Hello,

The spring on our washing machine door handle is worn out. I can't
seem to buy the spring separately and have to buy it as part of a
complete handle.

They have told me that if the spring is worn out, perhaps the door
interlock is similarly old and worn too and that I should replace that
at the same time. It's £10. They say that if the interlock fails due
to age, it will blow the pcb and the pcb costs more to replace than
buying a new machine.

I don't know how true any of that is but if there is a microswitch
that senses whether the door is closed, I guess it could fail
eventually and I guess I bought the machine in 2001-2. Do you think it
is worth changing the interlock?

I was told the same story again: that the pcbs used to be
protected by fused inputs but the manufacturers removed the fuses to
save money. I was told that if the brushes wear out on the motor, this
will blow the pcb too. The brushes are about £12/pair.

It looks like I will have to remove the belt and the motor to get a
look at the brushes. I don't want to do this once to have a look and
then a second time a week later to replace them, so I wonder whether
to just buy a pair and do it all in one go.

Do you think it is worth doing this, or do you think they are just
trying to find extra sales of parts?

Thanks,
Stephen.

In article ,
Stephen writes:
Hello,

The spring on our washing machine door handle is worn out. I can't
seem to buy the spring separately and have to buy it as part of a
complete handle.

They have told me that if the spring is worn out, perhaps the door
interlock is similarly old and worn too and that I should replace that
at the same time. It's £10. They say that if the interlock fails due
to age, it will blow the pcb

That sounds to me much more likely to be bull**** than true.

and the pcb costs more to replace than
buying a new machine.

That is often is true.

I don't know how true any of that is but if there is a microswitch
that senses whether the door is closed, I guess it could fail
eventually and I guess I bought the machine in 2001-2. Do you think it
is worth changing the interlock?

If you said the make/model, someone might have some specific knowledge.

I was told the same story again: that the pcbs used to be
protected by fused inputs but the manufacturers removed the fuses to
save money. I was told that if the brushes wear out on the motor, this
will blow the pcb too. The brushes are about £12/pair.

Yes, I had the brushes blow one of the triacs on the PCB, although
I don't know that this is particularly common.
A new triac was less than a quid (actually I think I got two for
less than a quid), although the manufacturer wouldn't regard the
PCB as a repairable item, because they almost certainly buy them
in as complete tested units. Depends if you're up to diagnosing
and repairing the PCB yourself.

It looks like I will have to remove the belt and the motor to get a
look at the brushes. I don't want to do this once to have a look and
then a second time a week later to replace them, so I wonder whether
to just buy a pair and do it all in one go.

Do you think it is worth doing this, or do you think they are just
trying to find extra sales of parts?

How much are they charging? What's the model?

Genuine Hotpoint bearings are under 5 quid from CPC, but you can pay
up to 10 times that price at some places. Likewise motor brushes.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On Sat, 9 Jul 2011 11:02:40 +0000 (UTC),
(Andrew Gabriel) wrote:


Yes, I had the brushes blow one of the triacs on the PCB, although
I don't know that this is particularly common.
A new triac was less than a quid (actually I think I got two for
less than a quid), although the manufacturer wouldn't regard the
PCB as a repairable item, because they almost certainly buy them
in as complete tested units. Depends if you're up to diagnosing
and repairing the PCB yourself.

Thanks for all the advice. It is a Hotpoint WMA63. I think Hotpoint
washing machines are about £300-400. I wouldn't have thought a new pcb
would cost that much? If there was a burnt out triac, I think I would
be able to remove and replace it but the problem is knowing what it
was when the numbers have evaporated from the front

Taking the motor off to check the brushes should be straightforward
but I'm not looking forward to trying to put the belt back on it
afterward. I think I will go with the "if it's not broke don't fix it"
approach for now. I hadn't thought of cpc as a source of parts, I'll
take a closer look.

Thanks,
Stephen.

On 10/07/2011 11:53, Stephen wrote:


Taking the motor off to check the brushes should be straightforward
but I'm not looking forward to trying to put the belt back on it
afterward. I think I will go with the "if it's not broke don't fix it"
approach for now. I hadn't thought of cpc as a source of parts, I'll
take a closer look.

Thanks,
Stephen.

You shouldn't have to remove the motor to check the brushes. If you
slide the top off the washer you should be get to the brushes with no
problem.

That's been my experience with 2 other Hotpoint washers, anyway.

On Sun, 10 Jul 2011 12:01:18 +0100, OG
wrote:

You shouldn't have to remove the motor to check the brushes. If you
slide the top off the washer you should be get to the brushes with no
problem.

The motor is on the bottom of this model. Any reason why I can't lie
it on its back and work from underneath? I know you shouldn't do this
with dishwashers; does the same apply to washing machines?

Thanks,
Stephen.

