The Night Tripper wrote:
Hi all
Just wanted to pick a few brains before taking the next step with washing
machine repair.

Machine is Zanussi FR1450W, around 6 years old, heavily used. I've fixed a
few minor problems before.

Now it's refusing to drain. At the end of a wash cycle it sits there humming
merrily. I've succeeded in moving it through the cycles using the small bore
drain pipe at the bottom. In the course of this I also unscrewed the filter
(dirty but not excessively so) and saw the pump impeller blades turning.

To me this sort-of points to the outlet pipe being blocked, but Ii do also
wonder about the water pump. I think the point at which it 'sits there
quietly humming' is when the impellor is going round but no water is being
pumped; however it's not as noisy as I'd expect if the pump was trying to
pump past a blockage. So I'm wondering if the pump is faulty to the extent
that the impeller is turning but with little/no power.

Thoughts? I'm inclined to order a pump pattern replacement and then I have
it to hand when looking at the outlet pipe. But I'm happy to learn of
options which might save me the time/hassle/expense...

Thanks
J^n



Almost certainly a blocked outlet/drain. Such an obstacle does not
present an undue load to the pump as it only has to rotate a core of
water inside the pump body and so will not make any more noise or
consume more power or overheat. Hence it is fail safe
Bob

Hi all
Just wanted to pick a few brains before taking the next step with washing
machine repair.

Machine is Zanussi FR1450W, around 6 years old, heavily used. I've fixed a
few minor problems before.

Now it's refusing to drain. At the end of a wash cycle it sits there humming
merrily. I've succeeded in moving it through the cycles using the small bore
drain pipe at the bottom. In the course of this I also unscrewed the filter
(dirty but not excessively so) and saw the pump impeller blades turning.

To me this sort-of points to the outlet pipe being blocked, but Ii do also
wonder about the water pump. I think the point at which it 'sits there
quietly humming' is when the impellor is going round but no water is being
pumped; however it's not as noisy as I'd expect if the pump was trying to
pump past a blockage. So I'm wondering if the pump is faulty to the extent
that the impeller is turning but with little/no power.

Thoughts? I'm inclined to order a pump pattern replacement and then I have
it to hand when looking at the outlet pipe. But I'm happy to learn of
options which might save me the time/hassle/expense...

Thanks
J^n

On Oct 28, 8:47*am, The Night Tripper wrote:
Hi all
* * * * Just wanted to pick a few brains before taking the next step with washing
machine repair.

Machine is Zanussi FR1450W, around 6 years old, heavily used. I've fixed a
few minor problems before.

Now it's refusing to drain. At the end of a wash cycle it sits there humming
merrily. I've succeeded in moving it through the cycles using the small bore
drain pipe at the bottom. In the course of this I also unscrewed the filter
(dirty but not excessively so) and saw the pump impeller blades turning.

To me this sort-of points to the outlet pipe being blocked, but Ii do also
wonder about the water pump. I think the point at which it 'sits there
quietly humming' is when the impellor is going round but no water is being
pumped; however it's not as noisy as I'd expect if the pump was trying to
pump past a blockage. So I'm wondering if the pump is faulty to the extent
that the impeller is turning but with little/no power.

Thoughts? I'm inclined to order a pump pattern replacement and then I have
it to hand when looking at the outlet pipe. But I'm happy to learn of
options which might save me the time/hassle/expense...

* * Thanks
* * J^n

Blocked pipe. Note sometimes there's a valve where the hose attaches
to the waste trap on the wall, I've found this blocked before now.

Disconnect hose at wall end and place in bucket sat on top of machine.
See if machine empties, then you'll know what's blocked..


NT

Hi Guys
thanks for the replies, very helpful. I'll be taking a look this weekend
and will let you know what I find.

Cheers
J^n

On Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:46:06 +0000, The Night Tripper wrote:

thanks for the replies, very helpful. I'll be taking a look this weekend
and will let you know what I find.

Errant coins and/or buttons can also be a problem. They act as
butterfly valves in the pipe, only closing when there is suffcient
flow and allowing bits of wire past without a hint of their
existance.

--
Cheers
Dave.

OK, I got around to it tonight rather than the weekend ... took the outlet
pipe off the drain pump and sure enough, an attempt at rodding it revealed a
blockage about 18 inches along. To cut a long story short, a combined
application of hosepipe & water, and further rodding, finally yielded an
enormous and satisfying 'ooze' of congealed washing fibres etc.

Got it back together after ensuring the water was running clear through the
pipe and it's currently doing an empty 95 degree wash with washing soda
crystals. I am fully expecting it to be cured and have given instructions
about regular cleaning cycles along similar lines.

So, thanks for the advice & suggestions. I hadn't realised that the pumps
were so weedy .. it helped to know that.

Cheers
Jon N