Washing machines

[Genie]

If there’s a connector like the one I’ve arrowed but on the pipe connected to the washing machine then it’ll need a flat head screwdriver to turn the internal screw 90 degrees if it’s closed off.

If you are feeling slightly braver you could start to unscrew the rubber hose from the back of the washing machine very slowly, if water starts to piss out then it’s connected correctly (then retighten it quickly). You’ll know then that the issue is internally within the washing machine.

Dont get tempted to take the cover or back off the washing machine whilst it’s connected to the mains electric, a lot of people meet their maker doing that.

[Seat68]

@robby b can you take a picture and post it?

[Tayls]

You didn’t mention about the power - is that plugged in and switched on?  (Although I’m guessing this was the super obvious one). 
Should be three cables/tubes coming out the back: Power, water feed, waste. 

Edited August 20, 2021 by Tayls

[Brumerican]

35 minutes ago, Genie said:

 

Dont get tempted to take the cover or back off the washing machine whilst it’s connected to the mains electric, a lot of people meet their maker doing that.

Literally how my dad died.

[Brumerican]

Kudos for using the shocked emoji @Genie    That tickled me.

[Genie]

8 minutes ago, Brumerican said:

Kudos for using the shocked emoji @Genie    That tickled me.

I’ll take the kudos, but it was genuine shock rather than a clever electrical reference  

[robby b]

2 hours ago, Tayls said:

You didn’t mention about the power - is that plugged in and switched on?  (Although I’m guessing this was the super obvious one). 
Should be three cables/tubes coming out the back: Power, water feed, waste. 

Thanks Tayls,  Yes, the power lead is connected and works. So it's not that. The LED lights come on on the machine and it makes its washing machine noises for a while, though the LED lights have gone a bit crazy a few times and it switched from 20 to 40 degrees by itself after a few minutes and then stopped and beeped a lot!? So I'm  hoping the issue is that the machine's old and malfunctioning. 

[robby b]

2 hours ago, Seat68 said:

@robby b can you take a picture and post it?

I tried last night from my smartphone but a message said file too big or sth like that. But it looks a lot like Genie's photo... except that ther no little blue lever with mine.

[robby b]

2 hours ago, Genie said:

If there’s a connector like the one I’ve arrowed but on the pipe connected to the washing machine then it’ll need a flat head screwdriver to turn the internal screw 90 degrees if it’s closed off.

If you are feeling slightly braver you could start to unscrew the rubber hose from the back of the washing machine very slowly, if water starts to piss out then it’s connected correctly (then retighten it quickly). You’ll know then that the issue is internally within the washing machine.

Dont get tempted to take the cover or back off the washing machine whilst it’s connected to the mains electric, a lot of people meet their maker doing that.

Last night I turned the power off at the socket and carefully unscrewed the rubber hose but water didn't piss  out, just a little dribbled out. 

There is as you say an internal screw on my feeder water tube just below where the blue lever on yours is. Maybe that's the problem or the main problem, maybe it needs turning 90 degrees as you suggest. But maybe on top of this my machine is malfunctioning too, ooh la la! i think I'm going to Currys now to buy an affordable new machine, maybe £200, I'll risk it, maybe the installer can sort out the plumbing if it needs to be adjusted. :s 

Thank you everyone for your posts and your time! I'm touched. : > You're a helpful bunch of people!

Edited August 20, 2021 by robby b

[It's Your Round]

A new machine will solve your problems, the easy way. If you know what you’re doing, washing machines are simple to install. If I was near you I’d happily sort it for you. 
 

Your landlord sounds like he’ll be trouble though. He’s not called Mr Bruce is he? 

[blandy]

13 hours ago, robby b said:

There's no water at all going into the detergent drawer or the drum. Is that more likely to be a fault with the washing machine or with the plumbing in the building as a whole?

Well let's look at how washing machines work. There 2 types really - those that heat cold water up themselves, and those that require both hot and cold water feeds. They're easy to tell apart, or you could google the make and model and find out from the internet. But basically round the back of the machine there will be either one or two water feeds - a blue and a red (usually) if it takes hot and cold water in, or just one feed if it heats the water itself. Then there will be a drain route out - typically a corrugated bendy tube that will go into the drain feed under the sink. And there's the power lead.

There's a number of things that could cause the symptoms you report.

• No water getting to the machine.
• Water getting to the machine but the machine not letting it through.
• Water getting through, but the machine not properly starting the wash cycle.

The first one should be easy to check. Get access to the back of the machine. IS the water in pipe (assuming there's just one) cold and fairly rigid, like there's water inside? or is it kind of squashable and empty feeling? Carefully just loosening the connector a little bit should see water starting to leak out, if it's connected up right.

If there's water there, then the problem is likely the machine. As you know, the door where you put the clothes in has to be closed (assuming it's a front loader, not top loader) before the machine will let the water through. What you should hear is a clunk a bit after you've shut the door, then selected the wash cycle you want, as an interlock on the door is activated - it could be maybe 30 seconds or more later - it's a safety feature. but if it's not working, then the machine will never start the wash cycle. That'll be a mechanical/electrical fault.

Alternatively, you might have problem with the machine not starting any wash programme - the controller might be playing up. So you select a wash cycle, but then nothing happens.

I assume the machine powers up and lights come on etc?

Have you tried all the different wash cycles? Including (say) spin only? Are they all "dead" or do any seem to work?

One other thing you could do is that washing machines typically have a drain outlet at the front, usually behind a little door at the bottom - this is for de-clogging the filter and retrieving any shirt buttons, coins or whatever that are left in trouser pockets by accident. If you can get a tray or bowl then open the little door, slowly, gradually unscrew the filter that's behind it - if water starts to seep out, then that suggests there has been a working machine, with water feed, and it's a controller or switching fault with the machine.

