4 replies to this topic

[hmikel]

Our Fisher & Paykel GWL08-US1 suddenly stopped toward the end of a heavy wash load, part way through the spin cycle, with a fraction of the rinse water still in the tub,  and has refused, thus far, to ever spin again.  No main motor turning, no pump motor.

It makes a slight noise, seemingly in an effort to move, when power is turned off, then cycled to the spin stage.  This noise/effort can be reliably reproduced.

Eventually, after obtaining the F&P manuals, I ran the diagnostic program and got fault 131.  Following this clue, I then dug out the Rotor Position Sensor and found that one of the three sensors, the one closest to the phase connectors, is charred, perhaps because of arcing between the adjacent stator pole and a circuit trace on the RPS’ printed circuit board, or perhaps between the stator pole and a device on the printed circuit.  (The device may have just blown up, too, all by itself.  I can’t really tell for sure. )

One post that I read suggests that if the RPS is fried, the Motor Control Module is also fried.  Lacking a schematic of the Motor Control Module, I can't judge whether a fault of this type at the RPS is likely to damage the Motor Control Module, or what measurements to make to determine whether the Motor Control Module is functioning.

All front panel controls seem to have the expected effect on the display, but because the motor does not rotate, nothing happens in response to the controls, other than that the front panel display lights, happily light and extinguish just as they should.

Is the Motor Control Module likely dead?  Is it worth gambling a new RPS, -  or is this a lost cause and time to give the machine a decent burial?

If the Motor Control Module is shot, it probably isn’t worthwhile to try to repair it.  The machine is twelve-fifteen years old.

 

On the other hand, it is in good shape, if one overlooks the fried RPS’ disappointing lack of enthusiasm.

[dimitri77565]

You solved your own problem. Unless you want to marry this washer 12/15 is VERY GOOD for this brand or any new design type.
From now & on you have to look at it as an investment.?????

[DADoESTX]

Your choice, of course, but RPS modules aren't that expensive to take a chance on the board being OK.

 

420296P

Sears lists it $47.

 

I have a GWL08 bought in July 1999 that had its first and only repair (pump replacement) Nov 2011.  The machine was in 2 ft of water during a flood in 2004.

[J5]

do a diagnostic and see if the you get the pump running

 

if you can then i would go with the rps

 

just check the rotor doesnt have evidence of tub leaking water

[Vets Appliance]

Even if the tub bearings leak the F&P designs are well worth fixing.

 

I'm a former F&P warranty tech. One of the advantages of F&P's approach is that you never have to worry about a bad transmission. If the tub is leaking from the shaft down into the stator (center part of the motor, it's backward compared to normal stepper motors) then you'd need a lip seal that costs less than $20. However, by that time the bearings are already wet and will probably rust so you want to do both of those too. Their cost is also negligible. If all you're doing is a lip seal then you do all your work from the top and don't need to tip the unit up.

 

Replacing an RPS sensor is a bit of a pain because it's hard to get out of the plastic clip on the stator and then, once it's out, getting it to snap back into place is a bit of a trick. Just pay very, very close attention to how the old sensor sits in the clip and how the clip sits in the stator. Other than that, the biggest trick is wiggling the rotor off of the stator once you have loosened the center plastic bolt. Those magnets are strong and they'll try to hold on pretty well.