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Hello, my 7 year old Bosch WFF 2001 has had moderate use and has so far given no trouble (except for some impeller blockages caused by leaving nails in a jeans pocket). For the last 2 yrs its been used with ecover liquid, and fabric conditioner has not been used for the last 2 yrs.
Now the machine appears to start up normally but gets hung up after a while: it stops during the rinse cycle, and the start and pump lights flash alternately.
If the start button is pressed with the machine in this condition, it will continue to run for about 5 mins or so and then the same thing happens. The machine can be made to spin by manually selecting the spin programme.
Possibly related to this problem is that the conditioner drawer is half full of water (it never used to be) and clothes come out smelling a little musty.
I’m a competent diyer but relatively inexperienced with washing machines. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Andrew Gibbs
Re: Bosch WFF 2001
After 7 years of hard work it is more than likely the pump has worn out. At the very least the drain is blocked or restricted in some way causing the error you describe. If the pump impellor has any lateral play in it, then it has had it and a new pump required. 😉
Re: Bosch WFF 2001
Martin,
Thank you very much for taking the trouble to reply – and very promptly! I plan to investigate the problem today, and will report back what I find. I presume the pump is located behind the impeller.
If I find I do need a new pump, where should I go to get one please?
Andrew Gibbs
Re: Bosch WFF 2001
Hi
If it does turn out to be the pump at fault, then look no further than an email to spares@ukwhitegoods.co.uk quoting BS51116 😀
Unplug appliance if investigating :plug:
GregRe: Bosch WFF 2001
Worth reading this article as well, http://tinyurl.com/of2ac
Ditch the Ecover and use a good quality powder or tablet such As Ariel.
Jim.
Re: Bosch WFF 2001
Thanks Martin, Greg and Jim,
I’ve started investigating. These are the findings:
1. The pump’s impeller has lateral play, about 1mm each way, so perhaps it is shot. Attempting to eat the nails I fed it earlier this year probably didn’t help it much.
2. The trap (if that’s what it is) just prior to the outlet hose was rather mucky but probably not so bad as to significantly impede the fluid flow, in my humble and inexperienced opinion. I’d already cleaned it out earlier this year when dealing with the nail thing, but this time its had a thorough job and is now almost like new.
I’ve reassembled the bits and I’m giving the machine another try right now. I’ll be looking to see if the pump shows any sign of action. Will report again later.Thanks again for the help.
Andrew Gibbs
Re: Bosch WFF 2001
andrew-gibbs wrote:about 1mm each way, so perhaps it is shot.
I’m pretty sure it is then. Often in a case like this the pump will work well sometimes but not others (intermittent) so a replacement the only solution. A new pump is available by clicking here. 😉
If you would like a local engineer to fit it for you? Then click on the link below for one in your area. 🙂
Re: Bosch WFF 2001
The mystery continues!
On trying the machine again, I’ve discovered that the pump most certainly does run. The pump can be felt running when a hand is placed on the unscrewable housing, and I’ve also opened up this housing during a wash and seen the impeller turning. (yes there was a lot of water but I had to know!)
During one of these pump examinations, a 6 inch plastic biro inner fell out and on another, one of the aforementioned pesky nails was found. I’ve also cleaned out the hose supplying the pump from the drum; it was found to have a fair bit of grey deposit on the hose wall.
However, in spite of these measures, on trying the machine again, it still hangs up, exactly as originally described.
From this ‘hung up’ situation, without physically moving the machine, when it’s switched to a spin cycle by hand, the pump whirrs away and the outlet hose dumps water into the house waste pipe. Indications are that it drains properly and this suggests to me that the pump is probably not suffering from intermittent fault.
I noticed what feels like a 2 inch ball within a rounded are underneath the drum. I presume this is a one-way valve and not something to worry about removing.
I can’t afford to replace this machine so I have to find a solution. I’m now wondering ‘Does this look like a control problem, or is it something mechanical?’
Any answers will be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Andrew Gibbs
Re: Bosch WFF 2001
Further to my last post, the machine will run the wash and rinse cycles without fault. The rinse cycle includes operation of the pump, so I presume this indicates the pump, although obviously worn, is not the culprit?