On 10 Jul,
OG wrote:

You shouldn't have to remove the motor to check the brushes. If you
slide the top off the washer you should be get to the brushes with no
problem.

That's been my experience with 2 other Hotpoint washers, anyway.

You can't take the top off my Hotpoint. However the control panel comes off
easily giving access to the brushes from the front.

--
B Thumbs
Change lycos to yahoo to reply

On Sun, 10 Jul 2011 11:53:30 +0100, Stephen wrote:

Taking the motor off to check the brushes should be straightforward
but I'm not looking forward to trying to put the belt back on it
afterward.

Shouldn't be a problem the motor normally has pivot mount that
enables the belt to be tensioned correctly, just slacken that off and
the belt will drop off/on....

I hadn't thought of cpc as a source of parts, I'll take a closer look.

They have a huge range of white goods spares but unless it has
changed an awful lot of them are not in the catalogue or online. You
have to ring 'em up with make/model etc.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Sun, 10 Jul 2011 13:30:33 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

They have a huge range of white goods spares but unless it has
changed an awful lot of them are not in the catalogue or online. You
have to ring 'em up with make/model etc.

Thanks. That explains why I have never seen any online or in print.

Thanks,
Stephen.

In article , Stephen
scribeth thus
On Sat, 9 Jul 2011 11:02:40 +0000 (UTC),
(Andrew Gabriel) wrote:


Yes, I had the brushes blow one of the triacs on the PCB, although
I don't know that this is particularly common.
A new triac was less than a quid (actually I think I got two for
less than a quid), although the manufacturer wouldn't regard the
PCB as a repairable item, because they almost certainly buy them
in as complete tested units. Depends if you're up to diagnosing
and repairing the PCB yourself.

Thanks for all the advice. It is a Hotpoint WMA63. I think Hotpoint
washing machines are about £300-400. I wouldn't have thought a new pcb
would cost that much? If there was a burnt out triac, I think I would
be able to remove and replace it but the problem is knowing what it
was when the numbers have evaporated from the front

Taking the motor off to check the brushes should be straightforward
but I'm not looking forward to trying to put the belt back on it
afterward. I think I will go with the "if it's not broke don't fix it"
approach for now. I hadn't thought of cpc as a source of parts, I'll
take a closer look.

Thanks,
Stephen.

I've come to the conclusion for our rented properties that a washing
machine thats seen Three years service or more is hardly worth repairing
unless its something cheap and obvious, as most every time the repair
bloke who we know.. its going the cost you at least 100 quid plus for
parts and labour, or more likely these days in his opinion its not worth
bothering with so thats what we do, just buy a new one....

We've used e-spares sometime now, decent range and quick service..
--
Tony Sayer

On Jul 10, 1:33*pm, tony sayer wrote:
In article , Stephen
scribeth thus



On Sat, 9 Jul 2011 11:02:40 +0000 (UTC),
(Andrew Gabriel) wrote:

Yes, I had the brushes blow one of the triacs on the PCB, although
I don't know that this is particularly common.
A new triac was less than a quid (actually I think I got two for
less than a quid), although the manufacturer wouldn't regard the
PCB as a repairable item, because they almost certainly buy them
in as complete tested units. Depends if you're up to diagnosing
and repairing the PCB yourself.

Thanks for all the advice. It is a Hotpoint WMA63. I think Hotpoint
washing machines are about £300-400. I wouldn't have thought a new pcb
would cost that much? If there was a burnt out triac, I think I would
be able to remove and replace it but the problem is knowing what it
was when the numbers have evaporated from the front

Taking the motor off to check the brushes should be straightforward
but I'm not looking forward to trying to put the belt back on it
afterward. I think I will go with the "if it's not broke don't fix it"
approach for now. I hadn't thought of cpc as a source of parts, I'll
take a closer look.

Thanks,
Stephen.

I've come to the conclusion for our rented properties that a washing
machine thats seen Three years service or more is hardly worth repairing
unless its something cheap and obvious, as most every time the repair
bloke who we know.. its going the cost you at least 100 quid plus for
parts and labour, or more likely these days in his opinion its not worth
bothering with so thats what we do, just buy a new one....

We've used e-spares sometime now, decent range and quick service..

If you've got m,ultiple properties/machines, keeping a dead one for
spares may be worthwhile. That eliminates a lot of spares costs. I'd
expect more than 3 yrs from a Bosch, but not from hotpoints. And yes,
yuo can mix/match some parts over different models & makes.


NT

NT wrote:

I'd expect more than 3 yrs from a Bosch, but not from hotpoints.

Three Hotpoint washer/dryers have lasted me ~23 years.

