Appliance Repair Blog

Whirlpool Calypso won't Drain

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

Model #GVW9959KL2, this top load high efficiency washer would not finish the wash cycle and water would remain inside the tub. The customer tried to start the cycle again several times, but this only resulted in more water in the tub. After wringing out a load of wet clothes, it was time to call for service.

This particular washer may have been a little ahead of its time, as it was an early attempt at producing a high efficiency(read low water use)washing machine for the American market. Front load washers had been out for some time, but some consumers were having a difficult time making the change and the Calypso seemed to offer the best of both worlds. Top load convenience with now water usage.

The Calypso featured an agitator plate in place of a traditional center agitator to wash the clothes. Very little water was used in the cleaning process as the clothes were basically tossed through what little water there was. There are plenty of opinions on this particular washer from great to awful. Personally, I have found many of them have worked well in the right environment, while others didn't hold up for very long.

When I arrived at this call, I already had a pretty good idea of where the problem was given the description by the customer. Large amounts of water visible in the tub is a sure indication of water not draining. The the continuous starting of the cycle will only add more. The drain pumps were redesigned on these models several years ago to help deal with this problem.

Typically this problem will be accompanied by an error message such as 'LD' or long drain. This washer didn't have a working LED display so the customer was unaware of any problem the machine may have been displaying. But once I put the washer into a diagnostic cycle to test the drain motor, it was obvious from the lack of water flowing that something was in the way.

Access to the pump and motor are from underneath the washer, which can be difficult if it is full of water. But once the bottom panel was removed, I was able to begin draining water from the tub by removing one of the water lines to the drain pump. Be aware, any water in the tub will quickly be on the floor once these lines are removed so plan accordingly. With all the water out, I could remove the pump cover and that is where I found the blockage.

The good thing here was once I freed the pump impeller, a quick test in diagnostics showed it was still working fine so no dame was done. I put each of the hoses and clamps back in place before performing a live test with water. The washer filled and drained as expected and no water leak could be seen. The customer was able to get going again on the laundry, which was occupying most of the laundry room.

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Frigidaire Refrigerator making Noise

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

Model #FLSC238DB2,this side by side refrigerator seemed to be cooling properly and doing everything else the customer expected, except it was doing it while making excessive noise. The sound would come and go and was difficult to localize because of how the refrigerator was mounted inside an enclosure. Not a pressing problem, but the somewhat constant noise was making it difficult to be anywhere near the kitchen.

Noise problems can be the result of a common problem, but all to often, then are simply a component making noise. Not that that makes the failure any less likely, but when it comes to looking for the problem, the solution can usually be found simply be getting your ears involved.

Squeaks, clicks, pops and any other random noises are things that can and will occur at some point in an appliance. As the mechanical parts begin to show their age and are continuously subjected to temperature changes, dust and dirt, along with their daily workouts, little sounds begin to appear. Sometimes these noises are quiet and intermittent, while other times they can be heard from the other end of the home. Either way, they need to be looked into because little noises are usually the precursor to something louder in the future.

When I arrived at this call, the customer commented that the noise had stopped shortly after our conversation and really didn't know what to make of it. I figured the noise was due to one of the fan motors and since the compressor was off when I arrived, the fans were to. By selecting a lower temperature to force the compressor and fans on, I was able to quickly recreate the noise and more importantly, pinpoint its source.

The noise was from the back of the refrigerator and most likely from the condenser fan. This fan and motor are used to draw air across the refrigeration condensing coils and the compressor itself to aid in the refrigeration process. If this fan is not moving air properly, the results can range from an excessively warm door liner, to poor cooling, or even failure of the compressor itself.

With the rear cover removed, I could hear the sound clearly as the fan blades rotated, but it didn't become obvious what the problem was until I stopped the motor to have a look. Two of the blades had cracked at the hub allowing them to flex outward and contacting the fan shroud while in use. I replaced the fan with a new one with five working blades. The sound difference between the two was like night and day. The customer was happy to have the refrigerator repaired and working quietly again.

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BSH Home Appliances Corp. Expands Recall of Thermador® Built-In Ovens Due to Fire Hazard

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 08:01:00 +0000

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Thermador® Built-In Ovens

Units: About 37,000 (42,000 built-in ovens were previously recalled in June 2007)

Manufacturer: BSH Home Appliances Corp., of Huntington Beach, Calif.

Hazard: The ovens can have gaps in the insulation where overheating can occur and when used in the self-cleaning mode it can cause nearby cabinets to catch fire. This poses a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: BSH Home Appliances has received three additional reports of incidents, including two that resulted in fires that damaged surrounding cabinets. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall involves Thermador Brand built-in double ovens with model numbers C272B, C302B, SEC272, SEC302, SECD272 and SECD302 and serial numbers between FD8403 through FD8701. Model and serial numbers are located on the underside of the control panel.

Sold at: Appliance and specialty stores nationwide from June 2004 through July 2007 for between $3,000 and $4,400.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the oven’s self-cleaning mode and contact the firm to schedule an inspection and free repair, if necessary.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Thermador at (800) 701-5230 24 hours/day, 7 days/week, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.thermador.com

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Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

Frigidaire Washer won't Start

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:01:00 +0000

Model #GLTF1670AS0, I received a call from this customer the other day asking if I wanted to take a look at her front load washer. The catch was, she had already had a service company working on it and after several visits and parts later, they finally gave up leaving her looking again for a fix. Always enjoying a challenge, I made an appointment to visit here the very next day.

