap suds and slimy deposit build up, and it can plug this pipe such that it can allow water to enter and rise in the tube as water fills up the drum, but then fails to drop down when water is emptied, the obstruction caused by this gunge or plug moves up and down making it sort of one way flow, this tube should be completely clear of any obstruction.

However, I might be wrong above, when this happens usually the machine door won't unlock, so does your door open after a couple of minutes when wash cycle finishes, or do you actually switch the machine off in which case the door will open after the timed lock (thermal lock) cools down. But if you do not switch off machine from mains, and the beeps keep on going , and the door open light does not come on, then you definitely have a blockage in this tube.

The diaphragm pressure switch is usually mounted higher up the machine just under the top lid, so if you can remove this top, and locate this pressure switch, remove the plastic or rubber tube from it and blow through the tube, can you hear any bubbles from the pump housing,? if so then that indicates the tube is clear of any obstruction and problem is something else, I can't think of anything else apart from a stuck sock!

Different machines have different pressure types of pressure sensors/switches, some have a simple one set of contacts, others may have multiple stage contacts, but all look similar round about 3 inch diameter roughly, and have a connector with several wires connected to it, before you open top lid, Kill MAINS as dangerous voltages are everywhere.

Also if this tube gets blocked, where no water can get up it, your machine can then flood the whole kitchen as the switch won't know when to stop the filling taps.

 

[Froggy0]

Thanks - good suggestion, but the door opens when the program finishes - so it is unlikely to be that from what you say above - it just starts beeping continuously about 30 seconds after. I'll try cleaning the tube anyway as it doesn't look like it will take much to do - and it may fix it....

I have tried googling to get the error code, but can't find anything that helps, just that the diagnostic mode gives me some numbers that can translate into an error code - and that's my problem, I don't have the error reference!

 

[Mikefromlondon]

The 3 lights are continuous when I run the diagnostic ( power off, start and reset held in, power on, release start and reset after a few seconds, the LEDs cycle, put the temp to 40 degrees, read the lights on the rhs). I was told that the lights on the right reading downward give a code that can be translated into an E number - identifying the fault.

When the machine runs, when the program finishes, the machine constantly beeps.

Is there something else I should look at?

( not making any sarcasm but and it is not aimed at anyone, just general comment)

A good service technician doesn't need fault codes,and can diagnose problems by symptoms.

Perhaps it is telling you that wash cycle has completed, I read somewhere where you can switch off this beep, if bothers anyone, so may be it was off before and has now been enabled through pressing sequence of buttons.
And perhaps there is no fault on your machine. User instructions should confirm this.

 

[Froggy0]

Unfortunately, I'm not a service technician - let alone a good one. I've provided the symptoms though it would be nice if the machine helped me find out what was wrong.

 

[Mikefromlondon]

And if you choose delicates, or hyper critical fabrics, machine may not spin dry, or even drain, so it may raise a series of beeps to remind you.

 

[Mikefromlondon]

Sorry I get it, your machine starts to beeps away when you start a wash cycle, pardon me as I got really confused with the thread starter
's post and yours, I think you should have started a new thread.

for any blockages, you need to make sure the pipe itself is unblocked and totally clear but also the nozzle it fits on to the pump housing is also clear of any deposits inside, so needs a good clean up. just cleaning pump filter doesn't clear up any mess inside this tube or nozzle.

Assuming this is the suspect fault, so before you tackle looking under the machine by tipping it over gently, why not remove this tube as I said and blow through it, you may hear some bubbling sound, or see if you can feel if there is any blockage when you blow through it, I usually do both suck some air as well as blow out as well, but remember do not suck too much as you risk swallowing dirty filthy water from it, a couple of mouth full of suctions is fine. If you had already cleaned your pump, you may have drained any residual water and so there may be no water so you may not hear that now, but when you have taken this tube off the pressure sensor, push it back on, try your machine, if it starts to work, then this proves there was blockage, being on holidays for a while may have solidify the gunge inside the pipe.