In article ,
stephen writes:
On Sat, 9 Jul 2011 11:02:40 +0000 (UTC),
(Andrew Gabriel) wrote:


Yes, I had the brushes blow one of the triacs on the PCB, although
I don't know that this is particularly common.
A new triac was less than a quid (actually I think I got two for
less than a quid), although the manufacturer wouldn't regard the
PCB as a repairable item, because they almost certainly buy them
in as complete tested units. Depends if you're up to diagnosing
and repairing the PCB yourself.

Thanks for all the advice. It is a Hotpoint WMA63. I think Hotpoint
washing machines are about £300-400. I wouldn't have thought a new pcb
would cost that much? If there was a burnt out triac, I think I would

Hotpoint spares are actually one of the most reasonably priced.

be able to remove and replace it but the problem is knowing what it
was when the numbers have evaporated from the front

Pretty much any 8A 800V triac will do.
However, there was no visible damage to mine.

Taking the motor off to check the brushes should be straightforward
but I'm not looking forward to trying to put the belt back on it
afterward. I think I will go with the "if it's not broke don't fix it"

Belt comes on and off easily. There's an access panel on the rear to
ease wrapping it round the drum pully. Don't try to run the motor
without the belt. The off-load speed for some washing machine motors
is well above their max speed (so they'll fly to pieces). My hotpoint
9561 had speed feedback from the motor to the microprocessor, but the
software didn't cope with no load either, and crashed (followed by me
rapidly hitting the poweroff button as the motor took off).

approach for now. I hadn't thought of cpc as a source of parts, I'll
take a closer look.

They don't do a white goods spares catalogue anymore and you can't
order them online even if you know the part number, so you have to
call them. (There are a few things in the main catalogue which you
can order online, but most of their white goods spares aren't.)

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

In article , Stephen
writes
On Sat, 9 Jul 2011 11:02:40 +0000 (UTC),
(Andrew Gabriel) wrote:


Yes, I had the brushes blow one of the triacs on the PCB, although
I don't know that this is particularly common.
A new triac was less than a quid (actually I think I got two for
less than a quid), although the manufacturer wouldn't regard the
PCB as a repairable item, because they almost certainly buy them
in as complete tested units. Depends if you're up to diagnosing
and repairing the PCB yourself.

Thanks for all the advice. It is a Hotpoint WMA63. I think Hotpoint
washing machines are about £300-400. I wouldn't have thought a new pcb
would cost that much? If there was a burnt out triac, I think I would
be able to remove and replace it but the problem is knowing what it
was when the numbers have evaporated from the front

Taking the motor off to check the brushes should be straightforward
but I'm not looking forward to trying to put the belt back on it
afterward. I think I will go with the "if it's not broke don't fix it"
approach for now. I hadn't thought of cpc as a source of parts, I'll
take a closer look.

This outfit were pointed out to me when I was looking for exchange
boards for Hotpoint, they seem to be a trusted trade source:
http://www.emwelec.co.uk/

They only have one board mentioned for your machine:
http://www.emwelec.co.uk/index.php?action=item&id=25

Interestingly, known faults include
"1 Blown tracks as a result of a shorting interlock (door light flashes
- change door interlock and board)"
so maybe the door interlock change recommendation wasn't entirely BS.

In the end, the machine I repaired was fixed by changing a duff cap in
the 5V switch mode power supply circuit that showed the typical bulging
end. Worth checking before replacing a board in modern machine. This was
a 4-5yr old model and had 2 boards, each with a single chip comp and a
bunch of relays on the main control board, no triacs that I could see
(maybe they have learned from previous mistakes).
--
fred
FIVE TV's superbright logo - not the DOG's, it's ********

On Jul 9, 11:16*am, Stephen wrote:
Hello,

The spring on our washing machine door handle is worn out. I can't
seem to buy the spring separately and have to buy it as part of a
complete handle.

They have told me that if the spring is worn out, perhaps the door
interlock is similarly old and worn too and that I should replace that
at the same time. It's £10. They say that if the interlock fails due
to age, it will blow the pcb and the pcb costs more to replace than
buying a new machine.

horse output. Those switches go sc and oc as part of normal use.


I don't know how true any of that is but if there is a microswitch
that senses whether the door is closed, I guess it could fail
eventually and I guess I bought the machine in 2001-2. Do you think it
is worth changing the interlock?

I was told the same story again: that the pcbs used to be
protected by fused inputs but the manufacturers removed the fuses to
save money. I was told that if the brushes wear out on the motor, this
will blow the pcb too. The brushes are about £12/pair.

Bad brushes reduces current draw. Loads of machines have had their
brushes replaced when needed without the pcb dying.


It looks like I will have to remove the belt and the motor to get a
look at the brushes. I don't want to do this once to have a look and
then a second time a week later to replace them, so I wonder whether
to just buy a pair and do it all in one go.

Do you think it is worth doing this, or do you think they are just
trying to find extra sales of parts?

Thanks,
Stephen.

Sounds like the usual games to me.


NT