Washing Machine

[n2ize]

I just bought a new washing machine. The old one developed some problems which to fix would have cost me between $100-$200 in parts + would require i disassemble the entire machine and put it back together which I don;t have time to do. The other alternative would have been calling a service man in to fix it.. Figure it would still cost the same or more in parts + a few hours labor and I'd have a pretty high price just to fix an old machine. So I bought a new front loader. $600.00 it has several features my old one didn't. They claim it spins out at 1200 rpm and the clothes come out wrung out to the point of almost being "dry". It should get here on Saturday. I am going to have fun. I'll be washing everything in sight. Plus my folks live downstairs so they'll be using it as well. I purchased a 5 year service contract so when it breaks down in 5 years + 1 day I can curse up a storm and kick the machine.

[NQ6U]

Last time our washing machine broke down, I was very glad I called in a pro. They are very weird machines that don't go together like anything else I've ever worked on. Even if I'd been able to troubleshoot the problem (which I wasn't), I never would have figured out how to take the damned thing apart to replace the worn out parts.

[W3WN]

A few years ago, our washing machine had a part failure. Wouldn't go into the spin cycle.

Long out of warranty, so I called a repair service. $150 of labor later (including the house-call fee to show up), the cause of failure was the switch in the top that detects whether or not the lid is closed. If the lid is open, it won't go into spin cycle for safety reasons.

Cost of the replacement cheap plastic switch: $5.95. But to get to the switch, you have to know how to disassemble the machine...

Next time it fails, though, we'll probably get a new washer. I'd say that after about 20 years, the unit (inital cost around $200 back then) has more than paid for itself.

[w3bny]

Meh! He3's and 4 major problem is the drain pump. 99 bucks+ shipping, a T-20 bit to take the three screws off, pump pliers to finish the hose disconnection. no biggie!

[PA5COR]

Zanussi Lion 1200 here, for the last 6 years, no problem.( 1200 rpm)
Kept the old one 15 years in service, rebuild it about 4 times, pump, heating element and some other small stuff.
Could buy new one then, but i repaired the old one because i could ;)
Till the wife nagged me too much, and bought this one...

When i had little money and was young,bought an old one for peanuts once, put in new bearing and it ran for 12 years without problems.

Will get a new tumble dryer this week, the old one is totally scrap now, plastic breaking and the engine making last gasp of air noises...

[rot]

Zanussi Lion 1200 here, for the last 6 years, no problem.( 1200 rpm)
Kept the old one 15 years in service, rebuild it about 4 times, pump, heating element and some other small stuff.
Could buy new one then, but i repaired the old one because i could ;)
Till the wife nagged me too much, and bought this one...

When i had little money and was young,bought an old one for peanuts once, put in new bearing and it ran for 12 years without problems.

Will get a new tumble dryer this week, the old one is totally scrap now, plastic breaking and the engine making last gasp of air noises...

Clothes washing in the laundromats of Denmark was always fun (well YMMV). The washers would just aggitate a bit and heat the water...then you would transfer the load into a centrifuge and spin the shitz out of them...After that the drying was pretty quick. I was pretty confused the first time and could speak very little Danish. Had a little old Danish lady take over and get me through the whole proceedure. Pretty spunky old girl who saw me struggling and helped me out. Seemed liked a pretty smart way to do it...I guess the home versions wash and spin...
rot

[KG4CGC]

I had a 1972 Kenmore dryer that lasted 35 years. The washer, 27 years.

[KC2UGV]

But to get to the switch, you have to know how to disassemble the machine...

Next time it's the switch, push the tub towards the switch's location, yank that sucker out so you can work on it. Then, splice the wires together.

No more switch required :)

[W3WN]

Next time it's the switch, push the tub towards the switch's location, yank that sucker out so you can work on it. Then, splice the wires together.

No more switch required :)

Not so fast.

The switch in question is on the top of the washer. There's a little plastic piece on the washer lid, it is inserted into another plastic piece on the washer body. That piece on the body holds the switch in question; inserting the plastic is what activates the switch. (There's an obvious phallic reference I could make here, but I won't)

Suffice to say, I have to remove the washer body's shell to get to that switch. But if there is a next time, I will do exactly that; remove the shell, short the switch out (rendering said phallic imagery, shall we say, impotent? certainly irrelevant) and go on my merry way. However, there are some signs of rust on the body, so the next failure may be all the excuse I need to replace the unit anyway.

[NQ6U]

On mine, something called the spin clutch burned out. Not only did I have no idea that there was such a thing in a washing machine, I watched the entire process as the service tech replaced it and it quickly became obvious that I never would have figured out how to do it on my own. It was a bit spendy, around $150 with parts, but that's cheaper than a new machine.