Bah Humbug, who knows washing machines?

[moose]

Ok, so I'm not normally a christmas type anyway, but when the blasted washing mashine packs it in on chrissy eve it makes it even worse!

Here's the issue, I have a fisher & paykel GW708U smart drive washer. It was washing fine up until a couple of hours ago. Now it won't turn on at all, near as i can figure it's the control computer, i've had the top control section off it, nothing looks suss, the power point's fine.

Any ideas to save me some hard-earned over christmas?:(
(apart from turning it into a generator:angel::D)

[87County]

guess at this stage you're stuck with friends/rels/local laundromat (probably in that order :))

if it's under warranty a replacement computer will take a week or two at present I guess

F&P have a 1300... or 1800... help line thatt I have had to use and parts are readily available ex-factory

not much immediate help I know but it's thta time of the year...

[rick130]

Ok, so I'm not normally a christmas type anyway, but when the blasted washing mashine packs it in on chrissy eve it makes it even worse!

Here's the issue, I have a fisher & paykel GW708U smart drive washer. It was washing fine up until a couple of hours ago. Now it won't turn on at all, near as i can figure it's the control computer, i've had the top control section off it, nothing looks suss, the power point's fine.

Any ideas to save me some hard-earned over christmas?:(
(apart from turning it into a generator:angel::D)

There is a reed switch on the RHS of the cabinet that open circuits when the lid opens, this is a known fault in that they will stay open circuit and so the machine acts dead.
The out of balance micro switch is on RHS of the main board at the rear and can also be faulty. Be careful as it's held in by a couple of plastic tits and they break very easily.
It can also fail or the retainer breaks, the switch moves and again, the machine won't operate.
To see if it's either of these just use a meter or short them out.
If they are OK it's probably a board and F&P do a changeover service on them.

[PhilipA]

Have you turned it off at the powerpoint and pulled out the plug for a while?

Usually in these things it is a relay that dies. Pull the covers off the relays and spray them with contact cleaner.
I had one go in my dryer which was the one that changed direction. A clean lasted for a while , then I got a new board. However I think that sometimes it is another underlying problem that causes the relay to go like the motor dragging more current. In my case it only lasted a short time before it stopped changing direction again, but then sometimes it is OK.
Regards Philip A

[dmdigital]

I suspect you are right and its the control board. Its reasonably easy to unscrew the top panel and look at the boards. Make sure its unplugged and you will also find the circuit boards are probably enclosed in sealed plastic box behind the panel. Our last FP died this way and when I opened it up the board had a couple of scorch marks on it. It was 10 years old so we bought a new FP and its now 7 years old.

You can get new or refurbished boards, but I suspect being Christmas that may be a little difficult.

[waynep]

This is spooky- our washing machine ( LG front loader ) also packed up two days ago. And my sister in law's washing machine packed up yesterday.

We got a local guy in to look at ours yesterday morning ( very lucky to get someone) - it was the control computer. They are common machines so he had got one and came back fitted it same day. Cost $310 bucks all up. I priced new same model new at $600.

My sister in law's Maytag not so good - they need to wait three weeks for a part :o

Good luck I guess there's always the laundromat.

If your Smart Drive is too expensive to fix - the motor may be worth something on e bay ( they're sought after for wind generators )

[p38arover]

Damn right it's spooky. Our new washing machine has failed - the inner drum has worn through the outer. The outer is some sort of plastic - maybe fibre-filled nylon. The inner must have rubbed and it's melted the outer.

Well, we have had it a week so I suppose that's good going.

[87County]

Damn right it's spooky. Our new washing machine has failed - the inner drum has worn through the outer. The outer is some sort of plastic - maybe fibre-filled nylon. The inner must have rubbed and it's melted the outer.

Well, we have had it a week so I suppose that's good going.

that's what warranties are for Ron, so the customers can do the manufacturers' R&D and find out what the likely problems will occur :D

regards - Laurie

[ivery819]

What's REALLY spooky is that Ron's disease appears to have become contagious !:wasntme:
Run for the hills !:p

[p38arover]

What's REALLY spooky is that Ron's disease appears to have become contagious !:wasntme:
Run for the hills !:p

:D:D

In this case, I didn't buy or select the washing machine. My wife did - including loading and unloading it from her car. :eek:

[ivery819]

Ron
Soooo! it would appear to first infect those with the most exposure !:eek2:

[p38arover]

Ron
Soooo! it would appear to first infect those with the most exposure !:eek2:

Is that why she tries to avoid bodily contact with me?

