Bosch Classixx 6 1200 Express Won’t Drain or Enter Spin Cycle

[Raab]

Model number: WAE24164GB/30

Came down the other day to a dead washing machine full of wet clothes. Diagnosed a failed control board (visible damage on flyback IC component). Purchased replacement board and fitted, machine now had power. Ran cycle again but it didn’t complete the cycle, giving me lights 1 & 4 of the spin LEDs flashing as well as a series of 4 beeps three times.

Opened machine and checked pump, the impeller seemed fine. Serviced the sump hose and drain hose, ensuring they were clean and free flowing. Noticed that the pump felt odd in hand, turns out the gasket had failed and there was black smelly water all around the commutator. Ordered and fitted new pump. Ran cycle, but the same thing happens. It gets to the bit where it is meant to drain the water and then spin, but doesn’t, instead giving the flashing lights and sequence of beeps. I have also tried separate spin and drain cycles, neither of which do anything. Have confirmed continuity from control board to pump, so the loom is intact.

I am at a bit of a loss guys, any ideas? There is clearly no blockage, there are new electronics and pump, and connectivity between them. Why won’t it activate the pump?

I know it’s an old machine but save the planet and repair things right…

[andyjawa]

(visible damage on flyback IC component) – like blown up? Or black dust which is normal. Just looked up pcb on Bosch spares web site which has confused the hell out of me! It lists the programme selector front board (the one with the curly springs) but not the power board behind it OR could it be that they both now come together? 00644432 at a depressing £178.64 is the only reference to the front board that seems to be listed. Brand New board/s or s/hand? You do not normally get too many pcb`s on these things going wrong unless something else caused it with reference to something on the board having got nuked by something else being nuked.
Does the motor work, have you checked the motor brushes which is the achillies heel at a certain age, 7 years +on average, (this model uses pair of the common ones 00154740 £23.72 (unless someone fitted a Qualtex pattern motor in the past) or you can get various pattern brushes of various dubious quality for a lot less but I wouldn`t unless for test purposes). You might want to check the motor as well as the brushes to make sure the armature is not nuked by the brush spring or the copper braide or, God forebid, a raised commutator segment hence:”I have also tried separate spin and drain cycles, neither of which do anything”. If it turns out the commutator looks dodgy it takes out the motor`s internal thermal fuse = a no go motor with a strong likely hood of a damaged pcb. Just some pointers for you to check.
General note to other readers. I am all for replacing simple things, pumps, door seals that kind of stuff but you can spiral into a world of hurt (like major money!) chasing these buggers and before you know it ,especially anything to do with pcb`s (which cannot be returned back to suppliers), have spent loads of hard earned money and still not repaired the damn machine – you could say that the repair trade /going Green brigade play on this……..and if you think that…….. you`d be spot on!

[Raab]

Hi, thanks for your reply. Yes, the flyback IC was melted on the corner, one of the resistors was burnt out too. So some strong current must have flowed through the board. I bought a secondhand one, fitted it and it turned on again. The motor works as it manages to rotate the drum during the wash and rinse cycles.

I have not yet checked the motor, and to be honest if there is anything else wrong with it then it is time to go, as you say there is a point at which it doesn’t make economical sense to repair anymore (arguably I have already passed that).

I will check the brushes just in case; I hadn’t yet as the motor turns the drum and I didn’t see a connection between the big motor and the drain pump (perhaps I am missing something). Plus the error lights I get are these, hence me focusing on the drain side of things:

Thanks for the advice!!

EDIT: I take that back, I double-checked and it was actually just thick black soot. It was all over the corner of the IC, the capacitors near it, and then on the other side of the board around the coil (inductor I think) and diodes, not resistor. I wiped it off and actually nothing looks damaged. But clearly the board didn’t work and the replacement sorted out the power issue.

[andyjawa]

