Hoover VisionTech Washer dead

[steverob10]

Hi - any suggestions about likely causes of the following issue?

This washer is at least 4 years old and had just finished a wash cycle - displaying "end" in the display. All of a sudden, the breaker in the fuse box went pop, and my wife, who was in a neighbouring room, believes she heard it to be louder than usual, followed by a hissing sound. (The breakers and machine are in the same room so with no-one there, it's hard to say whether the machine went pop, or just the breaker. Anyway, the machine no longer shows signs of life: no display.

I have read the checklist and checked the fuses (one in the plug, and one further upstream in a wall mounted fuse holder) - both OK. I have reset the breaker and still no sign of life. I am now checking the control board having removed the top and front panel: no immediate signs of a burn-out anywhere. Given the machine had ended its cycle, I'm inclined to think that it's not likely to be the motor or pump because they would have to be drawing current to go wrong. I can't see any other obvious signs of a problem, and to be honest, no smell of burning so maybe the "hissing sound" clue is a red herring. What would be the order of things to check after this?

I was wondering if the silvery cylindrical block near the point where the mains cable enters the unit could be a capacitor and whether they blow?

Suggestions welcome - thank you!

 

[steverob10]

Well if anyone else has the same problem - I found the issue. It's the power board in the base of the machine. I removed it and found part of the board was blackened. Got a new one on order: best price was with the link on this forum.

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/4PPA0nH.jpg" alt="Hoover PCB">

https://i.imgur.com/4PPA0nH.jpg

 

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Thanks. I was going to say the capacitor was a suspect but if it had blown there would likely be a physical sign. 

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Please let us know how you get on. My concern if a board is blown is what caused it? Was it just the board that failed, or did something else blow it?

[steverob10]

Hi - yes, it was the board - the new one is installed and working. But what caused the original fault? Still wondering about that. We had a power surge just before Christmas, and later that day the element in the oven went - not very convenient to say the least. Coincidence? Probably. But if the washer was on (can't remember whether it was or wasn't) when the power surge happened, perhaps that might have caused a transient spike that damaged the diode next to the transformer on the board. It was then a matter of time before the device packed in. My theory is that since the display was showing "End" before it failed, maybe the door interlock relay that releases the door after the end of the cycle is the thing that tipped it over the edge.

We will likely never know the root cause, but we do know that the power board was the faulty item and replacing it has fixed the washer.

 

Thank you for your comments!

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

That’s great news. I bet I had you worried for a while. It’s always a gamble replacing a pcb especially one that’s blown. It may well have been related to the power surge. 

[DIY_Rob]

Hi Andy, thanks for the useful info!  It's great that a resource like this exists online.

My problem is a little unusual. 

It is the result of a botched repair (not mine!).  I know what the fault is, even if I don't know the solution. 

After my housemate replaced the brushes, the machine worked for about four cycles, then tripped the fuse box in the middle of the night.

Now the washing machine will not switch on - it's as if it were 'dead'.  (It's not the fuse.)

On investigation, I can clearly see that one of the wires was trapped by the motor as it was replaced.  I can only surmise that was the cause of the power surge / problem.

I wonder if you could comment on the potential solution? 

Would it be as simple as stripping back the wire to reconnect it?  Or would I need to take a more serious approach, like steverob10 above?  

I can't actually see the part stevebob mentioned - I assume it is encased in plastic?  

Anyway, any advice gratefully received!  

Rob

 

 

[steverob10]

Good luck with your problem. The power control box is in the base of the machine, accessible through the rear panel. You can't really miss it: a black plastic box with several wiring looms connected into it with multipin connectors. I dismantled the box to get at the board to see if it was likely the source of the problem.

[DIY_Rob]

Hi Steverob10, thanks for the advice - it looks like a blown motherboard - just like yours.  What a hassle...  

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Yes if you get a direct short like that it can often blow the PCB. Sadly most of them don't seem to be protected by a fuse, which seems ridiculous.

[ttoesch]

Hi all,

i know it´s a very old post and likely no one will answer but i´m facing the exactly same problem on my dad´s washer.

So i already ordered a spare pcb (one out of two available on appliancespareparts 🙂 ) but now i´m wondering if anyone knows how to find schematics for this PCB?

thx&br

Tom

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Hi Tom. Schematics for washing machine PCBs aren’t available. Washing manufacturers don’t repair them, and never have. They just instruct their engineers, and all independent engineers to replace the whole PCB. 

They also don’t supply any parts for them, we have no information about them at all. I presume you have good knowledge about them from a different trade?

As such, it’s very risky replacing one unless sure that it is faulty, and there are no other faults that have caused the fault (especially if something has blown). 
 

Good luck with the new PCB. Let us know how you get on. 

[ttoesch]

Hi Andy.

That was super fast reply, thank you very much!

Yeah i see, the throwaway society is growing. But recently they came up with a financial budget for repairs here in austria so i was (and i´m still) fully motivated to not just repair dad´s washer and collect as much knowledge as i can get 💪

Thanks, will keep you posted.