On Sun, 06 Dec 2015 12:27:54 -0600, Jon Elson
wrote:

Larry Jaques wrote:


I might expect one relay for each water temp, one for motor start, and
maybe one for switching into spin mode, but 12? What the hell does
your washer DO, besides wash clothes? Iron, fold, and stack, too?

No, no no! This thing is a computer video game with a washing machine
grafted on the side for grins!

OK, yes, there is cold and hot water main inlet. Then, the incoming water
can go straight into the tub, or it can be diverted into the softener tank,
the detergent tank or the bleach tank, to deliver some of that product into
the tub. Then, when the recirculate pump is on, it has valves to select
where that water goes. It has two pumps (recirculate and drain) and a VFD
to run the drum motor. There is a spline coupling between the motor and the
basket. When the tub is filled to a certain level, an air chamber floats
the basket up to disconnect the spin coupling, and then the motor is rocked
back and forth for the agitate function. When draining, the basket lands on
the coupling, and then the motor tweaks back and forth gently until the
basket seats the coupling onto the shaft before starting the spin cycle, so
as not to tear up the coupling.

The pump motors look kind of like giant photograph motors, so apparently
they are 120 V shaded pole motors, but have magnets in the rotor. The
recirculate motor starts smoothly, but the larger drain motor rattles and
vibrates for a while until the rotor falls into sync. Quite a strange way
to do things. So, I think two of the big relays are for the pump motors.
Another big relay must be for the heater, but I think our actual machine
does NOT have a heater installed in the tub.

I was able to download the service manual for the thing, by pressing certain
buttons, you can activate multiple diagnostic and test procedures that
exercise and partially self-test verious parts of the machine.

Sheesh, what a bunch of complexity, to do what used to be done with some
smooth rocks down at the riverside!

Jon

We've got one of those damned things. Be sure and use the "washing
machine cleaner" every month or so, and use the extra rinse button.
Otherwise, soap scum builds up around the shaft seal, it fails, then
the drum bearing fails, and the cheap (NOT) fix is haul it to the shop
and have them replace the damned drum plus bearing assembly. It ain't
cheap.

My brother fixed his own, after the repairman he called said he should
just replace the whole thing. Didn't even know (or want to admit) how
to run the diagnostics. Chuck figured that out after he ran the guy
off, and repaired accordingly.

Wife likes it, I hate the damned thing.

Pete Keillor