need help with washing machine

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
14
61
So I'm 35 years old and have never owned a washing machine before. I got a new house and the first thing I did was go out and buy a nice washer and dryer. I sold appliances for almost ten years...probably sold 2,000 washers but I've never hooked one up.

The issue is that its not moving into the rinse cycle and then on to the spin cycle. A quick Google search says that its probably something with the drain hose. It says the hose should be 30-96 inches off the floor. That makes no sense. How am I supposed to do that?

Right now I just took the drain hose and put it into the drain hole. I thought that was enough?

Anyone have any experience with this type of problem?
 

TheSlamma

Diamond Member
Sep 6, 2005
7,625
5
81
In your wall you should have what's called a "wash box" it's where the hot and cold fillers should come from too.

How old is your house?

13824.jpg


this box should be about the same height or more as your washer.. the hole next to the fillers is the drain.
 
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disappoint

Lifer
Dec 7, 2009
10,132
382
126
A quick Google search says that its probably something with the drain hose. It says the hose should be 30-96 inches off the floor. That makes no sense. How am I supposed to do that?

Put a standpipe in and make sure it's top is 36" off the floor. It's to prevent siphoning.
 

boomerang

Lifer
Jun 19, 2000
18,883
641
126
13824.jpg


You won't have one of these in an older home. Many times the washer will sit next to a laundry sink. With one of those, you hook the discharge tube over the edge of the sink. Otherwise, you will need a standpipe that disappoint spoke of.
 
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Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,392
1,780
126
"The issue is that its not moving into the rinse cycle and then on to the spin cycle."

This is probably the timer. Typically with washers, the one "MOVING" part that goes bad is the timer. If it gets stuck between cycles, you can manually advance it a notch until you can get a replacement. You can get a rebuilt timer from appliance part stores online....they're about $55-60 on average for rebuilt. They take about 15-30 minutes to replace if you know how to work a nut driver and screwdriver. Most appliance part stores will have diagrams that will be similar to your model.

Source: Replaced 3 of them in my life (so far)

For what it's worth, I'd call warranty from where you purchased it and get it replaced by them to save the $60....

The reason the drains sit off the floor is because the washers have pumps built in....it's easier to prevent leaks if they are above the washer unit. The pump is designed to pump water uphill...once it reaches the drain opening in the wall it drops down the line when gravity takes over. I'm not sure if those are typically plumbed with a trap like a sink....
 
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rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
14
61
In your wall you should have what's called a "wash box" it's where the hot and cold fillers should come from too.

How old is your house?

13824.jpg


this box should be about the same height or more as your washer.. the hole next to the fillers is the drain.

House was built into the 60s so it doesn't have that. It just has the standard hole in the floor
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
66,716
15,117
146
Take pictures...you SHOULD have some kind of standpipe for the drain line to connect to.
 

phucheneh

Diamond Member
Jun 30, 2012
7,306
5
0
Not 'connect' so much as just hang out in, but yeah.

If you google it you get plenty of diagrams. Supposed to have a trap, I guess. Dunno what that does. But the big thing is that the water gets pushed up a hose to 20-30" or so off the ground, then dumps into a PCV pipe of a large diameter. The provision for my washer is just a pipe coming out of the wall at an angle. Crude but works. No idea if there's a trap in there.

I'm not sure how it would cause the OP's problem, though...sounds like the water isn't draining? Wouldn't no standpipe cause problems keeping the water in[/i]? Or maybe a little floor-flooding action.

Here's a curios question...can poop come out of your washer drain? D: Is the standpipe possibly imperative for preventing that? I'm hoping codes keep those pipes apart.
 

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
14
61
Not 'connect' so much as just hang out in, but yeah.

If you google it you get plenty of diagrams. Supposed to have a trap, I guess. Dunno what that does. But the big thing is that the water gets pushed up a hose to 20-30" or so off the ground, then dumps into a PCV pipe of a large diameter. The provision for my washer is just a pipe coming out of the wall at an angle. Crude but works. No idea if there's a trap in there.

I'm not sure how it would cause the OP's problem, though...sounds like the water isn't draining? Wouldn't no standpipe cause problems keeping the water in[/i]? Or maybe a little floor-flooding action.

Here's a curios question...can poop come out of your washer drain? D: Is the standpipe possibly imperative for preventing that? I'm hoping codes keep those pipes apart.

