16 replies to this topic

[gearhead]

Hey all, awesome site here, everything has been very helpful so far, though there's not a lot of specifics about the WFW9150, a lot of info for other Duets seem to apply.

I have searched the entire intarwebs and only come up with one other report that matches my own. He stated he had replaced the CCU and the problem persisted. He had no other answers on that very unhelpful site.

So here's the problem description:

Approximately 3.96 seconds after the warranty expired, the unit started showing this problem.
In mid-cycle, everything would stop and the display would start blinking, beeping and the CCU has a relay inside that would start clicking. beep beep beep beep. Not a code display, just a total freak-out, like it was constantly getting plugged in and out from the wall.
It would do this maybe once or twice per cycle, maybe blinkbeepclick once or a hundred times each time it happened, but it would get over its seizure and move on and complete the cycle.
Yesterday, it got to a point where it would no longer even start a new cycle without just going into an endless loop of this.
When it's doing this crazy beepclickblink stuff, you can smell a very faint odor of warm plastic or wax, but so faint that it's impossible to tell specifically where it is coming from even with the top, back and kickplate off.

Since starting to try to diagnose this, I've seen it trip the F8E1 code several times, but every time there was no reason for the code.

All sensors, motors, etc have been tested and have the correct impedance or continuity, and so on. Following advice on another thread, I disconnected the motor controller unit (started with just the 3-wire block, then the whole thing) and still the issue persists.

If I get the washer into the click-beep madness, and unplug it and plug it back in, it just goes back to doing the same thing. BUT... if I get it doing this, then disconnect the console from the CCU and plug the washer back into AC power, I get a slow set of clicks here and there, but not the fast click madness. If, while it's doing that, I plug the console back into the CCU, immediately the fast click madness begins again.

Despite the experience of the one guy I've found in all on netlandia who has my exact symptoms, I really think this is a CCU issue... but wanted to bounce this off you guys before I put the order in.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

The relay clicking makes me think there's a loose wire harness that's getting jiggled while the machine is running. Undo/redo all wire harness connections on the touchpanel, CCU, and the MCU.

Remove the tube from the pressure switch and blow thru it goodnhard into the tub. May be gookus caught in there messing with the water level sensing.

How's cold water flow into the washer? Same flow rate as hot water or a lame little trickle?

Are you able to get the washer into diagnostic mode? Not that it means anything by itself if it does but it does if it won't go into diagnostic mode.

This machine should be plugged into a surge suppressor to protect the cheesy electronics inside.

[gearhead]

The relay clicking makes me think there's a loose wire harness that's getting jiggled while the machine is running. Undo/redo all wire harness connections on the touchpanel, CCU, and the MCU.

Remove the tube from the pressure switch and blow thru it goodnhard into the tub. May be gookus caught in there messing with the water level sensing.

How's cold water flow into the washer? Same flow rate as hot water or a lame little trickle?

Are you able to get the washer into diagnostic mode? Not that it means anything by itself if it does but it does if it won't go into diagnostic mode.

This machine should be plugged into a surge suppressor to protect the cheesy electronics inside.

I should have mentioned... Already unplugged/replugged all harness connections and inspected the connectors to make sure the wires are held tight inside.

There's no machine running here, it's just going click click click beep beep beep flash flash flash all at the same time...

Already took the advice to blow through the pressure tube, there was no obstruction there.

Flow is great. When the F8E1 trips, it's a few milliseconds after the valve solenoid engages, and there's a rush of water.

Did run through diag mode. Prior to the F8E1 codes randomly showing up, it said there were no stored codes and ran thru the entire diag program without fault, and then promptly began the issue again when I tried to run a cycle.

I agree, a surge protector is probably a good idea, but I figured the built in line filter would be sufficient, but I suspect not. Let me go make a video and demonstrate, just in case my words are not clear as to what exactly is going on here.

[mark mac]

sounds like u could have a door lock issue, check the top blue wire plug to door lock it could be loose ,remove outer ring from door boot it should be assesible

[appl.tech.29501]

yep, almost has to be a bad wire.....somewhere

[gearhead]

Here's the video which shows no stored codes, successful diagnostic, and the persistent issue...

[gearhead]

I just noticed that i erroneously said i had to unplug the door module a few times, I meant manually unlock it to open the door. It's been unplugged from the CCU side... but not from it's side... trying that now.

Also have forgotten to mention that while it's in freak out mode, I've wiggled all the harnesses and tried to find where the "heat" is coming from that generates that faint smell when it's doing this. The smell is only noticed from the front of the machine, up top. Not from behind or below.

[gearhead]

reporting back... disconnected and reconnected the wires to the door latch/switch module, also went ahead and took the cold water hose off and drained it, checked for any obstruction, put it all back, and it started acting like it wanted to work, then it started flaking out again. Jiggled the wires for the door connector again, and it started working again for a moment, but no direct correlation to my movement of the wires. I.e. it would start and stop working randomly whether I was moving the wires or not... and frankly, those wires don't move much under regular use.

[gearhead]

Definitely seems to be related to the door wiring or switch/latch. Just set it up to do an empty rinse/drain&spin, it was freaking out a bit, reached up to the connectors and jiggled them while it was doing it, and felt like one connector seated down even more than it did when I had reseated it from above. Then it stopped flipping out. I drained it, started over from scratch, ran the whole cycle and it didn't flip out even once.

Gonna load some towels and see what happens.

[gearhead]

entire heavy duty cycle with towels, not a single glitch.

thanks guys, I seriously doubted the door mechanism had anything to do with this, nice to admit I'm wrong sometimes.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

sounds like u could have a door lock issue, check the top blue wire plug to door lock it could be loose ,remove outer ring from door boot it should be assesible

Nice shootin', Sublime Master mark mac!

[gearhead]

Sad to say, the problem has returned. No amount of mucking about with the wires or the door module appear to resolve the issue.

The heat/hot plastic smell has been isolated to a specific capacitor inside the CCU.

Should I try to replace the CCU next, even though the only other identical problem description I've found said he replaced it and no change?

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

CCU seems like a long shot but there's not much downside to trying it. The loose wire on the door switch may have created internal arcing and damaged it-- may be worth trying a new door switch.

[gearhead]

I tested the door switch from the CCU end of its cable, and no amount of wiggling at either end can make it break open when the door is closed or short when the door is open, so I think the switch/cable themselves were just a fluke.

Also, if while it's in the endless beep cycle, if I reach down and manually unlock the door, it realizes this has come unlocked, recycles the solenoid, and then goes back into the crazy beeping.

The symptoms come up regardless of what part of the cycle it's in, so maybe it is worth a shot to swap the CCU and see if it gets better.

Also, last night after all that, I put it all back together again, and it decided to start working properly again... so i'll probably put it off until it start freaking out again, but if you can shoot me your link for the CCU, I'll keep it handy for if/when it becomes necessary to order another.

Thanks!

[kdog]

Part link to the CCU.

[phlattus]

I would sure suspect the user interface wiring or bad solder in the interface board. That symptom is just wierd.

[gearhead]

I would sure suspect the user interface wiring or bad solder in the interface board. That symptom is just wierd.

Except... if the interface is unplugged, the CCU continues to click that relay and nothing progresses.

UPDATE:   Bought the CCU through RepairClinic and replaced it.  All good.  Many thanks for all the help!