Bosch Siemens washer analog pressure switch / sensor adjustment

[JohnSeeley]

Hello!

I have been a l-o-n-g time lurker but this may be my first post. Glad to be here. I have a Bosch Axxis Siemens washer (2010) WAS24460UC/23 that has THIS analog pressure sensor / switch. Most pressure sensors have an adjustment screw to increase the water level, but this one doesn't seem to have one or it has a strange very small "tri" design when looking into the recess where the adjustment screw should be. Unless it's a cover of sorts to expose the screw. (I know these are factory set and I should not be touching them.) 

This washer has always had a low water level and always found myself adding water via the soap dispenser once the cycle starts to get the water level visible at the lowest part of the door seal gusset, which still isn't very much. I have a feeling buying a new one won't make a difference, but it may. Does anyone have experience with this type of pressure sensor or can offer any advice to make the water level higher?  Thanks.

[Budget Appliance Repair]

I've never seen the Bosch pressure switch like this but it looks like maybe the part with the slots around it maybe threaded into the pressure switch body and if you got/make a tool that can engage a slot on each side it maybe able to be screwed inward to put more pressure on the diaphragm spring.

If the little button looking part in the center seems to be spring loaded, (you can push down and it springs back up), there is a good chance what I describe above is the adjustment.

You already know - DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK OF FLOODING.

[JohnSeeley]

4 hours ago, Budget Appliance Repair said:

I've never seen the Bosch pressure switch like this but it looks like maybe the part with the slots around it maybe threaded into the pressure switch body and if you got/make a tool that can engage a slot on each side it maybe able to be screwed inward to put more pressure on the diaphragm spring.

If the little button looking part in the center seems to be spring loaded, (you can push down and it springs back up), there is a good chance what I describe above is the adjustment.

You already know - DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK OF FLOODING.

Thank you for the reply! I took more pictures. You mean the 3 vertical slots on the outside of the cylindrical shaped recess? If so, those slots are aligned with 3 holes on the sensor body. It looks like that cylindrical shaped piece is separate from the housing with the 3 small holes. I tried pushing down that small thing in the center. Doesn't seem to spring down. It's very small. Then entire sensor is only 2" in diameter.

[JohnSeeley]

Quite possibly I need to press the tabs down (assuming they're tabs) inside those 3 holes as I turn the cylinder clockwise? (Every third turn they click up again?) I pressed the holes but they seem stiff. I won't press harder unless I'm a little more confident on how it works. Thanks.

[Budget Appliance Repair]

@JohnSeeley No, not the three dots/indentation on the outside.

Looking straight down in the black tall tower, (the little button directly in the middle - that part that I thought might screw down to put more pressure on the diaphragm is the six or ? slots radiating out from the center.

[JohnSeeley]

16 minutes ago, Budget Appliance Repair said:

@JohnSeeley No, not the three dots/indentation on the outside.

Looking straight down in the black tall tower, (the little button directly in the middle - that part that I thought might screw down to put more pressure on the diaphragm is the six or ? slots radiating out from the center.

OK, I understand. Thanks.The way I see it, there's 3 locking tabs that press downward, maybe via those 3 holes on the outside. (It looks like the bottom of those 3 holes on the outside extend to the inside as those 3 tabs) And once all 3 are pressed down, the entire cylinder turns? Definitely, that cylinder is separate from the rest of the housing- not one continuous piece of plastic. 

Otherwise, what else rotates? That thing in the very center is a tiny tiny nipple. When I tried to press it down with a paper clip to see if it was spring loaded, it kept slipping off and you see the scratches in the picture. Thank you!

[JohnSeeley]

I can't edit my posts.

That 1/8" dia thing in the very center must be the thing that effects water level. But there's no way to turn it, so something else (by maybe turning the entire cylinder once those 3 tabs are pushed down) is engaging it's threads and making it go up and down. Just speculating. It gotta be something like that. If I'm not that sure of myself, I'll buy a spare and keep it on hand just in case, and they play with the original. Thx.

This is part of a bigger washer project. I'm replacing the shocks/dampers & springs, replacing the hoses, and fixing one of the washer box valves which is the biggest PIA.

[Budget Appliance Repair]

@JohnSeeley Doesn't really look like this pressure switch makes it easy to make adjustments like you would normally find on pressure switches - doesn't mean it can't be done but without some destruction, it's kind of difficult to determine exactly what you might have to do to adjust it.  If it's even possible on this one.

[JohnSeeley]

I agree. I know my model Bosch (WAS24460UC/23) has replaced this type of pressure switch with a DIFFERENT TYPE which has a white housing. I THINK I've seen this type where you must remove the white housing to access the phillips screw as seen in THIS video- if need be- the water level may be fine as is. If I order this, then I'll get a little risky with the current one, as I'm very curious if and how it's adjusts. I appreciate your advice, Willie. Thanks!

[JohnSeeley]

Been researching this type of pressure switch far and wide and came up empty. (I bought another pressure switch from Bosch just in case- different design, with a factory-set adjustment screw under the housing which is held on with 3 tabs.)

I'm going to try to make the tube longer. The nipple on the pressure sensor measures about 7/32" (.217"-.218") so that tells me 3/16" ID tubing will work with a 3/16" barbed connector. Just trying to figure out where do I put the slop so it doesn't chafe or get in the way. The original tubing is this black rubber star-shaped tubing, but I will extend (and not alter) with standard vinyl tubing.