When I arrived, the washer was as it was left, in pieces, which is one of my pet peeves as a technician. Allow me to rant for a moment. If you take something apart while in the customers home, put it back together as you found it. I know many techs will say, "but I will need to take it apart again when I come back". I don't care. Leaving anything in pieces makes it much more easy for parts to become misplaced, it's usually in the customers way, and it simply looks unprofessional. Enough said.

Once I put the machine back together, I started my troubleshooting process by verifying the failure. A piece of advice, never start troubleshooting where someone else left off. Start over at the beginning or risk wandering down the same merry path they did.

Sure enough, the washer did nothing. No lights, no sound, but there was power to the unit as verified with the help of my trusty multimeter. And while it was still in my hand, I began tracing wires in and out of the timer following the wiring diagram to see where the circuit may be open. About 2 minutes into this process the door locked, and the water began to flow.

What I had stumbled upon was a loose connector. Either through dumb luck, or well practiced skill (I pick that one) I had found the wire leading from the timer to the door lock was not making contact. Thus the door was not locking and without the door locked, this washer wasn't going to do anything else.

Now what caused this problem is a mystery since the previous tech did change the timer, which would require unplugging and then replugging in this connector, but my guess is over the years of vibration from washes, the contacts become loose and intermittently began to fail. Then once the timer was changed, the contact probably expanded enough to fail all together.

The good news for the customer was it turned out to be a simple fix, and she was able to get going on that pile of laundry that had accumulated. The bad news for the customer is she lost some money to the other service company, and the delay created a pile of laundry.

I often times like to sum up things by pointing out there is a moral to most stories. Even mine. The original technician never really started troubleshooting the problem, but instead started by changing logical parts. This is a bad habit every (yes every) technician gets into when pressed for time, and really doesn't want to take the extra few minutes to verify their assumption.

You see, we technicians encounter many problems and it doesn't take to long before you have seen the same problems over and over again. So instead of troubleshooting each repair, it's easier and quicker to assume the failure is the same as the last 10 of these we visited. But my motto has been to always verify the failure, because it is much better to leaver the customer knowing you are ordering the right part to resolve the problem, then to HOPE you are ordering the right part.

If you are hoping to fix a broken appliance, it may be time to rethink your career, or as a consumer, time to hire a professional. I prefer to know I am going to fix a broken appliance. Always follow a good trouble shooting process, even it is going to take a few minutes more. The time you save in the long run will be yours to keep.

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Jenn Air Range not Heating

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:01:00 +0000

Model #SVE47100W, this slide in downdraft range had been working normally, but while recently cooking dinner, lasagna to be exact, a fire started inside the oven and after that, it would no longer heat. The broil element was still working which is a good indication the unit still has both electrical circuits functioning. A pretty simple problem to repair, and not much to diagnosing.

Electric ovens, ranges, and cooktops, all use two 120 volt AC circuits to provide the needed current to get the elements hot enough to do their job. At the wall or appliance connection, these two circuits are generally referred to as a single 240 volt AC connection. Just like any other electrical connection, a complete circuit must be made for current to flow. On a normal 120 volt AC circuit, this would consist of the hot lead and the neutral. Because the 240 volt AC connection has two circuits, and a neutral line, components that only require 120 volts AC to operate can use either of these leads and the neutral, while both leads together are used for the heating circuit.

The reason for this explanation is any of these 240 volt AC appliances will still have functioning components such as the oven light, control panel and even convection fans even if one of the circuits has failed. The general rule for trouble shooting is if none of the heating elements is functional, start with the circuit breaker and find out where the circuit is dead. If only one of the elements isn't working, start with the element itself.

Because everything was working on this range, except for the bake element which had caught fire, the reason for the lack of heat was obvious. This element had failed opening the electrical circuit. The resulting fire was probably more for show than anything else.

The important thing to remember when servicing elements is to turn off the power to the oven. Older models, such as this Jenn Air will have voltage going to the element at all times. So if you remove the screws and attempt to pull the element connectors and wires forward to change the element, a shocking surprise may be in store for you.

Once the power was off and the element terminals accessible, I used my meter to verify the condition of the element, which measured as an open circuit to no real surprise. I installed a new element making sure the terminal connectors were tight and not likely to slide off. Put it all back together and with power again to the unit, the new bake element heated just like before.

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Kenmore Dryer drum Loose

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 08:01:00 +0000

Model #41779052991 this smaller gas dryer, made by Frigidaire by the way, seemed to be working fine, but while I was out doing some work on the washer, the customer asked if I could have a look and make sure everything was alright. With no specific complaint, I set out to do a thorough cleaning of the dryers interior and venting system when I came upon a damaged upper drum felt. After talking with the customer, it seems they had been having some problems, specifically with marks getting left on white close. But more about that later.

With the top and front panels removed, I was able to get a good look at the dryers interior components and the layer of lint sitting on just about all of it. Lint not only gets trapped by the dryers lint screen, but will also get past it or around the drum seal and lays on everything like new fallen snow. Because dryers move large amounts of air, any dust that is floating around the laundry room will also find its way into the dryer cabinet. It's a good idea to have your dryer served periodically along with the venting to ensure optimum performance. But I digress.