Re: Bosch WFF 2001
My thinking:
Machine washes and spins when helped…motor must be ok(or brushes not worn out ..yet)
Machine drains into standpipe when asked/helped, therefore the drain box at the rear can’t be totally blocked.I would therefore suggest the pump is the problem. I would imagine it is the magnetic sort (the impellor will spring back or forward when rotated as it’s other side is in a magnetic field). The magnetic pumps “stall”, and whilst most need a good whack to free before replacement, Bosch ones do the intermittent thing more than most.
HTH
Re: Bosch WFF 2001
You mentioned in your very first post: –
andrew-gibbs wrote:the start and pump lights flash alternately
Would that be perhaps more accurate to translate that to the ‘Start’ & ‘Rinse‘ LED’s flashing I wonder?
My guess is that it doesn’t get as far as the final rinse so therefore doesn’t even take away the fabric conditioner? Correct?
If so we’re all barking up the wrong tree on this one as the fault lies elsewhere 😉 8)
Re: Bosch WFF 2001
What hasn’t been said is the contents of the drum when the flashing occurs. If the drum wa splenty of water then the pump would be favourite for me, if however the drum was empty of water or marginally filled then possibly a cold valve going o/c. I am not aware of pressure switch problems similar to the washer driers.
Re: Bosch WFF 2001
Thanks people for your interest in this troublesome German.
I’m running another wash right now and I will report back as accurately as poss answers to the qns posed about drum state and which lights are on and when.
If this carries on I may have to ask if anyone knows of a good stress counsellor?!
I’ll post again in a while. Thanks again all.
Andrew
Re: Bosch WFF 2001
Well, here’s what’s happened in the meantime:
1. In case there was corrosion on the connectors, I disconnected and reconnected all of the electrical connectors I could find, at least twice each. The power was OFF for this of course. Machine then re-tested, but no improvement.
By the way I talked with a friend today about this machine and says he actually met a woman whose husband was electrocuted while trying to fix his machine. Tragically, he was killed right in front of her in their kitchen.
2. I then got to thinking that maybe it was something to do with the pressure sensor. So I took it off the drum base, cleaned it out (a lot of dried on powder was found) and reinstalled it. Vent hole is clean leading to pipe to sensor. Pipe also checked and clean as a whistle.
3. Machine re-run using a weak tea solution in fabric conditioner tray to reveal if and when it was emptied. Waste of good tea but never mind.
4. Machine then run again on a 40C normal coloureds wash. 8mm of water seen in pressure sensor reservoir at back of drum.
5. After exactly 15 mins the rinse cycle started (seemed a bit early compared to when it was not broken). Pump heard to run, water seen being pumped out of waste hose. Tea still present in conditioner tray.
6. After 21 mins, cold water heard and seen to enter machine through powder tray. Drum starts turning. 8mm of water observed in pressure sensor reservoir at back of base of drum. This seeems to be the normal level. Rinse light lit steady (as normal)
7. After 29 mins, relay click heard (nothing unusual there) and rinse light immediately went out and instantly spin/pump light and start light flash alternately. Machine hung up and did nothing more except for flash its lights.
8. After another 2 mins, I pressed the flashing start button. As is usual, the spin light went out, and the rinse light came on, and the machine starts to turn the drum again. However all it does is to turn the drum slowly, no water is admitted and no rinsing is occuring. Tea still in conditioner drawer and drum water level seems negligible.
9. 4 mins later, problem described in no. 7 above occurrred again.
10. Spin cycle then manually selected to complete the wash. Pump runs, some water was sucked out (not a lot) and on checking conditioner compartment, tea is seen to have been sucked out at this stage. (Martin, looks like you are correct that its not being sucked out during rinsing)
11. As a check on pump action, water was poured into the main powder compartment and was immediately seen to be pumped out through hose as normal.
So, the mystery continues! I am sure that the machine used to take a lot longer than 30 mins or so to complete a wash when it worked properly (more like 90 mins as I recall), so this may be a clue.
Responses keenly awaited……………….!!
Thanks again for everyone’s interest in this pesky problem.
Andrew Gibbs
Re: Bosch WFF 2001
Another finding:
Tried a different wash programme. Easy care 40 wash seemed to take normal time to complete main wash – about 45 mins – and then machine proceded to rinse cycle without problem.
Not sure if its really rinsing properly. Doesn’t seem to have clothes swilling in water during rinsing.
Same recurring fault occurred after about another 20 mins or so, with machine doing its usual flashing lights thing and hanging up.
Manually selected spin which it carried out. Total time to complete about 1 hr 20.
Problem still not identified……………
Thanks for your continued help gents.
Andrew Gibbs
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