11 replies to this topic

[roadlessgraveled]

Model GHW9100LQ
Pet rats escaped their cage and bred...like rats. Duet Washer giving FH code after wash cycle, when going into rinse. Rats chewed through pressure line to pressure switch, and through vent tube on top of drum. Replaced both, and it works "better", but still throws the FH code. Inspected wiring, and can find no breaks. "Large Object" filter at drain pump cleaned of "large objects", including .88 in change.
I haven't checked the screens on the water lines, because when it "works" water runs freely in hot/cold lines.
I read the threads on this problem in the archives, and got a lot of good suggestions. I'm still looking at the wiring, as rats chew for the fun of it all and to keep thier teeth from growing though their brains, which comes in real handy. The "Eco" valve is my prime suspect, though...it may be plugged or stuck. I suspect it doesn't drain properly after the wash cycle.

Edited by roadlessgraveled, 23 March 2011 - 07:39 PM.

[KurtiusInterupptus]

I didn't catch yer model #... if this unit has the flowmeter in the line from the watervalve to the dispenser box, I would suspect this to be the cause of the FH code.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Pet rats escaped their cage and bred...like rats.

Gotta watch those rats, they'll chew your arm off!

Did the rats chew the model number tag off, too?

[roadlessgraveled]

No Master, the rats didn't chew off the model number tag, but they did chew up the slip of paper I wrote it down on. I'll be venturing into the vault of death today, and will attempt to retrieve it and live to tell about it.

First, I must meditate...

Yes, it has a flowmeter...but the problem is that the water will not flow "sometimes". I don't think it is a matter of detecting flow, but starting flow.

Edited by roadlessgraveled, 25 February 2011 - 12:10 PM.

[roadlessgraveled]

To be most honest, the Rats didn't eat the paper, they ate the part of my brain that was supposed to remember where I put that model number. But, enough honesty.

I was not well prepared last visit to this washer, leaving my worklight and Duet troubleshooting guide in my other kilt. I took the front panel off, looking for wires chewed by Rats, and found some, but nowhere chewed all the way through.
But, my crude troubleshooting revealed...or at least strongly suggested...that the cold water doesn't flow. The machine will start on any cycle with warm or hot water...but all the rinses on the machine are cold water. So it starts, flowmeter sees flow, drum fills, etc...then it stops with the FH code when it attempts to rinse.

I will have the Model number soon, I hope. Thanks for your indulgence of this humble one.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Cold water side of the inlet valve or hoses may be clogged up with sedimentary gookus, my dear Watson.


(click for larger view)

[roadlessgraveled]

I added the model number to my first post...would have changed the header if I could edit it, but I can't, so I won't. Model # is GHW9100LQ
Will be checking the cold water hose/screen for debris...but I don't expect to find any. Will then check for function of solenoid and for signal from controller. Maybe switch hoses and see if that works on "cold/cold" setting, and not on the hot or warm/cold rinse setting. It's a strange job...

[roadlessgraveled]

I finally returned to the habitrail. Rats had chewed through the drain hose, and the vent hose I'd replaced on an earlier safari. After replacing those, I got back to where I was months ago.

Status: I ran through the automated troubleshooting procedure, where a cryptic combination of button pushing will allow one to cycle through the various stages to check component function. Cold water would not flow. Checked solenoids-hot read 800 ohms, cold 0 ohms. The rest of the components functioned ok.

I wanted to leave with the washer in some working condition, until I could get the solenoid. (apparently, the whole valve assembly must be purchased. $56) The owner seldom washes in hot, so I switched the hoses, so cold water would run through the hot (working) solenoid, and switched the leads so the cold water signal was on the hot water solenoid. This way, I hoped the washer could be run in a cold wash/cold rinse cycle, and would not throw the F/H code. The washer does not have any cycles that do not include a cold rinse, so before, I figured it would run on a warm/cold cycle until it went to rinse, and then would throw the code. (It detects it fast as a no-flow condition. The F/H code can also occur if it fills for 8 minutes, but fill is not detected by the level sensor.)
I ran a load on cold/cold. Wash cycle ok, but gave F/H code going to the rinse cycle. Cleared code and powered down, then ran rinse/spin cycle. That worked fine. So, she has a manual- automatic washer. Run wash till F/H code throws when it goes into the rinse cycle, then power down and run a rinse/spin cycle. Given the backlog of dirty laundry, and the labor costs of these repairs/troubleshooting (free, because she has no money. Just rats, and I don't need any) she should be happy with such luxury.

Any suggestions as to why it throws the F/H code? Flowmeter works, pressure sensor works, water flows in on wash cycle, or on a rinse/spin cycle, but stops and throws code at the rinse during a full cycle.

[Budget Appliance Repair]

I think there might be a possibility that even though you aren't asking for any hot water and you have now switched the hot water solenoid connections to the non-working cold solenoid the machine still checks for water flow for both hot and cold and it is throwing the error when it tries to check the hot side that now doesn't work.


EDITED TO ADD:
The above is just speculation and it really doesn't sound right after reading your problem again. It would seem if the above was true it would still throw the error at the beginning of the cycle not wait until it was at the rinse cycle to throw the error.

Edited by Budget Appliance Repair, 22 October 2011 - 06:25 AM.

[roadlessgraveled]

I read over this whole thread again, and I'm thinking that my FH code is telling me 2 things, not 1.

The cold water solenoid is bad, so that's one reason...but the FH code when it goes from the wash to the rinse cycle is because it's not draining right, and considering the environment...I'm guessing there is some really nasty stuff between the inner/outer drums, plugging up the eco valve. My toolbox on this job includes a BB pistol.

[Budget Appliance Repair]

I don't believe the FH code has anything to do with drain, there is a totally different error code for that problem.

FH is usually a problem with the water valve not letting water in or the flow meter not working correctly and sensing the water coming in.

[roadlessgraveled]

Indirectly, it does..., the FH code tellcan tell that the water is draining out faster than it's coming in. It tries to fill for 8 minutes, and if it doesn't get the shut-off signal from the pressure switch, it gives an FH code. A syphoning hose, a bad pressure switch or hose will give an FH code.
In Ms Rat-hoarders case, I think I need to re-examine the pressure hose, because the rats ate it once, so maybe they considered it tasty again. The water comes in, and the flowmeter tests ok

You are right, there is a separate code for a "long drain" (F/02) What confuses me is that it will fill fine, or do a rinse/spin cycle...but it gives an FH code when it goes from a wash to a rinse cycle. My first hunch was that because the machine has only a cold rinse, if the cold water solenoid didn't work, it would always do an FH code on rinse. With it worked-around like it is now, with the working solenoid feeding only cold water (and the hot and cold blend before the flowmeter) and the cold water solenoid wires on that working solenoid...it should not throw an FH code because it isn't getting water. But it should throw an FH code if the pressure switch/hose is bad, too...on wash or rinse.

Running the diagnostic routine shows the bad cold water solenoid (tests as open, instead of 800 ohms) and all other components check ok. I looked at other threads about the CCU, and never did learn if the dianostic routine running successfully means the CCU is ok. Anybody know? Anyone know how to test the CCU? At $240, I'd rather not replace it for the sheer joy of it all.

Thanks,
Dan in Ratville