Samurai Appliance Repair Man's Blog

In this journey into appliance repair enlightenment, Samurai Appliance Repair Man shows you how to use an airflow meter to analytically test the back pressure on a dryer vent for safety and efficiency. Looks can be deceiving, as this video shows, and even a short simple dryer vent that appears to be ideal can have airflow problems. So it's always wise to use a meter to actually measure the back pressure.



Here's the air flow tester I used in the video ==> http://www.repaircli...0106710/1447456




To learn more about your dryer or to order parts, click here.

If you have a newer model GE top-loading washer (GE's Hydrowave line of washers) and it inexplicably stops working, won't run at all, the problem may be as simple as needing to reset the control board. Very easy to do and no tools are required:




To learn more about your washer or to order parts, click here.


Source: GE Hydrawave Washer Motor Reset

If you've been doing appliance repair as a Professional Appliantologist for any length of time, you've probably struggled through something similar to all these situations:

- You're trying to fix an Electrolux range but you can't even figure out how to take it apart so you can troubleshoot.

- You need to put a Whirlpool Duet washer into diagnostic mode but the sleaze bag who worked on it last stole the tech sheet.

- You're working on a temperature control problem in a GE refrigerator and need to look up some schematics and specifications in the service manual, which you don't have with you.

- You're preparing for a job on an LG dishwasher and want to make sure you have the service manual with you but you can't find it in those messy piles of papers and documents you call your filing system.

Wouldn't it be awesome if there was a way of keeping all the technical documents you need during service calls in an inexpensive, compact, light-weight container in which you could quickly find the document you need to fix the problem? In this action-packed, no-holds-barred episode of Samurai TV, I'll show you how I use the Amazon Kindle Fire to easily carry service manuals, bulletins, diagrams, etc., with me on service calls. Using the Kindle Fire, all the tech info I need for a job is right there at my fingertips, easy to retrieve and use.




You can buy a brand new Kindle Fire for $160, a very modest investment for such a powerful information tool. Plus, if you're using it for work, it's tax-deductible!

Amazon also offers a Kindle Fire HD, which has a higher screen resolution and more memory. It's also a lot more expensive. I just use the plain Kindle Fire because, for what I use it for-- carrying technical service manuals on jobs-- it has plenty of storage and the screen resolution is more than adequate for reading manuals. Here's the link to the Amazon Kindle Fire that I use on service calls: http://amzn.to/ZhC8tG

 

The shaft and mode shifter assembly is used on the GE "Hydrowave" line of top loading washers.  These washers has the motor with the inverter board mounted on top of it.   The inverter board has an LED that flashes on and off according to an error condition or standby that it's reporting.  See the table below:


As you can see above, if the LED on the perverter board is flashes in a sequence of four flashes, this indicates a problem with the mode shifter circuit or mechanism.  More info on accessing the motor perverter board in this post.  For a detailed explanation of the mode shifter, what it does and how it works, see this post.  

Replacing the mode shifter assembly is not a bad job at all.  Here's the part link from RepairClinic with a one-year return policy ==> http://www.repaircli...8X10017/1475792



Excerpts from the GE service manual for this repair are on this page.

Here's a simplified video on how to do it:




And here are some worthy, enriching comments from a couple of Appliantological masters in the forums:

As the Samurai says this is not a bad job. I have done 5 or 6. I allow for about an hour to complete this job. A little longer if this is your first one.

After watching the video, a couple of points:

- I have never removed the Control Panel, Control Panel Bracket and Rear Panel. Although I can see that it would make it a little easier.

- For the Hub Nut, I bought a 1-11/16"  three quarter inch drive socket and an 18" extension from Tractor Supply that was fairly inexpensive. That coupled with an electric impact wrench makes quick work of that hub nut. Also, TWICE I got a  call that a tub was loose after a previous Tech had done a Mode Shifter. Both times I put that Impact onto the Hub Nut and that solved it.

- The Drive Pulley has never come off that easy for me. The way that was showed to me is to grab the pulley and lift up with one hand and strike the pulley near the shaft with a hammer and the pulley just pops off.

- MAKE SURE that you put all of the Wire Retainers back into their correct holes. This was a Mistake that I MADE and it cost me a Control Board. The wires moving back and forth from the action of the tub wore the coating off the wires, shorted to ground and took out the Control.

Piece o cake...I agree, about an hour...quicker if ya do a few.
my tip, the belt on these is a bitch to get on...zip tie the belt to the big pulley to assist keeping it in place as you run it on...then cut it off, of course.

You'll do fine...