I know for sure the floor drain is separate from the sewer line.

I'm on my way to the Depot for another gas line as it is. I'll pick up a pipe while I'm there
 

boomerang

Lifer
Jun 19, 2000
18,883
641
126
I'm on my way to the Depot for another gas line as it is. I'll pick up a pipe while I'm there
And then what? I'm not trying to be an ass when I ask that.

You have a hole in the floor. Leading to what? The drain line the standpipe needs to connect to, is it running under that hole? Is it provisioned to accept the standpipe you plan on buying? What size pipe do you need? The standpipe is going to have to "y" into the existing drain line and you may require other fittings to make it work. Is that portion of the drain line being shared by other fixtures? You'll also need primer and pvc cement and the tools to cut the existing pipe, etc.

I can guarantee you there is not an opening there for you to cement a standpipe into. If there was, you'd be smelling sewer gases because the pipe would be wide open.

You may need a plumber... :) You may want a plumber... You may save money hiring a plumber...
 
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rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
14
61
because you're buying epson cartridges from a retail store. Buy hte generics mail order and you save 90%

Its not connected to the sewer so no gases. There is a hole with a little bit of pipe sticking up. After looking at it, it looks like there was a wash sink there that someone took when they moved.

Good point on the size though. I'll go home and measure before hitting up the store.
 

Slacker

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
8,623
33
91
if you could see inside your walls... (the components are probably more modern than yours but the configuration should be the same) the drain should be right by the shut off valves for the supply lines.

WasherDrainPan.jpg
 

boomerang

Lifer
Jun 19, 2000
18,883
641
126
Its not connected to the sewer so no gases. There is a hole with a little bit of pipe sticking up. After looking at it, it looks like there was a wash sink there that someone took when they moved.

Good point on the size though. I'll go home and measure before hitting up the store.
I don't know if you're responding to me because the quote in your reply post is talking about ink cartridges.

If there is a stub sticking out of the floor, you'll need the appropriate length of the same size pvc pipe and a coupler. Also get primer and pvc cement.

Before you cement that standpipe on there, make sure there is nothing stuffed into the stub. A rag, or something else. That drain runs to the sewer or to your septic if you're out in the boonies. You should be smelling sewage unless it's been plugged up intentionally so as not to stink up the place. You will have a big mess on your hands with washer discharge going into a blocked up pipe and it will be nearly impossible to remove. Check it first.

There is a possibility that if you are out in a rural area with septic systems that the standpipe discharges into a dry well that was constructed so that soapy water does not go into the septic. In that case there may be no odor coming from an unplugged pipe.

I can't emphasize enough that you need to make sure nothing is blocking that stub before you put on the standpipe.
 

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
14
61
I don't know if you're responding to me because the quote in your reply post is talking about ink cartridges.

If there is a stub sticking out of the floor, you'll need the appropriate length of the same size pvc pipe and a coupler. Also get primer and pvc cement.

Before you cement that standpipe on there, make sure there is nothing stuffed into the stub. A rag, or something else. That drain runs to the sewer or to your septic if you're out in the boonies. You should be smelling sewage unless it's been plugged up intentionally so as not to stink up the place. You will have a big mess on your hands with washer discharge going into a blocked up pipe and it will be nearly impossible to remove. Check it first.

There is a possibility that if you are out in a rural area with septic systems that the standpipe discharges into a dry well that was constructed so that soapy water does not go into the septic. In that case there may be no odor coming from an unplugged pipe.

I can't emphasize enough that you need to make sure nothing is blocking that stub before you put on the standpipe.

I'm in the city.

Already snaked the drain which is what lead me to finding out about the washing machine needing an uphill drain to work. Already troublshot the time as well and that's fine.

I didn't have time to do anything last night as ATT was down and I was trying to find where the line got cut. Looks like the neighbor mowed the drop they had ran.
 

momeNt

Diamond Member
Jan 26, 2011
9,290
352
126
So I'm guessing they had a utility sink/tub in their laundry room and the washer drain was just clipped on. Those sinks come in handy, is there a reason you aren't buying one and doing what they did?
 

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
14
61
So I'm guessing they had a utility sink/tub in their laundry room and the washer drain was just clipped on. Those sinks come in handy, is there a reason you aren't buying one and doing what they did?


I plan on it but right now I just need to get it figured, temp fixed and then I'll do it right. I have a ton of stuff going on and don't want to make this a huge project.