Any washing machine experts out there?

[Richard Owen]

Hi big collective bundle of smart people,

I've got a Bosch WFF 147S washing machine.

Everything's fine except the drum doesn't turn.

I've changed the brushes and made sure they're the right way round. Continuity tester and visual inspection confirm this.

When the machine is running a cycle I can hear the relay clicking but no power gets to the contacts (as far as I can tell.)

Where should I look next?

[MR GUS]

Richard, i'll have a dig around for that electricals repair forum I found a while ago, when I had the AEG heating element problem, they're all repair guys on it, ..great site..

found thread & link to site! let us know how you got on, DO look at their "worst of" photo gallery"

http://www.navitron.org.uk/forum/index.php/topic,11084.msg121349.html#msg121349

[biff]

hi rich,
     funny you should come up with a bothersome washing machine. my neighbour had been away for 2 months hols and when she returned her bosch would just do a few clicks and shut down.
     i disconnected the cold inlet and free,ed the little valve which lets the water in.so far so good. if the water is not getting in,then the puta shuts the lot down after asking itself a few questions(the humming and clicking).im no expert,it was just a lucky guess.
                                                                                            biff

[rogeriko]

There should be a pressure switch on the top side with a clear plastic tube running down to the bottom of the drum. This tells the motor when there is water in the machine. Pull off the plastic tubing and using another piece of tubing blow gently into the pressure switch and you should hear it clicking. Sometimes the pipe leaks and it does not have enough pressure from the rising water to turn the motor on. The motor probably has a thermal cutout but that would only be a problem if you had power going to the motor but it dosnt turn.

[Richard Owen]

Hi guys,

Machine fills and empties.

On my model the tube is ribbed black plastic.

I'll try taking the tube off when the latest test cycle is finished.

[Baz]

A more common problem with the level switch is the tube getting bunged up with soap scum. So when you have taken it off the switch blow the other way ie into the drum.
If you are unlucky the electronic speed controller may have overheated in this summer weather. About a £3 circuit board costs Upwards of 360 - these machine spares places are real rip-offs.
BTW always give the machine an hour or two to cool down between washes (ie threaten the wife with dire retribution if she doesn't) The motor can get very hot and as usual with modern machines is designed to work ok - just but not continuously.

[ecogeorge]

Any error codes or flashing lights on front panel?

[Richard Owen]

BTW always give the machine an hour or two to cool down between washes (ie threaten the wife with dire retribution if she doesn't)

In this context, I am the wife.

I never do more than one wash per day.

[Richard Owen]

A more common problem with the level switch is the tube getting bunged up with soap scum. So when you have taken it off the switch blow the other way ie into the drum.
If you are unlucky the electronic speed controller may have overheated in this summer weather. About a £3 circuit board costs Upwards of 360 - these machine spares places are real rip-offs.
BTW always give the machine an hour or two to cool down between washes (ie threaten the wife with dire retribution if she doesn't) The motor can get very hot and as usual with modern machines is designed to work ok - just but not continuously.

Tube removed from both ends in turn.

When removed from the bottom, I can easily blow into the pressure switch and discover it has two stages of on.

When removed from the top, I can easily blow into the drum without resistance.

[Richard Owen]

Any error codes or flashing lights on front panel?

No lights on front panel (or anywhere else I can discover) to flash.

[ecogeorge]

Hi big collective bundle of smart people,

I've got a Bosch WFF 147S washing machine.

Everything's fine except the drum doesn't turn.

I've changed the brushes and made sure they're the right way round. Continuity tester and visual inspection confirm this.

When the machine is running a cycle I can hear the relay clicking but no power gets to the contacts (as far as I can tell.)

Where should I look next?

Were the old brushes worn out ? burnt ?is the comutator good?

[biff]

is it posible to test the capacitor,??
    some years ago this turned out to be a fault in my service quartz,,an exellent machine
                                                                       biff

[mespilus]

Some 8-10 years ago a Bosch washer dryer gave a similar non-response to
power as you describe,
switch on...... nothing happens.

Fortunately this outer London suburb had a serious seller
of appliances, (rather than just a box-shifting mindset).

I described this the lack of response to their parts guy,
who suggested it was probably the 'relay-type' device
that lives just inboard of where the locking mechanism
clamps the door shut.

The part showed up the next day,
and,
I spent the evening slowly and methodically dis-assembling the
washer dryer to gain access and replace the part.

This solved the problem and the appliance gave another 6-7 years
trouble-free service.

No idea if modern Bosch appliances rely upon the same relay-type device.

[Ivan]

Why not (with the machine unplugged until your hands are out of the way) try putting power from a live terminal in the machine directly onto the motor. If it spins, then it's a control issue. If it does not spin, it's a motor issue. It will help narrow it down somewhat. I'm assuming there will be two (or more) 'live-in' connections on the motor for different speeds.

[Justme]

Why not (with the machine unplugged until your hands are out of the way) try putting power from a live terminal in the machine directly onto the motor. If it spins, then it's a control issue. If it does not spin, it's a motor issue. It will help narrow it down somewhat. I'm assuming there will be two (or more) 'live-in' connections on the motor for different speeds.

Do all washer motors use full power 230v AC?

I thought that some have gone dc & others used voltage control or modulation for speed regulation?