LG Direct Drive plea for help

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  • #70831
    whippet
    Participant

    Hello All,
    This is my first time on here and of course, I have a problem. The story so far: WM13220FD washing machine, belonging to my daughter ceased working and showed CE error. She called the local engineer out and he diagnosed main PCB failure. Trying to save her precious funds, I volunteered to fit a new one from ukwhitegoods. What could possibly go wrong? This was a different part number, but confirmed by Dave as the correct one. I fitted it easily (what a repairer-friendly design this machine seems to be)and tried the machine while daughter was on holiday. All seemed fine. Machine filled, started to wash normally, no fault, so drained and patted self on back. A day later, daughter returns with a mountain of washing, machine fills and tries to start, but drum just jumps several times, there’s a strange high-pitched squealing noise, the dreaded alarm chimes in and display now shows LE fault code. Air turns blue. The clue, I think, is that noise. Having tried the machine with top and rear covers removed, there is no bearing problem and the drum is totally free running until it jumps while trying to start. It appears magnetically locked for a while and then releases before trying again. The noise comes from the motor and I suspect is an inverter high frequency output. I couldn’t find much information here, but a google search found a youtube video showing the exact same jumping drum and strange noise. The guy there removed the rotor, checked the windings and hall sensor and found all correct. However, after reasembling, all worked normally. His best guess was that he moved the sensor slightly and inadvertently cured the fault. So there you have the sorry tale, or most of it. I’ve also been hit by my summer asthma and can’t breathe, but hey ho. Any pointers would be very gratefully received before I try to remove the rotor for a look.

    #379101
    clivejameson
    Participant

    Re: LG Direct Drive plea for help

    Removing the rotor isn’t a big job (it’s basically the drum pulley held on by one 17mm bolt).

    You need to get that off to remove the rotor (the static bit with all the coils) to check the hall sensor is mounted correctly but most likely the wiring to it has a break near the connector that fits onto it.

    If the wiring is intact then most likely the hall sensor itself is faulty…

    #379102
    whippet
    Participant

    Re: LG Direct Drive plea for help

    Many thanks for that very informative reply, Clive. I’ll remove the rotor (if I have enough puff) and check it all out. Thanks again.

    #379103
    clivejameson
    Participant

    Re: LG Direct Drive plea for help

    Sorry…just re-read my post….the stator is the part with the coils, and the hall sensor is mounted to the back of it which is why you will need to remove it to check.

    I find it hard to imagine that it’s mounted incorrectly tbh, most likely it or its wiring harness is faulty…

    #379104
    whippet
    Participant

    Re: LG Direct Drive plea for help

    Thank you again Clive. I’d sussed the rotor/stator typo. I guess there’s a fair amount of flexing where the cables meet the connector, so your suggestion of a fracture makes good sense. I’ll see what I can find.

    #379105
    whippet
    Participant

    Re: LG Direct Drive plea for help

    I’ve just had a thought (it happens occasionally). Is it not possible to check the sensor and cable in one go from the other end of the cable and so avoid the need to remove the rotor if all is well? Question is where is the other end connected and what are the terminals or cable colours. I’m guessing it’s a connector onto the control PCB? Any thoughts?

    #379106
    whippet
    Participant

    Re: LG Direct Drive plea for help

    Back again with a bit more info and, I think, the answer. Removed rotor, checked stator and continuity on all cables. All spot on. Removed sensor unit. It appears to contain two separate hall effect sensors. I’m deducing that the cable pairs are white/grey outputs and blue/red for power from the resistance readings I obtained. They show 186k and 9.6k, from red/blue to grey and white respectively. I’m assuming again that those are the required test readings. If not, please enlighten me. Neither matches the single figure resistance value I see mentioned in articles. Thanks are due to Colin for his excellent advice in getting this far.

    #379107
    tj5793
    Participant

    Re: LG Direct Drive plea for help

    The hall sensor is usually at fault with any irratic motor action on these machines I am not aware of test results for the hall sensor alot of machines use them but there are no tests available for them

    #379108
    whippet
    Participant

    Re: LG Direct Drive plea for help

    Thank you very much for that information. How strange that there’s no test data. I guess I’d better get a replacement ordered. Thanks again

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