17 replies to this topic

[woodshedder]

Well, I have my Iron City Beer here, and I'd be enjoying it if my wife wasn't freaking out about the load of wet laundry stuck in the washer.

Here's the deal. Over the past couple of weeks, the timer has seemed to not work correctly. She has to continually pull and push it and turn it to get the machine to start. Sometimes she beats the control panel, and then it will work. Tonight, no matter where she turns its, pushes and pulls it, it won't start. It has filled up with water, and stopped.

I took the control panel apart, separted the timer from the rest, and took the plastic shield off the sides of the timer. Inside the timer, it appears that one of the music box like things is snapped off and missing, so that when the one thin metal bar that rides over the plastic bump is pushed up, it doesn't make contact with the top one. The top one is no where to be found, but there is a quarter-inch remnant where one should be.

I don't know if the problem could be caused by something other than the timer, and I've seen ads for the timer motor, but I have no clue what that is. I don't want to buy the wrong part. I did check to see if the fuses were busted from the severe beatings the panel was taking, but they appear to be intact.

Please help before she turns her anger on me!

Warmest Regards-

Woodshedder

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Ruh-row, better hope you didn't turn an inexpensive fix into an expensive one by screwing up the timer 'cuz it wasn't the problem-- the problem is the pressure switch. 

[woodshedder]

Tell me more, tell me more... Pressure switch?

Woodshedder

[woodshedder]

Alright, so I went back and hooked it all back up. Plugged her in, turned the timer knob, and VOILA, she starts filling back up. Problem is, its already full! No matter what, I can't make it drain. So I'm guessing that this is what you mean by the pressure switch.

So I disconnected the tube from what looks like the switch, and some air escaped with some white stuff? Anyway, put it all back together, and it still won't drain, it just keeps trying to fill.

What next, o wise one?

Thanks-

Woodshedder

[woodshedder]

Still working on it....those IC's are going to run out soon...

Okay, so I disconnected the factory hose to the pressure switch, and connected my own hose. When I blow into the switch, it clicks, and when I stop blowing, it clicks again. Blowing will stop the washer from filling, and when I stop blowing, it starts filling again. Even when blowing hard (ok, stop laughing) the washer will still not go into spin or drain mode. It just wants to keep filling up.

Woodshedder

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

You need to do the blow-click test while using your ohm meter to check the continuity of the contacts.  Check it from pin 7 to pin 16 and then from pin 7 to pin 15, making sure that continuity opens and closes according to pressure. 

[woodshedder]

First of all, let me say THANKS SAMURAI!

BUT I have no idea how to read that wiring diagram. I have the original (same as you posted) and am looking at the control panel, but nothing seems to make sense. I cannot find anything that looks remotely similar to the diagram. Surely there is something I am missing. I have no idea how to find those pins.

This is probably becoming tedious for you, so I apologize for my inadequacies.

Woodshedder

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

You can go by wire color.  Pin 7 on the pressure switch has a gray wire attached to it, pin 16 has a yellow wire, and pin 15 has a brown wire.

You DO have a multimeter, don't you?

[woodshedder]

For the record, changed to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale...a good brew...

And yes, I do have a multimeter, although the damn little screw that holds the bastard together dropped out and into the tub full of water...but it still works.

Okay...from Grey to Yellow--doesn't ohm until I blow, then ohms strong.

Grey to brown, ohms instantly, then when I blow, stops ohming.

Hope this helps.

More thanks-

Woodshedder

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Ok, you have succesfully tested the pressure switch and, what's more, you have proven that it functions within design parameters. Good work!

I think it keeps wanting to fill now because you took the air tube off the pressure switch. When you re-attached it with water already in the tub, there's no pressure in the tube to make the switch change over so it keeps the valves energized. Even if you advance the timer to spin, the pressure switch keeps the motor from being energized and no spin.

You need to jumper the gray wire to the yellow wire on the pressure switch; remove the brown wire. This will let you spin out the washer to empty it. When it's empty, re-attach the air tube and LEAVE IT ALONE.

Once we get back to a condition that's not confounded by user-induced problems, we can resume tracking down the original problem.

[woodshedder]

Will do...

Laughing hard at your bio. Not that its laughable, but because I did a year at Clemson in 1991, Johnstone D. Will report back soon!

Thanks thanks and more thanks.

Woodshedder

[woodshedder]

Alright, the gray and yellow are jumpered, brown is removed. Timer is moving and clicking and going through the motions, but nothing is happening. No drain, spin, etc...:shock:

What now master?

 

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Ok, now you need to see if the motor is getting voltage.  If not, then you have a bad timer.  If it is, but it's not running, then the motor is bad. 

Easiest way to tell is by using a non-contact voltage light stick.  You can get one at a good hardware store for less than $20.  Fits in your shirt pocket and if you touch it to an insulated wire with voltage in it, it lights up.

[woodshedder]

Okay Samurai-

Picked up a Greenlee non-contact voltage light stick- 14.95

With the timer running, the light beeps and flashes on all the wires from the timer, to the switches. I took off the front panel, and the light stick flashes and beeps around the copper coils of the motor, and also beeps and flashes on all the wires leading into the motor.

I'm feeling that this isn't a good sign. Waiting for more wisdom from the appliance guru.

Woodshedder

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

[user=337]woodshedder[/user] wrote:

Picked up a Greenlee non-contact voltage light stick- 14.95

 

Good price!

 

I took off the front panel, and the light stick flashes and beeps around the copper coils of the motor, and also beeps and flashes on all the wires leading into the motor.

Ok, we need to be doubly-woubly fer-shure about this 'cuz this is the difference between a bad motor or a bad timer; more a difference in headache of repair rather than part cost. 

I'll assume your test is valid and that we're getting voltage to the motor.  But we don't know if we have a return path on the neutral leg.  This is made through the Number 6 contacts on the timer.  

With the pressure switch still jumped out, the timer set to spin, and the washer turned on to run, unplug the washer.  Get your ohm meter, verify that it's working properly, review this information on making continuity tests, and test the continuity of timer pin 32 (red wire) to pin 16 (yellow wire).  If it's open, you got a bad timer, slam dunk.

[woodshedder]

Okay, pressure switch still jumped, set washer to spin, pulled out the handle turning it on, and could hear the timer running and clicking. I then unplugged the washer.

Got out the multimeter, checked that it was working. I removed wiring harness from timer, identified the pins 16 and 32 coming out of the timer, put one point of multimeter on 16, the other point of mm on 32. The needle didn't budge. To be sure, I checked continuity across other pins, and there were pins that made the needle move.

Did I do this right? I'm 95% certain that I found the right pins by using a combo of the color, the diagram, and the fact that the wires had 16 and 32 on the insulation.

Mucho thanks patient Samurai!

Woodshedder


Edit- Crud, I just checked repairclinic.com and the timer is on backorder....UG.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Yep, new timer time. 

[woodshedder]

Your the man, Samurai!

Beer money will come your way!

Best Regards-

Woodshedder