I noticed the upper drum seal only had one of its original three drum glides attached and the seal itself had seen better days. Once the drum was removed and I began cleaning, I found the remains of the other two glides sitting down on the bottom of the cabinet. The fact the glides were missing and the seal was well worn is not in itself reason to start replacing parts. There was no evidence of noise or physical damage to the dryer so I presented the options to the customer. Concerned most with potential problems, we discussed the possible failures such as noise during operation, damage to the front lip of the drum due to no glides, and the possibility of clothes becoming stuck leaving what appears to be dark lines on the clothes.

This is when the customer piped up and said she had been seeing these marks for some time now and was frustrated because she couldn't find their source. I explained as the upper seal wears down, the drum will sit lower in the front leaving a gap between the bottom seal and the drum lip. In the case of this dryer, I was able to get a finger in between the seal and the drum. Clothes will get stuck in at the bottom and then make a quick trip around the drum stuck in between the drum and the seals.

I assured her a new upper seal would resolve the issue and even prolong the use of her dryer. These seals are glued in place, with a provided high temperature adhesive, and take a few minutes to ensure they will remain in place. It's best to replace the seal them move onto other tasks as the glue drys. Once back together, the gap at the bottom of the drum was missing due to the new upper seal and the clothes should no longer come out with their mysterious markings.

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Frigidaire Dishwasher door Bent

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 08:01:00 +0000

Model #GLD4355RFS0, the door on this dishwasher was no longer latching due to someone in the household accidentally tripping over the door while it was opened. It happens now and again. Someone is emptying the dishwasher while some other unsuspecting family member busy with their own activities runs into the door which happens to be at tripping height. The result can be some level of personal injury, but often the dishwasher doesn't make it out unharmed.

The doors on most dishwashers use a set of hinges mounted on either side as the pivot point for the door. To stop the door at the horizontal point for ease of unloading, there are usually some type of stop in place either as part of the hinge or the door itself. These stops are designed to carry some weight as evidenced by a lower rack full of dishes, but the added weight of some unsuspecting person will usually do some damage.

When faced with this type of failure, it is important to do a complete inspection of the door and hinge mechanism to ensure all broken or damaged parts are identified and replaced. If this isn't done, the obvious parts may get changed, but further unseen damage may result in additional problems in the future.

On this dishwasher, once the outer door panel was replaced, the twist in each of the hinges tells the tale. These hinges pivot on a shoulder screw attached to the tub and also acts as the door stop when it contacts the tub frame. No other damage was noticed so I proceeded to replace the left and right door hinges that were factory fresh and at a more reasonable 90 degree angle.

The door now only opens to the horizontal position, it closes properly and the customer has a new awareness of a potential tripping hazard in the kitchen.

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Frigidaire Oven F3 Error

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 08:01:00 +0000

Model #FEB386CESA, this built in single oven began to display an F3 error just prior to Christmas which proved to make baking a little more difficult than planned. Cycling the power at the breaker didn't seem to have any affect and pressing the cancel button only cleared the error until the next time a bake cycle was started.

The F3 error on this particular oven is an indication of an over temperature condition, meaning the oven is either to hot, or the electronics thinks the oven is to hot. The component that determines the temperature is the oven probe which is a short metal tube that is sticking out from the back wall on most ovens. This probe is temperature sensitive and will change electrical resistance as the oven temperature changes. The electronic range control board uses this resistance to tell the oven temperature and to also know when the oven may be to hot.

Depending on the design, many oven probes can be removed from inside the oven for testing. The best way to test them is to use a multimeter set for measuring resistance and check between the two wires of the probe. Typically a probe at room temperature should read about 1080 ohms. If the probe measures anything wildly different including an open or shorted circuit, then the probe has likely failed.

The probe on this oven was mounted from the back so the easy place to take my measurements was at the connector on the control board. With the connector unplugged from the control board and the multimeter probes attached, I measured an open circuit to the oven probe. An open circuit is the same as infinite resistance and such a high resistance reading to the control board is the same as a very hot oven. Thus the reason for the F3 error code.

I had to pull the oven from the cabinet, but was able to get the temperature probe replaced without to much effort. With power turned back on to the oven, I started a bake cycle and it preheated without any difficulties. The oven was fixed and ready for baking again.

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Frigidaire Range Burners not Heating

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 08:01:00 +0000

Model #FED355EBB, this drop in range began having some troubles in the past when one of the surface burners stopped working. Not the end of the world and with the other three working fine the customer figured they would wait for service. Then within weeks, one of the other burners would not always turn off, and the final straw was when the right front burner would only turn to high. Down to one functioning burner, it was time to call for service.

Electric surface burners use whats commonly called an infinite switch to control the flow of current to the element itself. These switches are called infinite because they can be turned on, off, or anywhere in between providing for an infinite number of temperature settings. Most are mechanical in nature and contain a set of switch contacts along with a bi-metal thermostat that cycles the element on and off to maintain a selected temperature. There are no serviceable parts in most of these switches and when one fail, the only correct way to resolve the problem is the replace the switch.

Looking at the three switches in this range, the problems were easy to confirm and all pointed to the switch as the problem. But just to be accurate, I checked the voltage output from each of the element terminal connectors to verify the switch operation. Sure enough, there was no voltage from the switch that wasn't working. Constant voltage from the one that only worked on high, and the final switch was working fine, except it would only turn off if turned counter clockwise.

