Hotpoint making hum noise when heating water (video attached)

[MrRatty]

Hello everyone 😀

My hotpoint washing machine has begun making an odd low humming noise, it can be heard even when the drum is not spinning and only happens towards the start of the washing cycle, maybe when it is heating up the water? After those initial stages, after the water has heated up (can feel warmth through the door) it stops making that noise.

 

I have recorded it, listen out for the noise between the spins at the start and end of the video. The noise is constant in the video, but you won't hear it when the drum is spinning as that louder noise hides it.

 

Does anyone know what this is please? Is it a sign that something is about to go wrong and/or needs replacing? Other than this new noise it works fine.

 

The machine is a Hotpoint BHWM129 7kg, if that is meaningful to anyone. I think it is around 5 years old now.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice/tips.

Mr Ratty.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Hi. Is it a recirculation pump? Some washing machines have a separate pump running in the wash section to pump water from the bottom of the drum over the top of the laundry. 
 

This in effect showers the revolving laundry with soapy water and allows them to use less water on wash. Basically it’s the principle of a shower uses less water than a bath. 
 

You obviously should have noticed the noise before so maybe it’s changed? Could the pump be jammed for example?

[MrRatty]

2 minutes ago, Whitegoodshelp (Andy) said:

Hi. Is it a recirculation pump? Some washing machines have a separate pump running in the wash section to pump water from the bottom of the drum over the top of the laundry. 
 

This in effect showers the revolving laundry with soapy water and allows them to use less water on wash. Basically it’s the principle of a shower uses less water than a bath. 
 

You obviously should have noticed the noise before so maybe it’s changed? Could the pump be jammed for example?

I have no idea Andy, I cannot hear any flow of water when its making that noise. So if it was that pump, are you saying it is not working to bring the water from the bottom to pump over the top? If that pump is used later in the washing process, which I guess it is, there is no sound then. Once the water is heated up, it carries on with the wash, spinning and washing without the noise being heard 😐

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

If it has a circulation pump, that pump should only run on the main wash cycle. A totally separate pump drains the water. You would need to look at the specs on the manufacturer's website, or maybe a website still selling it to see if it mentions circulation pump. Or look in the user manual. Alternatively, you would have to do physically look to see if there is one. Can't be hard to find if there is one, it will be separate to the drain pump. And it would have to pump water from the sump hose, backup to the top of the tub so they will be hoses that you can trace. If it has one, and it has jammed, that would explain no water been sprinkled onto the laundry.

If it doesn't have one, then I can't think of anything else that it could be. To be honest, it sounds like a pump running. It doesn't sound like a pump jammed, either.

[MrRatty]

On 25/04/2023 at 14:11, Whitegoodshelp (Andy) said:

If it has a circulation pump, that pump should only run on the main wash cycle. A totally separate pump drains the water. You would need to look at the specs on the manufacturer's website, or maybe a website still selling it to see if it mentions circulation pump. Or look in the user manual. Alternatively, you would have to do physically look to see if there is one. Can't be hard to find if there is one, it will be separate to the drain pump. And it would have to pump water from the sump hose, backup to the top of the tub so they will be hoses that you can trace. If it has one, and it has jammed, that would explain no water been sprinkled onto the laundry.

If it doesn't have one, then I can't think of anything else that it could be. To be honest, it sounds like a pump running. It doesn't sound like a pump jammed, either.

Hello Andy, thanks for the update. I have not been able to work out if it has a circulation pump, as can't find anything in manual and have not dragged it out to look at the back. 

But I was wondering, could it be something called "kettling", which I have read is the scaling up of the filament? Or are you confident it is a pump sound and certainly not that?

Do you advise someone checks it over, or if its working fine just put up with it? Maybe its a sign a major fault about to happen? Maybe the filament needs replacing? 

Kind Regards 😃

 

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Hi there. Kettling was the first thing I thought of, but it doesn't sound like it. It's difficult to be sure listening from a video, but Kettling should literally sound like a kettle boiling. The sound that I hear on the video sounds like a low rumble. It also sounds like I can still hear the noise even when the drum is evolving. With Kettling, caused by excessive limescale covering the heating element, the noise stops as soon as the water starts to swish about.

 

[MrRatty]

4 minutes ago, Whitegoodshelp (Andy) said:

Hi there. Kettling was the first thing I thought of, but it doesn't sound like it. It's difficult to be sure listening from a video, but Kettling should literally sound like a kettle boiling. The sound that I hear on the video sounds like a low rumble. It also sounds like I can still hear the noise even when the drum is evolving. With Kettling, caused by excessive limescale covering the heating element, the noise stops as soon as the water starts to swish about.

 

Oh I see, thank you. Yes, its definitely still making that noise when the water and drum are active (until later once water heated). I have trimmed the video to just where the noise is (attached), so volume can be turned up, should be able to hear it better in that 😃

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

My guess would still be a circulation pump. If no water is trickling down onto the laundry from the top of the drum, then maybe the pump is jammed. This would explain why the noise is audible all the time on wash even when the drum is moving, and only on the wash cycle. Kettling, is a more high-pitched sound, which tends to rise in pitch.

