No High Speed Spin On Hotpoint Wd22a

[Curious]

Hello. I've just aquired a second hand Hotpoint WD22A Washer Dryer and everything works great except for I cannot get High Speed Spin to work. When I move the programmer to High Spin (1000rpm) the machine creeps up slowly on speed but then stays at a low speed slow spin.

I had a spare motor so I changed that. No joy. And I have replaced the carbon brushes - still no high speed spin. I am now thinking it a fault on the PCB board next to the programmer but I dont have another PCB /Programmer to try. There are two large Transistors on the Heatsink (TY1 & TY2) - could one of them be faulty?

The Instruction Book says that there is a feature on the WD22 that will stop the machine from spinning if there is an uneven load - but I could not find the sensor for it anywhere - normally they have been attached to the suspension legs in other washing machines - If I find the sensor could that be at fault?

My Mrs would shower me with affection if i get it working for her!

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Does it spin OK on delicates or woollens? When you say the washing machine does the slow spin, do you mean a proper spin but at the lower 500 or 800 RPMs, or do you mean the drum only turns at the slow distribute speed normally done before kicking into the proper spin? I ask this because many people describe the distribution action prior to proper spin (which is designed to balance the clothes before spinning) as "slow spin". This then causes problems because it's an entirely different symptom.

• If your washing machine empties the water and distributes the clothes, but doesn't do any proper spinning, then it can be caused by a blocked pressure system or a faulty pressure switch as well as a faulty control pcb or even motor faults. (Make sure you haven't got a "no spin" option button or dial stopping spin)
• If it does the slower spins OK, like 800 revs, but just not the fastest spin then this is a much more unusual fault. If a washing machine spins perfectly OK at other spins then it tends to mean that the motor and module and all other parts are working perfectly fine (unless the motor is labouring and making a grating or crackling noise). Newer washing machines now incorporate the out of balance sensing into the speed control module as opposed to those micro switches on the suspension that were never much use. It's possible on some washing machines for an out of balanced load to only be allowed to spin at slower (safer) spin speeds which would produce this anomally.

As far as the electronic board is concerned, washing machine repairers don't fix those parts. The washing machine modules and PCB have always been a part to replace as a whole, and no parts have ever been available to repair them. If you find a dry joint you can repair that, but anything else requires a replacement board. This is usually an expensive part to replace and as a DIY repair it's risky because there's no guarantee you'll cure the fault.

Washing machine won't spin or drum won't go round )

[Curious]

Thanks ever so much for the very informative and fast reply Andy. I am going to have a look at the washer once again today and will check out the Pressure System and try replacing the switch.

It could be a distribution to balance the clothes as you are saying because the spin is pretty pathetic (not even as fast as a slow spin) but it only goes around in one direction - I would have thought that if it were distributing the clothes for balance that it would go in one direction for a bit and then go in the opposite direction would it not?

The problem is that on the long spin (1000 spin speed) it starts up spinning with the speed "Stepping up" gradually but for the duration of the long speed it just stays at a very low speed (it may not even be as fast as 500/800 rpm) till the end of the program.

I will let you know if anything changes when I have changed the pressure switch.

Many thanks again for your help. I think you are offering a brilliant service

UPDATE: I Changed the Pressure switch for an Identical working one off another washing machine - still hasnt sorted out the high speed spin though.

What I did do next was interesting, I removed the little sensor at the back of the Motor (a little Magnet turns around inside a coil and the small little fly leads dissapear into the motor) and when I removed it and put the washing machine onto Spin (High Speed) the motor burst into high Speed mode but then in a second it stopped. I turned off and tried it again and it did the same thing again. High Speed for a second and then stopped. Can I dentote from this that some component on the Circuit board is not working properly - most probably a chip or transistor?

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

When you tested the washing machine with a different pressure switch fitted, if you allowed it to fill up with water (and if your fault is caused by a blocked pressure system) this would reintroduce the fault.

Description of - how a pressure system works on a washing machine

The little sensor at the back of the motor is the tacho coil, which the electronic module uses to sense and control the motor speed by counting the revolutions of the tacho magnet. If this coil goes open circuit or is removed, the motor will spin continuously because the module gets no signals from it. NOTE: On some washing machines though, it will cause the motor to stop working altogether, which is far more sensible)

I would have thought that if it were distributing the clothes for balance that it would go in one direction for a bit and then go in the opposite direction would it not?

No. Distribution is a 2 minute affair with the drum turning in one direction. This allows time for all the water to be pumped away. The drum turns only fast enough to force the clothes to the sides of the drum. There may be some alternating direction right at the beginning of spin distribution, but this turns into one direction only distribution directly prior to the proper spin.

A washing machine will not kick into proper spin if the pressure switch is still on. Continous distribute with no fast spin is usually caused by blocked pressure chamber, or sometimes if the water not emptying fast enough (plus other possible faults). If it was the latter though, I'd expect other symptoms too and I'd expect you to have noticed it's leaving water in the bottom of the drum.

Just to try and eliminate the pressure system altogether - try the washing machine just on spin, but with the pressure tube disconnected from the pressure switch. WARNING: Do not put the washing machine onto a wash or rinse program with the pressure tubing disconected or not fitted tightly as it will cause the washing machine to flood by overfilling.

[Curious]

Thanks brilliantly Andy. I think you have cured my fault. I took the pipe off the pressure switch and blew through the pipe and now the machine amazingly spins fast full speed now (unless I knocked something whilst removing the pipe). If it was a blockage in the pipe or chamber do you think the problem may re-appear? I hope it doesn't its working great at the moment.

On the subject of the pressure switch I wonder if there would be a diagram somewhere on the net so I can see which adjuster screw on the switch will allow me put more water level into the machine for the wash (40 degrees). At the moment its just covering the bottom of the door seal and I want to add a tad more water - I know that the water level is set at the factory and the newer washing machines use less water for economy reasons but I just want to make it fill up a little bit further.

Thanks ever, ever so much again for your advice Andy.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

If it was a blockage in the pipe or chamber do you think the problem may re-appear? I hope it don’t its working great at the moment.

If you blew down it from the pressure switch end then yes, it will quite possibly reappear in the future. If you don't fancy stripping the front panel off and cleaning the pressure chamber bottle & tubing out properly then you could take a chance (it might not reoccur) but it would be far better to remove and clean the bottle & tubing.

The pressure switch screws should never need adjusting and are sealed. The water level is correct at just under the lip of the door glass. I doubt any adjustment will make much difference to be honest. If you have a "super rinse" button (or similar) then select that and keep it selected, as Hotpoint’s don't seem to take enough extra water in on rinses. Selecting the extra rinse option will improve rinsing.