So to fix the range up for the customer, I needed three new infinite switches. Because there are two different sized elements on the cook top, there are two different types of infinite switches. Always use the correct part for the job as many of the switches look alike. I replaced both infinite switches for the large elements, and one infinite switch for the small element in the left front. These switches were not direct replacements so they looked a bit different than the originals, so paying attention to the wire connections is important.

Once it was all back together we turned the breaker back on and took the new switches for a test. Each worked as expected and now the customer has the use of their entire range again.

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GE Refrigerator Leaking

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 08:01:00 +0000

Model #TPS24BPCEBS, this side by side refrigerator started leaking some time ago for the customer each time the dispenser was used or the ice maker cycled. There was no obvious leak to the customer as water would simply appear in a pool from under the front grill. Thinking there must be a connection problem the customer contacted a plumber to repair the leak but once the refrigerator was removed from the cabinet, the leak looked to be coming from somewhere underneath.

Water leaks can be difficult things to look for because depending on the frequency and source of the leak, the reason doesn't always present itself without some investigation. Generally a large enough leak isn't to hard to locate, but if the water is the result of many small drips added together, well it's time to get out the paper towels and start checking everything in the water system.

The leak on this refrigerator wasn't as difficult to locate as it was to repair. After pulling the refrigerator from the cabinet and doing some checking of the obvious connections, the large growing puddle seeping from under the right side had me thinking there must be something big. Everything around the water valve seemed to be as expected and the dust showed no evidence of being disturbed, but it was obvious water was coming from somewhere. Then I finally found it.

Connected to the water valve is each of the water components. The water comes in from the house connection, then up to the water filter. From there it travels back to the water valve again to be distributed to either the ice maker or the water dispenser. Due to the proximity to the compressor that generates plenty of heat, the water lines are enclosed in insulating sleeves to help prolong their lives. It was inside one of these sleeves that I found the break.

The damaged line was one going to the water tank inside the fresh food section. Being a clean break, I first tried a repair with a coupler only to have the next section of tubing break in much the same way. It seems the water line was become very brittle from the years of heating and cooling. So I replaced the water tank and its associated tubing, along with some of the other more common 1/4" water lines just to be safe.

Once back in the cabinet, the water dispenser worked again, and this time the floor stayed dry.

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Amana Range F1 Error

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 08:01:00 +0000

Model #ARTC8600LL, this free standing range was displaying an F1 error message along with the expected, but rather annoying continuous beeping sound. The surface burners all worked fine, but as long as the range was plugged in, the error and beeping would continue making it difficult to do anything.

The F1 error message is one of the few almost universal error codes. What I mean by this is the code and its reason for occurring is the same for just about every make and model range, or oven out there. And the failure is simple, the ERC or electronic range control has either detected a problem with the keypad, or the ERC itself has simply failed. To be sure which one is pertinent to a specific make or model, it is a good idea to check the appropriate documentation, but in general, the ERC and the touch pad are a good place to begin.

On this range, the error could be with the panel or the ERC and the process to determine which one is at fault is usually as simple as unplugging the user interface panel from the ERC. If the error message goes away, the problem is with the touch panel. If the error comes right back, then the ERC is the one to causing the problem.

I installed the new ERC board into the back guard of the range and connected the ribbon cable and power cables to their appropriate connectors. With the range plugged back into the outlet, the ERC display illuminated but this time without the error message.

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Merry Christmas 2009

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 08:01:00 +0000

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!!

Frigidaire Microwave blowing Fuses

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:01:00 +0000

Model #PLMV169DCD, this over the range microwave was newly installed in the home and had yet to work. The display, lights and fans seemed to work as expected, but when a heating cycle was started, everything would go dark. This occurred several times, each time the circuit break had to be reset, but the last time the customer tried it, the oven remained dark.

Generally speaking if one of house circuit breakers trips, it's going to be due to a short circuit or some other form of excessive current draw. Each breaker has a rating that is its maximum before it will trip and open the circuit. This is a safety measure to prevent fires and electrocution due to a short or even when someone tries to put to much of a load on one one outlet. So if a breaker trips, reset it. If it trips again, it is time to go looking for the failure.

The breaker in this home would reset and the last time the microwave didn't come back to life. Given the description from the customer, I had a good idea of where the problem was going to be found. As I said above, the breaker will trip when a short is created in a circuit and in a microwave, there is one created on purpose for the sake of safety.

Each microwave oven will use 3 or 4 interlock switches mounted together to make up the door latching system. These switches and their operation are designed to prevent the microwave oven from operating with the door open. One of them, called the monitor, is designed to create a short circuit inside the microwave when the door is closed. This short poses no problem as long as the other switches are closed and the start button is not pressed. But if someone were to bypass the other switches and attempt to start the oven, the monitor switch would short the circuit and trip the breaker and/or blow the ovens internal line fuse.

Given the customers description, I headed straight for the monitor switch, figuring this was the problem and found it was loose in its mount. This allowed the switch to move out of position when the door was closed resulting in the short circuit never opening properly. When the start button was pressed, the short quickly caused the circuit breaker to trip. Because this was a new microwave, the internal fuse was still in good shape at least for a few times, but the last time the breaker was recent was also the last time for the fuse to pass current.

I reinstalled the monitor switch into the mount and installed a new line fuse onto the filter board. With everything clear, I started a heating cycle and everything worked just the way it should.

