[GLO]

Hi,
My Whirlpool 7.5kg Top Loader (model 6ALSC8255JQ) wont spin or drain. The agitator works fine. I have also checked the agitator clip which is not broken either, nor is the drain pipe blocked.

When i push a peg into the clip switch to see if it will spin, i dont hear any motor at all, which leads me to think the problem may be electrical, rather than a broken pulley. (i believe its actually a direct drive)

How can i diagnose then fix this? (its just gone 3 weeks out of warranty i think.

Thanks

[PS Staff - Sheila]

You are correct. Your washer is a direct drive.

These washers will not spin until they drain most of the water out. If there is still water in your washer bail most of it out and see if it will spin.

[GLO]

unfortunately it wont spin when all the water is drained out.

Keep in mind that the agitator works and will wash the first cycle, but it just wont drain or spin/rinse.



what else should i check?

[PS Staff - Sheila]

Another thing you can try is to try a different cycle. If you normally use the regular cycle try it on the delicate cycle.

If it drains and spins on this cycle then it is your timer that is faulty.

If it does not work, then it is possible that it is your motor that would have to be replaced.

[GLO]

When it first stopped my wife did drain the bulk of the dirty water but still didnt spin (washing in delicate mode, which is her usual setting), she also tried the other spin settings for and regular wash, hand wash to no avail.

I certainly dont hear any motor or movement when i open the lid and place a peg into the lid switch.

Does the washing machine have 2 motors? One for the agitator and one for the tub (for spin and rinse) ?

If it is that motor, is it something that a home handyman could replace? (I have a copy of the service manual, just havent read it yet)

Thanks in advance.

[GLO]

I have had a look at the service manual and it appears that there is only 1 motor.
If that is correct, and the agitator is working, then that should mean the motor is ok, wouldnt it?

Could a fuse be blown some where? (couldnt see one in the manual)

[GLO]

I happened to buy my mum the exact same washing machine a few months after we got ours.

After speaking with her this morning, she said hers has the exact same problem 3 weeks after her 5 yr warranty ran out.

The service man said that it was the lid switch that was broken and so he apparently hard wired it so it would work (as he didnt have the parts with him) and mum then only had to pay for his labor. She now can have the lid open when its doing the spin/rinse cycle.

So my thoughts are to also hardware that switch (actually eliminate the switch all together)

Then my machine should work again! (Do you think this is a safe bet?)

How bad is that, that the lid switch breaks weeks after warranty runs out. and theres no way to determine the actual fault with the switch unless you get a service guy out.

[PS Staff - Sheila]

It really does not sound like your switch.

The washer would still drain the water even if the switch was faulty.

Yes if you hardwired the switch it is eliminate all together.

No this is not a good idea. It is a safety device.

[GLO]

Hi Sheila,

I would never have thought that it would be the switch but as my mother has the same unit and is only 3month newer than mine, her fault was identical.

Her repairer fixed it simply by hardwiring (and subsequently bypassing the switch).

I certainly appreciate that the switch is a safety mechanism, but i may simply test the switch by bypassing it temporarily, then if that rectifies my problem of no draining and spinning then i will seek a replacement switch (to ensure safety!)

At least this will ascertain the actual fault. (or at the very least rule it out if it still doesnt work!)

[PS Staff - Sheila]

Yes, it is fine to eliminate the switch as a test.