[moose]

guess at this stage you're stuck with friends/rels/local laundromat (probably in that order :))

if it's under warranty a replacement computer will take a week or two at present I guess

F&P have a 1300... or 1800... help line thatt I have had to use and parts are readily available ex-factory

not much immediate help I know but it's thta time of the year...

Unfortunately it's older, probably about 6-7yrs ish



There is a reed switch on the RHS of the cabinet that open circuits when the lid opens, this is a known fault in that they will stay open circuit and so the machine acts dead.
The out of balance micro switch is on RHS of the main board at the rear and can also be faulty. Be careful as it's held in by a couple of plastic tits and they break very easily.
It can also fail or the retainer breaks, the switch moves and again, the machine won't operate.
To see if it's either of these just use a meter or short them out.
If they are OK it's probably a board and F&P do a changeover service on them.

Thanks, I'll check that.



Have you turned it off at the powerpoint and pulled out the plug for a while?



That was the first one I tried, coz it worked last time :D



I suspect you are right and its the control board. Its reasonably easy to unscrew the top panel and look at the boards. Make sure its unplugged and you will also find the circuit boards are probably enclosed in sealed plastic box behind the panel. Our last FP died this way and when I opened it up the board had a couple of scorch marks on it. It was 10 years old so we bought a new FP and its now 7 years old.

You can get new or refurbished boards, but I suspect being Christmas that may be a little difficult.

I had both the control box and the switch box open and couldn't see any scorch marks in either:(


Thanks for all the suggestions, hopefully it'll turn out ok.;)

[DeeJay]

Get a multi meter on your powerpoint too. These direct drive jobs need the full 240volts, although its a longshot its shut down due to that as its not that common. I was a Simpson area manager for 12 years and these came in the last few years I was in that industry.

[scarry]

Our electrolux front loader died a few months ago,door switch took out the PCB.Took a week to get the parts

I am glad i took out the 5yr extended warranty,as it was 3yrs old:)

[moose]

Yeah, only trouble is it was second hand when we bought it, so I suppose it's had a good run. ;)

Haven't got time to look at it for a couple of days, so it'll have to wait.:(

[Don 130]

try your luck here UK Whitegoods - Domestic Appliance Help, Advice, Repairs & Spare Parts (http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewforum&f=28). I solved a few problems with help from this forum. If you search the site you'll find out how to run the onboard diagnostics system and that will lead you to the root of the evil. Don

[moose]

Update: Went shopping this morning, one mob had 7kg front loader samsung's advertised for $399, went to another mob and they did us a deal on an LG 7.5kg front loader (RRP $867) for $399 coz it was slightly sunbleached!:)

SWMBO is happy again!

[sschmez]

So this is where I got my luck from......

Christmas Eve and our Electrolux EWF-1087 front loader has an E20 error

a net search reveals that E20 means a failure to drain -
I know that coz it's FULL of water and soap.

I've drained it through the little drain tube, tried again, same
drained it through the little drain tube, tried again, same, power off, reboot, same
drained it through the little drain tube, tried again, same, reboot,
Mmmmmm, now what

:mad:Annette is at the laundromat, and not happy....

anyone, pleeeze

[abaddonxi]

So this is where I got my luck from......

Christmas Eve and our Electrolux EWF-1087 front loader has an E20 error

a net search reveals that E20 means a failure to drain -
I know that coz it's FULL of water and soap.

I've drained it through the little drain tube, tried again, same
drained it through the little drain tube, tried again, same, power off, reboot, same
drained it through the little drain tube, tried again, same, reboot,
Mmmmmm, now what

:mad:Annette is at the laundromat, and not happy....

anyone, pleeeze

Last time I had problems I found that Electrolux and associated brands don't keep spare parts for outdated models - washer was less than five years old - on the east coast. All parts in Adelaide, and a minimum five days before delivery.

Book a service call, order the part, second call a week or more later to install. Too long for me, decided I wouldn't be shopping there again.

Simon

[p38arover]

There have been some good deals around this year
Our daughter picked up a front loader for $500ish and with the govt rebate of $200, it made for a very cheap washing machine :D:D
So cheap in fact that we also bought one and with the $200 govt rebate plus the local council rebate of $100 we were laughing all the way home :D:D:D



We were hoping for the rebate as the washing machine my wife bought is on some council lists but ours has raised the bar by half a star. Ours misses out. Which is a pity as my wife got it on special for less than the rebate.