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Appliance firms must prove energy saving claims

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:01:00 +0000

I don't have much to say about this other than it's about time. I know most people pay little attention to the energy label when purchasing a new appliance because they are making their selection based on how it looks and what it does. But if you are interested in the energy conservation side of things and want to make an educated decision, the existing tags can be rather misleading and in some cases outright false. My reasoning for saying such things isn't because the manufacturers are trying to scam anyone, but it has more to do with what isn't being said. Many new appliances are very energy efficient when being used in a specific way, such as a dishwasher that gives the option of turning off the heated dry. That is great, but most people don't like to dry off their dishes as they empty the dishwasher. So does the energy savings still hold true if the customer chooses to use the heated dry feature? Or what happens when the energy usage sample is taken in a controlled condition with such things as a refrigerators ice maker turned off? The ice maker itself isn't a big energy hog, but making ice every hour for years can add up and I am not always sure if that information makes it onto these labels. All I can say is I hope something good comes out of this government intervention for the benefit of the consumer. But still, it is important to be educated about what you are buying and ask the right questions. - Me

Article -
Those yellow labels on appliances that declare how much power they'll use and show you how much you'll save because of their energy efficiency may not be as truthful as you think.

Because of that doubt, the U.S. Department of Energy said last week it's giving appliance makers 30 days to provide more accurate information on their products' energy use. And it promised to take a tougher stance to enforce energy-efficiency standards.

Read the full story at freep.com

Frigidaire Oven not Heating

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:01:00 +0000

Model #FEFL79DBA, this freestanding oven suddenly stopped heating for the customer no matter the cycle selected. When they went to test the surface burners, they too would not work. The clock was still illuminated so they were sure the range had power to it which left them thinking there must be something wrong with the oven itself.

When ovens, ranges, or cook tops stop heating, the problem can be localized such as with a single heating element, or more general as in this case where all the elements stopped working. In the first case, you would need to verify the operation of the individual elements and then check the circuit associated with the one that has failed. But if the entire thing isn't working, it's time to look at what all of those elements have in common.

This can be something as simple as one of the circuit breakers has tripped, or a bit more catastrophic as we will see. But it is always best to start with the simple stuff and go to the breaker box. See cooking appliances use 240 VAC circuits to generate the temperatures we use for backing. To get this higher voltage, the wiring to the outlet or the oven consists of two separate 120 VAC circuits, each with their own circuit breaker. If either circuit has failed, there will be no complete circuit and thus, no heat. The circuit breaker is a good place to start, but one you have confirmed everything is alright from the source, then it is time to go to the electrical connection and start looking for where voltage is present, and where it is missing.

Generally the best place to start is the terminal block. These are used on most 240 VAC appliances as the connection point for the electricity from the home. This is also where the plug wiring is connected depending on the type of outlet found in the home. If you measure 240 VAC at this point, then the power from the home is good and the problem remains in the appliance. If you don't have the full 240 VAC, then it's not the appliance and it may be time to get an electrician to the home.

When I removed the terminal block access cover on this range, the reason for it not heating became very obvious. The L2 or second circuit connection had melted the wires insulation and burned the wires in two. The terminal block itself was also heavily damaged as a result of the excess heat.

The usual reason for this type of failure is the screws or nuts securing the wires to the block are not tight. This creates a highly resistive connection with generates heat each time the circuit is used. Eventually the result will be the failure we see in the photo above. But it can be repaired and made to work safely and correctly.

On this range, I removed the old block and installed a new terminal block kit with all new connection points. Also a new range cord was installed and finally a new connector for the ranges L2 connection. Remember to cut the wire back to good copper before adding the new connector. With everything installed and the unit plugged back into the wall, each of the burners again worked as expected.

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Electrolux Dishwasher Leaking

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:01:00 +0000

Model #EDW5500DSS0, this tall tub dishwasher developed a rather noticeable leak the last time it was used. The customer fortunately decided to start the unit while she was still home instead of the normal start it on the way out the door. After just a few minutes of washing, there was water all over the kitchen floor. The customer removed the front access panel and it was obvious the source was somewhere under the unit.

The source of most leaking appliances, no matter what they are, can usually be found by simply getting in and having a look around. Water can find its way around many places very easily, but if the leak is the result of an actual failure such as a damaged hose or fitting, the leak should be consistent in its appearance. Intermittent leaks can be more troublesome to find, but water has a tendency to leave tell tale markings as it finds its way to the lowest part of the appliance.

This customer was able to verify the leak visually by removing the access panel, and it didn't appear to be intermittent in any way. When I arrived, the mess had been cleaned up, and given the description of the amount of water on the floor, I wasn't about to start a wash cycle for fear of a repeat. Using my flashlight and a mirror, I scanned all the water connections for some sign of failure and quickly came upon the delivery tube for the middle wash arm.

It seems the rubber connection between this tube and the heating unit had split leaving a large opening for water to flow through. And given the water in this line comes from the wash pump, it was easy to see how this dishwasher essentially drained itself in just a few moments after start up.

I removed the dishwasher from the cabinet and proceeded to removed all the covers to gain access to the delivery tube. This dishwasher has an outer shell to help with sound deadening that must be removed in order to get the delivery tube out and the new one put in. Once the job was complete and the dishwasher mounted securely back in place, I started a wash cycle, but this time all the water stayed in the tub, just as it should.

