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Any appliance repair gurus in the house?

B

Black88GTA

Diamond Member
First things first - GE Washer / Dryer combo (stacked unit), about 3 years old I think.
Model #WSM2700DAWWW

This might be a long shot, but here goes. Some backstory: A couple months ago, my roommate was washing some stuff in the washing machine, and we noticed that it seemed to be stuck on the spin cycle. Shortly after that, it started throwing sparks and smoking. So we unplugged it, and it sat. The landlord refused to fix it.

So, I dismantled it, and noticed the problem immediately. The washer timer had a coating of slimy liquid detergent on it from a spill which had gotten inside the machine a while back. I assumed this shorted it out, as the connection point for the wiring harness, and the harness plug itself, were both crispy and melted. I found new parts online, and ordered them - a new harness, and a used washer timer (model 131758600B).

The parts came today, and I installed them. I ran a test cycle with nothing in the machine to test it. Everything seems ok, until it gets to the spin cycle phase of the "regular" setting, and then it just keeps spinning. Just to be sure (and not knowing exactly how long spin cycle was supposed to take) I let it spin for 20 minutes before I shut it down. The weird thing is, I tried the same thing on "permanent press" and it shut the spin cycle down after ~5 minutes on its own with no problems.

Is there anything else that controls cycle timing / shutdown? Some sort of sensor inside that can go bad? Or did I get a bunk used part?

If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them. I thought the timer was the only thing controlling the cycle time, and I replaced that. I'm stumped.
 
Originally posted by: Rastus
Check the sensor that shuts the spin cycle down if it's unbalanced.
Click to expand...

If that was the issue, wouldn't it also cause the malfunction in "permanent press" as well? I tried it 2x on "regular" and it stayed on both times. I set it on perm press once, and it worked great.

Where would this type of sensor typically be located? What would it look like?
 
Did you try the regular cycle another time after it worked just fine on permanent press?
 
Originally posted by: DrPizza
Did you try the regular cycle another time after it worked just fine on permanent press?
Click to expand...

Yes - the first time, I allowed the spin cycle go run for probably ~15 minutes in Regular. Then, I tried PP, and it was OK, then I tried Regular again. That time is when it ran in spin for 20 minutes before I killed it.
 
Many timers have multiple cams on a common shaft driven by a motor. Each controls the operation of one switch for one function. One of these is the cam / switch controlling the timer drive motor itself. I suspect the portion of the cam that activates the timer motor switch during the spin phase of the "regular" cycle is not closing the switch (so the cams all are frozen in the spin cycle position because the motor is not advancing the cams), whereas the rest of that cam is doing the job. Disconnect, and see if you can get the cover off the timer to inspect. Inside the washer case there may be a paper wiring diagram from which you can discern how the timer motor is controlled. You won't be able to change the cam (unless there's some obvious removable dirt), but you might be able to bend the switch arm a little to make the switch operate properly at every cam position. Just don't bend too much - the motor must shut off at the end of each cycle.
 
Originally posted by: Paperdoc
Many timers have multiple cams on a common shaft driven by a motor. Each controls the operation of one switch for one function. One of these is the cam / switch controlling the timer drive motor itself. I suspect the portion of the cam that activates the timer motor switch during the spin phase of the "regular" cycle is not closing the switch (so the cams all are frozen in the spin cycle position because the motor is not advancing the cams), whereas the rest of that cam is doing the job. Disconnect, and see if you can get the cover off the timer to inspect. Inside the washer case there may be a paper wiring diagram from which you can discern how the timer motor is controlled. You won't be able to change the cam (unless there's some obvious removable dirt), but you might be able to bend the switch arm a little to make the switch operate properly at every cam position. Just don't bend too much - the motor must shut off at the end of each cycle.
Click to expand...

Well, I have the old part here. I cracked it open just now (literally) and it has what looks like one of those old toothed music box cylinders in it with a number of "tracks". This is connected to the input shaft that the knob attaches to. There are 8 contacts with strikers on the end of them that ride on top of the tracks and go directly to the harness connection point. I see the motor off to the side of the cylinder, plus there's a plastic gear visible lower in the unit, although I can't see how it attaches without breaking the part down further. I don't see any single switch arm that could be manually bent.

