Bosch Washer Dryer Not Drying Clothes

[greencroft]

I have a Bosch Exxcel WVD24520GB which leaves the clothes Hot and Steamy wet at the end of the drying cycle. They are actually wetter than after the spin cycle.

From what I've read the problem could either be the cold water inlet valve or a blocked condenser.

I've checked the three solenoids with a dvm and get 5.3k for the condenser solenoid and 3.7k for the other two is this correct?

If these are ok that leaves a possibly blocked condenser. How do you remove and clean the condenser. When going through the drying phase some water is being pumped out and down the drain hose. When the drying phase is complete if you remove the plug at the bottom right water is still there.

I tried removing the two screws holding the fan above the condenser but it wouldn't move. Wish I could find instructions how to strip down and clean the condenser etc.

Any advice very much appreciated.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

I couldn't quote exact resistance readings although I would expect all 3 solenoids to be roughly the same unless by any chance one was a different size. Water valve solenoids have high resistance readings as there's a lot of thin wire coiled around them. I've only really come across faults where they were open circuit though as opposed to wrong readings.

If water is regularly being pumped out during the dry cycle it suggests that water is trickling into the condenser chamber ok.

If by the term "plug" you mean the pump filter then there should always be water in there even hours after a cycle has finished. Washing machine pumps canot pump all the water out and there's usually a good couple of cups or mugs full of water in there. Any more than that would suggest a possible problem pumping out.

This previous thread also covers the problem - laundry coming out hot and steamy after drying

[greencroft]

Thanks for the reply. Do you think the likely cause of my problem is a blocked condenser.

I've tried removing the fan by removing the two screws but with them removed the fan still wouldn't budge and didn't want to use undue force.

Is there more to removing the fan than the two screws?

Any advice on removing or cleaning the condenser path. The pump does push water out during the drying cycle but clothes still wet at the end.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

The condenser should be a plastic container on the back of the tub. If there is a blockage it should be there. A blocked condenser chamber would cause the hot and wet laundry symptom but it should also result in little or no water being pumped out during the cycle. It's possible a partial blockage could cause issues though. Check the condenser chamber where the water runs into the main tub.

[Benny26]

The metal mounting plate for the fan has a set of lugs that fit into similar sized gaps in the top of the plastic condenser body. Fitting the fan to the body involves lining the lugs up with the holes, (i.e. the gaps in the plastic rim round the edge of the hole in the top of the plastic condenser body), pressing down, compressing the rubber O ring, then rotating the body of the fan until the screw holes on the metal fan flange line up with those on the plastic condenser. IIRC it's about an eighth of a turn. It's easy from the dismantled state, because you know which way to rotate the fan body.  To dismantle it you obviously have to rotate it in the opposite direction. With old O rings they get flattened, and often stick to the fan's metal flange. Hard part can be keeping the O ring in place whilst rotating the metal flange.

So it's a bit like a 'bayonet' fit, if you know what I mean.  The lugs go under the rim/edge of the hole in the top of the plastic condenser body. So that's why the fan doesn't simply lift off when you remove the two screws holding it down. It has to be turned until its lugs line up with those gaps, then it can be lifted off.

[MartinJ]

Having checked water inlet valves, heater element, removed fan and cleared fluff as far as I can reach, there's still more fluff inside condenser. The next stage is to remove the condenser in order to reach the bottom of it. Looks like a major strip down to access the screws that secure it to the outer drum. Has anyone tackled this job, and if so are there any shortcuts?

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

I’ve not had to take one out before. If there was a blockage in the top of the condenser chamber it should stop water running into it and if there was one at the bottom it would stop water running out of it. I can imagine a blockage anywhere else really. 
 

As a quick experiment try placing just a couple of paper towels in the drum and see if they blow about, or act in any way that indicates whether or not air is being blown into the drum from the vent at the top of the door seal.