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Frigidaire Washer won't Drain

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:01:00 +0000

Model #ATF6700FS0, this customer called because her washer was acting strangely and making some unusual noises. The primary issue seemed to be the washer would not spin the clothes at the end of the wash cycle. But occasionally, the customer also noticed water would remain in the tub along with the damp clothes. She was concerned with having two problems on wash just over a year old, but if you have been reading any of my front load washers posts, you probably already guessed that both of these symptoms have something in common.

While it is possible for an appliance to suffer from two distinct failures at the same time, the likely hood isn't as high as one might think. Many times the failures will appear to be different, but in actuality they stem from one common source. To the customer water remaining in the tub is a likely symptom of a washer not spinning correctly, but to a technician the opposite is the reason. The washer will not spin because there is water remaining in the tub.

Washers use some form of sensor to determine water level in the wash tub. This can be a simple pressure switch or a more accurate pressure transducer. Either way, the purpose of these devices is to not only know how full to fill the tub, but to also know when the tub is empty of water. This prevents the washer from attempting to spin a full basket full of water soaked clothes and possibly cause some mechanical failure.

One front load washers in particular, if any water remains in the tub, the washer will not spin. This is more than a safety device, but also a bit of common sense. If the water cannot drain, then there would be no place for the water to flow once it spun free of the clothes. So if you find your front load washer not spinning at the end of the cycle, start by taking a look at the drain pump.

Some washers make this task easy, while other require removal of one or more panels to gain access. This particular washer can be accessed from under the unit, assuming it's not on a pedestal, but removing the front panel makes everything easier to get to.

Using a wet/dry vacuum to remove the remaining water, I then pulled off the front panel to get to the pump assembly. The pump is connected to the tub by a sump hose and then to the drain home itself. With the hoses removed I was able to find the reason for the poor draining and the reason it is important to empty your pockets before washing your clothes.

Inside the sump hose is a trap cup which has been designed to prevent objects from coming in contact with the pump impeller. This cup can take many of those coins, bobby pins, toothpicks and whatnot and still allow water to drain. But in this case, all those items and then some simply filled up the cup and made proper draining an occasional prospect.

I removed the impacted material from the cup and cleaned out the sump hose. With everything put back together, the pump drained water quickly and much quieter than before. The customer wasn't to happy as she felt the cup was the reason for the poor draining and had it not been there, everything would have simply gone down the drain. But I did caution her that without that cup, it was more likely the pump would have been permanently damaged resulting in not only the cost of the service call but the pump as well.

Customers generally do not like to be told not to do things to their appliances, especially when they just handed you a check, but in order to prolong the life of your washer or any other appliance, it is best to use them as they were designed. And most of that information can be found right in the users guide. You just need to get past all the shock and death warnings to find it.

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Whirlpool Washer broken Agitator

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:01:00 +0000

Model#LSR7233EQ0, this top load washer was making all the normal washing sounds, but the customer noticed that clothes didn't seem to be getting as clean as before. A returning member of the household had been doing the laundry during the previous weeks and didn't seem to notice a problem, but when the customer followed her normal routine to dilute the detergent in the tub, she noticed the agitator almost didn't move.

When the agitator stops moving on a top load washer, the results are usually going to be less than acceptable. The reason the agitator stops moving can vary depending on the make and model of washer, but a good place to start is to first identify if the agitator is indeed not moving, or maybe it's only the top half that is staying in place.

The reason for this simple question, is there are plenty of washers on the market that use whats called a split agitator where the top half moves somewhat independently of the bottom. If the entire thing is not moving, well I have other posts that may be of assistance, but if only the top half isn't moving, well keep on reading.

Split agitators work by moving the bottom half clockwise and counterclockwise while allowing the top half to spin freely in one direction, then moves with the bottom in the other direction. This creates a bit of a tumbling action for your clothes while suspended in the wash water. But if the top half is spinning freely in both directions, it will all but remain stationary during the wash cycle.

When I arrived, I was able to spin the top half of the agitator freely in both directions which means the ratcheting mechanism is no longer working. If you remove the top parts of the agitator, you will see four plastic tabs or 'dogs' as they are called that moved in and out with the rotation of the agitator. These dogs allow for the top half to turn in one direction, then spin freely in the other.

I removed the center mounting bolt from the agitator and the two halves separated from the top half of the gear case. I removed each of the loose components, then installed all the pieces from a new cam kit into the top half. With everything in place, I put the top back on the bottom and secured the agitator to the gear case with the original screw. A quick spin showed everything was back in place and ready for a wash.

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Kitchenaid Oven not holding Temperature

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:01:00 +0000

Model #KEBC278KBS0, the bottom oven of this double wall oven setup was working just fine, but the upper oven appeared to not be holding temperature. The customer noticed this while baking cookies that still weren't done when the timer signaled the end of the cycle. The inside temperature was noticeably cooler than expected and the only way to get the remaining batches done was to start the cycle over again.

Ovens work by a simple process of turning on elements until the selected temperature is reached, then turn them off until a minimum temperature has been reached, and then start the cycle over again. Depending on the control mechanism used in the oven, this process is either carried out by a mechanical thermostat or and electronic board along with a temperature sensing probe in the oven cavity. Either way, everything is done by one of these devices.

