7 replies to this topic

[Hardly worthy of your time hon. Samurai]

Wise and wonderful guru's please help this worthless first time poster.  As a matter of fact it's my first time posting to any bb ever.

Here is my sorry saga - We have a stacking Maytag washer/dryer circa '97 (model #LSE7804ADE).  Although the unit has been quite good as far as washing and drying goes; I have been battling a lid switch fuse problem for several years.  This lid switch fuse is not my current problem but is most certainly related.

The initial lid switch fuse was a 250V 4a and now maytag has substituted a 250V 1a version.  It turns out that every now and then when we use the delicate cycle we blow this fuse (it never seems to go on any other cycle).  Other than being a pain it has been no huge problem, that is until  I was renovating the laundry room and we fell behind on our washing.  When I hooked everything back up sure enough we blew the last fuse with plenty of laundry still to go.  Since we were finished the delicates, (it always seems to finish the cycle and then blow) and the stores were closed I made an executive decision to jumper the fuse.  This worked fine - too fine, we finished our laundry and I got busy and forgot to get a new fuse.  Well yesterday my wife did a load of delicates and all went well until I tried to do another load of regular today.

The current status is the machine fills with water (even discriminating between med. load and large load) but then nothing.  I don't think it's the pressure switch as this seems to work, I'm hoping its the capacitor (it's relatively cheap).

What are your thoughts Master and what should I do next.

p.s. When I get the current issue solved any idea on what to do about blowing my lid switch fuses on delicate?

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Ah, Grasshoppah, let us consider the nature of the fuse, even it's very raison d'etre. Why do you suppose the formerly-illustrious engineers at Maytag designed the lid switch with a fuse in it? Was it to simply have another part to replace when it failed? Or perhaps it's to protect the rest of the washer's circuitry from problems stemming from a faulty lid switch?

"But," you cry, "the lid switch is still good, O Wisest of the wise!"

Is it, Grasshopper? And what criteria are you using to assess the serviceability of a switch? Simple continuity? Do you think that gives you all the relevant information on that switch needed to make a determination as to its serviceability? Would you like to know what you don't know? Would you like the red pill or the blue pill? Can you handle the truth?

[Hardly worthy of your time hon. Samurai]

I am one of the Few Good Men and I can handle the truth so I will take the Red Pill

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Ah, Grasshoppah, you have answered well. You will need to replace the lid switch assembly; depending on your serial number, you'll need either part number 22001251 or 22001444.

Go ye forth and conquer, making disciples of all nations. Amen.

[Hardly worthy of your time hon. Samurai]

I thank thee for thou most wise and sage advice.  With all due reverence I still have a couple of questions;

1) The RepairClinic web site recommends their item # 400492 which corresponds to Maytag p/n 12001514 (my ser # is 16964473MZ).  Should I order this one or Item # 1361 which corresponds to the two possible p/n's you gave me?

2) Will this likely solve my problem of blowing fuses on the delicate cycle and does it seem reasonable that the failure would manifest itself only on the delicate cycle?

3) Unlike past problems with the lid switch preventing anything from happening it does currently allow the tub to fill but then nothing, even when trying at different position in the cycle.  Have I done further damage or is this just another failure mode for the lid switch system?

4) I took the water line off the pressure switch (why? Seemed like a good idea at the time).  Will the level sensing self adjust? Do I need to prime it or anything special other than reconnect it?

5) Lastly the way I found your site was by searching for a way to test my capacitor and I found your explanation.  Of course as I began to read it I got ready to test it and missed what is probably the second most important point - keep track of which wire goes where. I assume the first most important is the one about not electrocuting yourself.  So my question oh great one is how can you tell which wire goes where?

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

1. The 400492 will work fine.

2. Yes.

3. This is due to your puzzling action in #4.

4. Get the water out of the tub and pressure tube before re-attaching.

5. It's AC (alternating current) voltage, not polarity sensitive; doesn't matter.

[Hardly worthy of your time hon. Samurai]

A thousand thanks for your most valued time, unfortunately my simple mind is unable to follow your answer to question 3.

Before I screwed with anything related to the pressure switch, (the lid switch fuse was still jumped from before) the machine filled to the correct level and then failed to advance or do anything else in any portion of the cycles.  It was after determining that, I began to look around and in the process disconnected the tube to the pressure switch.  I should have been clearer on the order of events.  Given my clarification is it likely that a faulty lid switch will allow the machine to fill but nothing else?

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

In reviewing the wiring diagram for your washer, the washer will not fill if the lid is open or if the fuse is blown.  However, if the lid switch was good but the check switch was bad, it's possible that the washer would still fill but the motor would not run, hence no agitation or spin. 

In your next post, I will read of your exuberant joy at washing clothes again after replacing the lid switch assembly.