But having said all that I cannot rule out the possibility of it being something else, or even a heating element completely caked in limescale. Do you live in a hard water area? You should only get a problem with limescale covering the heating element if you have hard water, or at least moderately hard, and you regularly don't use enough washing machine detergent.

Washing machine detergent contains water softening agents. So even in a very hard water area, as long as you use the correct amount of detergent as described on the packaging you should be protected from limescale.

[MrRatty]

1 minute ago, Whitegoodshelp (Andy) said:

My guess would still be a circulation pump. If no water is trickling down onto the laundry from the top of the drum, then maybe the pump is jammed. This would explain why the noise is audible all the time on wash even when the drum is moving, and only on the wash cycle. Kettling, is a more high-pitched sound, which tends to rise in pitch.

But having said all that I cannot rule out the possibility of it being something else. Do you live in a hard water area? You should only get a problem with limescale covering the heating element if you have hard water, or at least moderately hard, and you regularly don't use enough washing machine detergent.

Washing machine detergent contains water softening agents. So even in a very hard water area, as long as you use the correct amount of detergent as described on the packaging you should be protected from limescale.

Ok, thank you Andy. The noise happens for around the first 15 minutes, but after hot water heated it stops. Would the circulation pump be active in the later stages of the wash as well? Because the noise would carry on if it was wouldn't it? If the circulation pump is just active at the start, then it sounds like it could be that then 😐

Yes I live in the south east England, its a hard water area, but always use detergent.

[andyr12345]

hi Andy - I have owned quite a few Hotpoint machines over the years and I have never ever come across a Hotpoint with a circulation pump system - in fact I dont even ever recall Hotpoint adopting that system ever. Just the normal drain pump and that's it. 
Zanussi  tended to have  the circulation in some of their jet wash models I think. But never seen a Hotpoint with that kind of setup myself.

 

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

That’s weird as there’s nothing else that could be running except the heater but it sounds nothing like any kettling I’ve ever heard?

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

3 hours ago, MrRatty said:

Ok, thank you Andy. The noise happens for around the first 15 minutes, but after hot water heated it stops. Would the circulation pump be active in the later stages of the wash as well? Because the noise would carry on if it was wouldn't it? If the circulation pump is just active at the start, then it sounds like it could be that then 😐

Yes I live in the south east England, its a hard water area, but always use detergent.

Hi there. It's a question of using enough detergent. Most people do not use enough to tackle hard water.

If the heating element is only on for 15 minutes then it could be coming from the heating element. Try it on the 60° wash cycle, you don't need any laundry inside or even detergent. But just out of curiosity, is the noise louder and does it run for longer when it's heating the water to a higher temperature?

[MrRatty]

19 hours ago, Whitegoodshelp (Andy) said:

Hi there. It's a question of using enough detergent. Most people do not use enough to tackle hard water.

If the heating element is only on for 15 minutes then it could be coming from the heating element. Try it on the 60° wash cycle, you don't need any laundry inside or even detergent. But just out of curiosity, is the noise louder and does it run for longer when it's heating the water to a higher temperature?

Hi Andy, thanks again for the reply. I have raised the temperature, the noise is the same volume. But have the following extra info ..

The noise starts 2 minutes into the cycle, it is after the initial water has gone in and been swished around. BUT, if I turn off the temperature, the noise stops. If I then turn on the temperature again, it comes back. So it is definitely something to do with the heating up process. No new water seems to be coming in when it is making the noise, it is just heating up the water already present and swishing it around. The water is heated up fine though. So a wash with no heat does not make the noise.

I think maybe the heating element is making the noise, or something to do with that? But it is all actually working fine apart from the noise when its heating the water. My other half thinks the noise has started after she did a cleaning wash on 90 degrees, to that high temperature may have triggered the noise.

What are your thoughts please? Just live with it? Aim to replace something? Is it even viable to change the heating element in the machine? Would it cost a lot?

Kind Regards,

Niall.

[MrRatty]

22 hours ago, andyr12345 said:

hi Andy - I have owned quite a few Hotpoint machines over the years and I have never ever come across a Hotpoint with a circulation pump system - in fact I dont even ever recall Hotpoint adopting that system ever. Just the normal drain pump and that's it. 
Zanussi  tended to have  the circulation in some of their jet wash models I think. But never seen a Hotpoint with that kind of setup myself.

 

Thanks for the info AndyR 😃

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Hi. Nice one. It seems pretty conclusive that it’s the heating element. A heating element should not make any noise other than if on a very hot wash you will hear a similar sound to a kettle. But only on 60 or 90 degrees wash cycles. 
 

I have to be cautious about advising to ignore. So I can only advise that it needs looking at. It’s possible for an element to even break though it should instantly fuse the appliance. But that’s assuming electrics are 100% ok. 
 

Please let us know if you find a solution.