This particular oven not only has bake and broil elements, but also a convection element used during convection cooking. The bake element is hidden, meaning it is located under the oven cavity to protect it from spills and to provide more even heating. Because the complaint was not holding temperature, I went right to the control board to start my troubleshooting.

Each of the elements is turned on and off by a set of relays on the control board. The electronics use these relays as switches to cycle each element to obtain quick and efficient heating of the oven. From this location, it is easy to check the electrical stability of each element simply by doing a resistance check. In doing so, I found each element to be a complete circuit except the convection element.

During my initial questioning of the customer, I found out the problem only occurred during convention cooking with is really the reason I started checking each element. The reason everything seemed OK to the customer was during preheat, each of the elements is turned on and off to heat the oven cavity, then once the set temperature has been reached, the convection element will be used to maintain the temperature. Because the element had failed, the oven would finish the preheating, then simply cool down during the rest of the convection bake cycle.

I removed the fan cover from the back of the oven cavity exposing the fan and the convection element. Here I found one of the terminals and wires missing behind the back wall, most likely due to a failure at this point. I was able to fish out the missing wire and replaced the convection element. With the cover back in place, a heating cycle was again started to ensure the element would heat, which it did. The oven was again ready for convection baking.

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Frigidaire Washer Basket not Moving

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:01:00 +0000

Model #ATF7000FS0, this front load washer was in the middle of a wash cycle when the customer noticed an odd sound the came from the laundry room upstairs. The sound was brief, but the noise of the normally spinning washer changed quickly to a sound of silence. After a brief conversation with the customer over the phone, it sounded to me like the belt had come off the pulley. So making sure I had a replacement, I headed on out to take a look for myself.

Given the description from the customer that he had heard a noise just prior to it no longer working, along with the familiar sound of the motor running, I was sure I was on the right track. It is not a very common type of failure to have a belt fall off of a front load washer so it is important to not only repair the problem, but see if the reason for the failure presents itself.

With the back removed from the washer, I found the belt lying in the base and clearly no longer in one piece. Everything looked good, but there were some telling groves worn into the tub in line with the path of the belt. It looks like the belt had worked its way toward the tub and through continuous rubbing not only left its mark on the tub, but finally succumbed to the friction.

As I said, when the belt fall off, look for the reason why. The most common reasons would be a loose pulley, a loose motor, or the ever dreaded failing tub bearings. The way to check each is to simply get your hands in there and see if there is any play. Everything checked out good with this washer which can be unnerving because sometimes it's nice to find the proverbial smoking gun. But with this washer being just over a year old and nothing jumping out at me, I went ahead and replaced the drive belt, then started a spin cycle to give it a workout.

After multiple test cycles, the belt was tracking right down the middle of the pulley which is were it should be. The only thing I suspect was the markings on the motor shaft looked as if the original belt had been mounted so it tracked toward the motor which results in it also tracking toward the tub. So without any concrete evidence for this failure, I chalked it up to improper alignment from the factory. I guess time will tell if I am right or wrong.

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Frigidaire Dishwasher not Washing

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:01:00 +0000

Model #GLD2150RCS1,this tall tub dishwasher had been working just fine until now. The dishes were loaded and when the start button was pressed, the normal sounds occurred so the customer went off to work. When he returned, the dishwasher was full of water and none of the lights were on. Repeated pushing of buttons and resetting the circuit breaker provided no response.

The customer at this call was actually my brother, who called after taking the unit apart and coming to the conclusion the problem must lie in the control board. While he is a genius when it comes to auto repair, I suggested I stop by and have a look before he drops the money on a new control board, because once you buy it, it's yours whether you needed it or not.

I really only had one real check to make, because given his symptoms and the checks he made, if there was voltage to the board and no lights were on, then the board must be bad. Using my multimeter, I proceeded to check the voltage to the two terminals conveniently labeled as the line and neutral circuits, only to find 78 volts. As we should all know, the typical household circuit should be something in the 115 to 120 range. So whenever you find something around the 70's I usually suspect an open neutral.

In order for current to flow, there needs to be a complete circuit from what we call the hot line to a neutral line. Without this complete circuit, it is possible to measure voltage when using ground as the reference, but none of the loads will work. Figuring the neutral line of open at some point, I started at the junction box behind the access panel and worked my way to the board.

With voltage measuring good at the house connection, I continued along the wire harness to the door switches. The neutral branches off at a couple places before the switch, but they each looked to be good connections. When I got to the switch, both neutral wire connections came off easily without even trying. The switch terminals had some light oxidation so I cleaned them up and added some pressure to the connectors using my pliers. After reconnecting each wire to the switch and closing the door, the drain pump came to life quickly draining the day old water from the tub.

I also did a few other quick checks to make sure all was well, then proceeded to put the panels back in place. So now my brother has a working dishwasher again, and as I write this post, I am waiting for him to stop by to take a look at my truck.

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Frigidaire Refrigerator not Cooling

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:01:00 +0000

Model #FRT18L4JW5, this top mount, freezer on top, refrigerator was only four months old when the customer noticed the unit seemed to intermittently cool. Sometimes they would arrive home to warm food inside, then after playing with the temperature controls, it would start cooling again. With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, the customer was hoping for a refrigerator that would keep things cold.