Aside from the old part smelling crispy though, I can't see any obstructions / other stuff that would cause it to get hung up on any one of these tracks, or anything out of the ordinary with the contacts. I almost think that the problem must be elsewhere in the machine, since the "new" timer appears to do the same thing as this one was doing before it killed itself.

I did find a wiring schematic in the washer, although I didn't pay much attention to it, since I thought replacing the timer alone would fix it.
 
It may take a while to get some responses...you just never know. IIRC, most of the folks there are appliance repair people and/or appliance parts people. Their advice is usually dead on.
 
I been to the appliance Junk forum and they say Scrap the machine as it probably needs a new gear box also
[RANT]
I hate the way we are with appliance technology. Electronic controls are NOT the way to go (More parts to fail) I have had two electronic control Air Conditioners fail in just two years at this rate I am buying one every season. Yes I have an Apartment so no CA/C for me. Yet I have an A/C Unit from 1984 (Old as me) with manual controls 5000 BTU and it cools my whole house (May it RIP it died last season 2008) Although new appliances are more efficient (That the only credit I give to New Stuff other than that I hate the way this world is going with the Throw away Mentality we have today + how lazy can you be to not get up to change the AC or fan setting? Remote are for Home Theater stuff only, I mean it not like you have to adjust the A/C every other second
[/RANT]

Sorry to de-rail your thread but I felt like ranting 🙂
 
Originally posted by: ComputerWizKid
I been to the appliance Junk forum and they say Scrap the machine as it probably needs a new gear box also
[RANT]
I hate the way we are with appliance technology. Electronic controls are NOT the way to go (More parts to fail) I have had two electronic control Air Conditioners fail in just two years at this rate I am buying one every season. Yes I have an Apartment so no CA/C for me. Yet I have an A/C Unit from 1984 (Old as me) with manual controls 5000 BTU and it cools my whole house (May it RIP it died last season 2008) Although new appliances are more efficient (That the only credit I give to New Stuff other than that I hate the way this world is going with the Throw away Mentality we have today + how lazy can you be to not get up to change the AC or fan setting? Remote are for Home Theater stuff only, I mean it not like you have to adjust the A/C every other second
[/RANT]

Sorry to de-rail your thread but I felt like ranting 🙂
Click to expand...

hehe
http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2...very-own-slom-torrent/
secret life of machines had an eps on that. eps 3
 
Having read the replies there, I gotta agree. Since this belongs to the landlord, replace it with an inexpensive set from Craigslist...then, when you move, if you can't take it with you, Craigslist it again...
Our washer crapped out on us last winter. Since we're now on a fixed income and money is somewhat tight, we opted to hunt Craigslist for a decent used set. I found a washer & dryer, (kirkland branded whirlpool) for about 1/3 less than just a comparable washer would have cost...and this set was like new. Not a scratch, not a bit of dirt anywhere-inside or out. Apparently, it came with the house when it was new. The wife didn't like them, so they put them in the garage and bought a new set.
 
Originally posted by: ComputerWizKid
I been to the appliance Junk forum and they say Scrap the machine as it probably needs a new gear box also
[RANT]
I hate the way we are with appliance technology. Electronic controls are NOT the way to go (More parts to fail) I have had two electronic control Air Conditioners fail in just two years at this rate I am buying one every season. Yes I have an Apartment so no CA/C for me. Yet I have an A/C Unit from 1984 (Old as me) with manual controls 5000 BTU and it cools my whole house (May it RIP it died last season 2008) Although new appliances are more efficient (That the only credit I give to New Stuff other than that I hate the way this world is going with the Throw away Mentality we have today + how lazy can you be to not get up to change the AC or fan setting? Remote are for Home Theater stuff only, I mean it not like you have to adjust the A/C every other second
[/RANT]

Sorry to de-rail your thread but I felt like ranting 🙂
Click to expand...