Beyond doing that basic investigating, as you are not familiar with them, I'd leave it alone and contact your landlord about it.

Good luck.

 

 

 

[The Fun Factory]

Don't buy a washer dryer. The dryer bit is useless unless you really like damp clothes.

[blandy]

19 minutes ago, robby b said:

Last night I turned the power off at the socket and carefully unscrewed the rubber hose but water didn't piss  out, just a little dribbled out. 

There is as you say an internal screw on my feeder water tube just below where the blue lever on yours is. Maybe that's the problem or the main problem, maybe it needs turning 90 degrees as you suggest. But maybe on top of this my machine is malfunctioning too, ooh la la! i think I'm going to Currys now to buy an affordable new machine, maybe £200, I'll risk it, maybe the installer can sort out the plumbing if it needs to be adjusted. :s 

Thank you everyone for your posts and your time! I'm touched. : > You're a helpful bunch of people!

Steady on  - don't spend the 200 quid yet.

There is as you say an internal screw on my feeder water tube just below where the blue lever on yours is. Maybe that's the problem

The screw is a shut off tap. If the slot is in line with the pipe, it's open. if it's sideways then it's in the off position.

Which is it ?- if it's in the off position, it needs opening and try again with the wash cycle.

Edit - but be ready to turn it back off if disaster strikes - we don't know why it has been turned off.

[rjw63]

I've never known something as boring and shit as a washing machine be so interesting

[Genie]

You could be about to waste £200.

If there’s no water coming out of the hose then the water locally to the washing machine supply is shut off. Turn the screw, and you should be in business. If the machine is starting, then going a bit loopy it’s probably because it has noticed there’s no water coming in. 

I think places like curry’s want silly money to connect up a washing machine when it’s a 2 minute job. 

[robby b]

30 minutes ago, rjw63 said:

I've never known something as boring and shit as a washing machine be so interesting

 

Hahaha! 

And stay tuned for the next exciting episode of The Washing Machine !

To be continued...

 

[The Fun Factory]

I dunno its about as exciting as our transfer thread at the moment.

[robby b]

Oh dear, I've just realised that the screw is smaller than the one in Genie's photo, has a round head and it's inside a nut. And it doesn't have just one slot, it has a 'cross slot'. I wonder if it's the nut that needs turning 90°. I don't have any tools and it's hard to get to and to see. :s But the letting agency have just told me their maintenance guy will have a look when he can attend. Whenever that may be! (Apparently  they manage loads of apartments). So I'll try to be a bit patient and won't buy a new dream machine just yet. Right. Time to think about tomorrow's game now!

Edited August 20, 2021 by robby b

[robby b]

1 hour ago, blandy said:

Well let's look at how washing machines work. There 2 types really - those that heat cold water up themselves, and those that require both hot and cold water feeds. They're easy to tell apart, or you could google the make and model and find out from the internet. But basically round the back of the machine there will be either one or two water feeds - a blue and a red (usually) if it takes hot and cold water in, or just one feed if it heats the water itself. Then there will be a drain route out - typically a corrugated bendy tube that will go into the drain feed under the sink. And there's the power lead.

There's a number of things that could cause the symptoms you report.

• No water getting to the machine.
• Water getting to the machine but the machine not letting it through.
• Water getting through, but the machine not properly starting the wash cycle.

The first one should be easy to check. Get access to the back of the machine. IS the water in pipe (assuming there's just one) cold and fairly rigid, like there's water inside? or is it kind of squashable and empty feeling? Carefully just loosening the connector a little bit should see water starting to leak out, if it's connected up right.

If there's water there, then the problem is likely the machine. As you know, the door where you put the clothes in has to be closed (assuming it's a front loader, not top loader) before the machine will let the water through. What you should hear is a clunk a bit after you've shut the door, then selected the wash cycle you want, as an interlock on the door is activated - it could be maybe 30 seconds or more later - it's a safety feature. but if it's not working, then the machine will never start the wash cycle. That'll be a mechanical/electrical fault.

Alternatively, you might have problem with the machine not starting any wash programme - the controller might be playing up. So you select a wash cycle, but then nothing happens.

I assume the machine powers up and lights come on etc?

Have you tried all the different wash cycles? Including (say) spin only? Are they all "dead" or do any seem to work?

One other thing you could do is that washing machines typically have a drain outlet at the front, usually behind a little door at the bottom - this is for de-clogging the filter and retrieving any shirt buttons, coins or whatever that are left in trouser pockets by accident. If you can get a tray or bowl then open the little door, slowly, gradually unscrew the filter that's behind it - if water starts to seep out, then that suggests there has been a working machine, with water feed, and it's a controller or switching fault with the machine.

Beyond doing that basic investigating, as you are not familiar with them, I'd leave it alone and contact your landlord about it.

Good luck.

 

 

 

Wow thank you Blandy  for your long post!

When I unscrewed the water-in tube last night only about half a small teacup of water came out (when I held the tube upside down).

The lights do turn on and the machine makes familiar noises but then goes a bit crazy after a few minutes, changing the temperature by itself, stopping and then beeping a bit madly till I turn it off.

[Genie]

10 minutes ago, robby b said:

Wow thank you Blandy  for your long post!

When I unscrewed the water-in tube last night only about half a small teacup of water came out (when I held the tube upside down).

The lights do turn on and the machine makes familiar noises but then goes a bit crazy after a few minutes, changing the temperature by itself, stopping and then beeping a bit madly till I turn it off.

If only a dribble came out then the mains are not connected. It would have fired out like fireman’s hose if it was fully open. Somewhere it’s blocked off. You’ll need to sort that if you persevere with this washing machine, or a new one. Maybe if you follow the pipe back there could be a tap, possibly underneath the main kitchen sink.