When I arrived at the home, the unit seemed to be cooling just fine as indicated by the frozen Cool Whip in the freezer, but fortunately when I contacted the customer the night before, he had mentioned he was an HVAC technician which means we were able to speak the same language. After doing some of his own checks, he determined the mechanical cold control was no longer working properly giving me reason to have one handy when I arrived.

The cold controls on these units are a simple mechanical switch which opens and closes a set of electrical contacts depending on the temperature inside the cabinet. Using a very small amount of refrigerant in a capillary tube as a sensor, as the inside gets warmer the refrigerant will expand closing the contacts and turning the compressor on. Once cold enough, the refrigerant will compress and the contacts will open. The consumer is able to adjust the temperature by changing the distance the refrigerant needs to expand before the contacts close.

Because the unit was cooling, we knew the contacts were functioning and when the compressor was off, the cold control could be turned to a cooler temperature forcing the compressor on. The problem seemed to be once the cold control was down to the set temperature and the contacts opened, they would not close again until the control was manually adjusted.

With the information from my HVAC customer, and some brief testing while on site, I changed the cold control inside the upper panel inside the fresh food section. Once changed out and the wiring was all back in place, I again applied power and set the control for the lowest set temperature to ensure it would cycle off, and back on as expected. The refrigerator was back in working order and ready for the Thanksgiving meal.

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What is a smart appliance, anyway?

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:01:00 +0000

Article - By John Dodge

You’ve heard of smart appliances, but I challenge you to tell me what they are, where you can buy them or why you’d even want them.

Fact is they are not here yet and if they were, they wouldn’t do much good without the smart grid infrastructure in place. On the heels of the Dept. of Energy’s (DOE) announcement yesterday that it will pump $620 million into 32 smart grid demonstration projects, I caught up with vice president of GE Energy’s transmission and distribution business Bob Gilligan on the phone yesterday to discuss its deal with utility AEP Ohio which gets $75 million of those funds.

Read the full story at SmartPlanet.com

Electrolux ICON® and Kenmore PRO® Gas Ranges Recalled Due to Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Hazard

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 08:01:00 +0000

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Electrolux ICON and Kenmore Pro 30” Gas Ranges

Units: About 900

Manufacturer: Electrolux Home Products Inc., of Augusta, Ga.

Hazard: An incorrect part allows more fuel to pass to the range’s oven than can be burned efficiently, causing incomplete combustion and the release of carbon monoxide. This poses a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Electrolux has received four reports of incidents involving carbon monoxide being released from the recalled gas range. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The following Electrolux ICON and Kenmore PRO 30” free-standing gas range model and serial numbers are included in this recall. For Electrolux ICON, the model and serial numbers are located on the back of the range. For the Kenmore PRO, the model and serial numbers are located near the base of the range just below the bottom right portion of the oven door and also on the back of the range. Not all serial numbers within these ranges are included in the recall.

Brand Model Serial Number Range
Electrolux ICON Gas Range E30GF74HPS NF83000000 – NF93633000
Kenmore PRO 30” Gas Range 790.76913800
790.76913801

Sold at: Appliance retailers nationwide from August 2008 through October 2009 for between $2,500 and $3,500.

Manufactured in: Canada

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the range’s oven and contact Electrolux for the Electrolux ICON or Sears for the Kenmore PRO to schedule a free repair. Consumers can continue to use the cooktop (top burners) and the broiler as well as any clock and/or timer functions.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Electrolux toll-free at (888) 360-8557 between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. ET Monday through Friday and on Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., or visit the firm’s Web site at www.gasrangeorifice.com. Consumers with Kenmore PRO brand ranges should call Sears toll-free at (800) 733-2299 between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday.

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting www.cpsc.gov

Maytag Dishwasher no Display

noreply@blogger.com (TechnicianBrian) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:01:00 +0000

Model #MDB7601AWW, this tall tub dishwasher was still operational and the customer could select the cycles using the buttons on top of the door, but the display showing the time remaining was no longer working. The start button next to the display worked too, but the delay start button was doing nothing. The display would show what appeared to be random lines, but nothing that resembled numbers.

Most dishwashers are not to difficult to diagnose an electrical problem, simply because there really aren't that many parts involved. When a dishwasher is operating, water enters the tub through a fill valve, the wash motor will pump the water spraying it around the tub, a dispenser will open at the appropriate time of the cycle, a drain pump turns on to drain the soiled water and the heating element will turn on to aid in drying. Those are the key components of most any dishwasher so when looking around for a problem, its usually going to be associated with one of them.

Because this dishwasher was working and it was only the display at issue, I didn't need to get much further than to look at the panel itself. By removing the screws holding the inner door panel in lace, I was able to get to the control board and the two ribbon cables that connect to the front and top door panel buttons. A good place to always start is to ensure any ribbon cable is seated securely into the connector and clean. These cable ends can oxidise which causes poor electrical contact, but they are easily cleaned with a pencil eraser.

A dirty connector will cause problems with buttons not working, but this dishwasher was suffering from a display issue. The display output, being controlled by the dishwasher control panel, had most likely stopped working due to a board problem. The only real was to be sure is to replace the board.

Fortunately, the control board was the problem and by installing a new one, the display was again illuminated. The failure could also have been due to the display itself, but I took an educated guess that it was the board because the display would still show unrecognizable characters. So when a technician tells you it could be one or the other, its usually not because they don't what the problem is, its more likely they don't know what the problem is for sure.

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