Haha, this is kind of funny given your sig quote 😉

Computers are a lot like air conditioners - they both work great until you open up windows.
Click to expand...

I agree though, this thing is flimsy and cheap as hell. My parents' old Maytag set is solid as a rock compared to this one.
 
Originally posted by: BoomerD
Having read the replies there, I gotta agree. Since this belongs to the landlord, replace it with an inexpensive set from Craigslist...then, when you move, if you can't take it with you, Craigslist it again...
Our washer crapped out on us last winter. Since we're now on a fixed income and money is somewhat tight, we opted to hunt Craigslist for a decent used set. I found a washer & dryer, (kirkland branded whirlpool) for about 1/3 less than just a comparable washer would have cost...and this set was like new. Not a scratch, not a bit of dirt anywhere-inside or out. Apparently, it came with the house when it was new. The wife didn't like them, so they put them in the garage and bought a new set.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I looked on Craigslist - but the problem is I need to find a stackable due to space. It's in our kitchen, which is sort of small to begin with. It seems hard to find those locally, and they're expensive. Plus all of the logistical issues of transportation and setup of the new used machine, disposal of the old, trying to sell it again when I leave, etc.

I"d like to try to keep this crappy one going if I could. I didn't notice the rumbling noise ever before until yesterday either, although the machine has been off balance for a while.
 
Timer.
My brother makes a very good living off used appliances. He gets all the ones that people trade in at lowes, sears, home depot and refurbs them. Sells them as fast as he can get them, usually $225 for a washer+dryer set.
You need to have a lot of space to do it though, he has several acres of used appliances . If he can't fix it, it goes out back to be used as spare parts. Sort of like a junkyard for cars, but appliances.

If he gets too many he sells them for scrap metal, removes coils from AC/refrig and sells that for the precious metals.

He waste nothing.
 
The plastic gear you mention is probably part of the speed reduction system that drives the drum MUCH slower than the motor shaft speed. Within that system also (may not be obvious) is a limited-slip clutch so that you can manually turn the control knob (and hence the entire drum) without making the motor and gear system turn.

Apparently this system has 8 cams in the drum system, activating 8 switches via the 8 "strikers". In the photo of the blue switch assembly focus on the nearest portion. It appears that it has 3 metal arms fastened to the base block at the bottom. For the one on the left, the large blue piece of plastic sticking up is the cam follower. Note that the blue piece has sloped ends to slide up and down on the cam bulges. The middle arm is one of the switch contacts. The right-hand arm is another. Note on both the middle and right-hand arm you can see small rectangular silver raised pieces of metal - these are the actual electrical contact points in the switches. From this photo, and from the cams' appearance I deduce that each of these 8 switches has three positions. Note on the cams that there appear to be three heights of bumps - no bump, low bump, and high bump. No bump does not push the cam follower, so the switch is open on both sets of contacts. A low bump will push the cam follower and the left-hand arm far enough to close the switch contacts between left and middle arm. A high bump will push both of those arms further to make additional contact with the right arm, so that all three arms are now connected electrically. Thus each switch arm system can make connections of left-middle, left-middle-right, or none, but it cannot make a left-right connection only.

See if you can discern which switch feeds the timer motor, by tracing the motor's leads back. Narrow it down to which contacts need to close for the motor to run. Now you can play with the old one a bit regarding my idea of bending contact arms. You should be able to bend slightly each of the middle and right contact arms on that switch. There's no sense working with the left arm - its position is fixed by the contact of blue plastic cam follower with the cam surface. This way you can see what the result would be, in terms of how much movement of the left arms is necessary to make the contacts close, yet still allow them to open when the follower is NOT pushed by the cam. Then you can go to the new controller and look closely at what can be done inside it.

While you are going into the new controller, observe carefully whether the blue plastic switch assembly is fastened properly into the rest of the timer body. For example, IF the timer motor switch is the one on the end, and IF that switch assembly is loose and improperly mounted on that same side, the contact of cam bump with follower may not be enough to push the switch arm into contact position.
 
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