The black soot / dust is from the motor brushes – it can get everywhere! Pretty confident that the brushes are on their last legs, given the age of the machine I`d be not surprised in the least. The brushes wear out almost down to 4mm before the power starts jumping through the brush dust between the brush running face and the commutator – may or may not hear a crackling noise, usually you do. The more it does that until its final demise the bigger the risk of something getting costly nuked.
Best thing to do is to check it out ASAP before you get another problem.
To check the motor brushes given the access> The only way is to remove the whole motor (and so the brushes) from the machine is from the back (fooling about trying to sort it out even with the front panel removed will get you nowhere). So a few pointers as to how I do it: stick a piece of carpet under the front feet, preferably rubber based, then tilt the front of the machine against a wall at a suitable angle. Remove the rear cover`s torx screw and remove the rear cover. Lie down and disconnect the motor plug (by pressing the 2 connector block locating tangs) and the earth (if fitted with a cable tie cut that). Where you removed the rear back panel screw get some electrical tape and cover the screw hole raised area – ye olde wrist shreader….all part of the German sense of humour! The motor is held on to the tank with 2 10mm spanner size self tapping screws – remove these two with a ring spanner or a socket or both. Get a thin flat bladed screwdriver and leaver the motor forward until it is loose. Best to get a wrapped up towel/s under machine`s motor in case the motor fails – which it no doubt will.
Removing the brushes. U do not have to bend or unscrew anything. Just disconnect each wire and push the rear of the flat tang to the right which will release it from the holder. Gently pull the brush out NOTING WHICH WAY the angle running face is pointed because you can refit the new brush 180 degrees round the wrong way. Blow any dust away. Fit your new brush – point: sometimes these are fiddly to do AND the brush is usual a tight fit until about 6 mm worth until it hits the commutator then the bush will be loose. Refit the braided tang and the brush wire. T`other brush is done in the same way. Revolve the motor spindle (armature) to make sure no brush has been fitted wrong and if that has happened it will make a loud clicking noise.
Test the motor with a multimeter on highest Ohms setting: If you have 6 active wire motor tags they work as pairs 1 pair is the tacho, middle pair is the brushes/ thermal fuse and next last pair field windings, if you have a 7 tag and 7 wires the 7th wire is the just the tapped field coil for the high speed so you get a reading on the last pair.
Condition of the commutator: with failed brushes the commutator segments will look matt black which is ok. If the braid damaged the commutator get a strip of the finest sandpaper with the lightest touch revolve by hand the armature to take down (smooth) the damage and you should get away with this. Any obvious damage to segments e.g. say if you had 24 segments in total and 2 next to each other looked different to all the others the motor has likely to have become a gonna or if not it will soon be with the possiblity taking something else out.
Refit the motor making sure the rear motor rubber bushes are fitted. Can be easier said than done but you have to get under the machine to rehang the motor on all 4 tank plastic sprigotts. Then redo the 2 screws – do not overtighten. Then reattach the motor block – can only go in one way and then the earh wire and a new cable tie and then the belt****
Test machine on spin first and do not forget the drum will do nothing for about 35 seconds.
**** if you want to replace the belt the pattern belts are fine and a lot cheaper than the genuine. Original belt was 1254j5 but you can use a 1252j5 pattern belt….2mm in length difference is neither here or there since the old belts can stretch 2″ before pinging off.

[andyjawa]

PS. If all goes swimmingly well then for the first 2 loads of washing keep the amount light to allow the new brushes to bed in – this is important. Correction due to dodgy memory!: original belt is 1255 not 1254 length though you could still use a 1252 belt should that be a cheaper option.

[Raab]

Hi,

Thanks for the detailed reply. Would worn motor bushes have any impact on the machines ability to drain? I still don’t understand how they could be connected. Each time I tried a cycle it would get to the bit where it should drain and spin, but it just through up that drain fault with the lights and the 3 sets of 4 beeps.

I did check the brushes (well one of them, the one you can get to without taking the whole motor off). It still had an inch of brush left. I’m not sure if that is a lot, but I am assuming that is plenty still.

I’m at the point of just sucking it up and buying a new machine, as this one is 13 years old. I feel like I am just chasing ghosts in the machine now 🙁
I put the original control board back in, and it is definitely dead. Looks like I might be able to return the replacement board and pump and get some of my money back.

[andyjawa]

I did check the brushes (well one of them, the one you can get to without taking the whole motor off). It still had an inch of brush left. I’m not sure if that is a lot, but I am assuming that is plenty still.
Yes that is amazing, hardly worn out at all based on that 1″ length and its 13 years old; absolute miracle! Still t`other one might have jammed? Did you have the brushes changed within the last 4 years?
Well taking into account it`s13 years old and if you can get your spons back on your parts bought buy a new machine instead. Not sure what though as nothing seems to be as good as it once was including Bosch but that is just my opinion.
Briefly, the golden rule is 1) buy something you have heard of preferably something made in Europe despite all its sins 2) keep away from Chinese and possibly Korean stuff too – spares disappear quicker than a Markus and Spensicus lunchtime prawn sandwich 3) do your own research on the cost of spares for the future – have fun with that one! 4) cheap machines often have expensive spares 5) expensive machines can swing either way on spares costs: pleasantly surprised to 4 boxes of tissues worth of woe 6) EBAC washing machines you could at least consider as a contender 7) most machines will have sealed tank of those that do not are upper range Miele, one of the Bosch series, cheaper Vestel Turkish made machines, and Chinese and Korean machines. 8) I`d keep well away from auto cartridge detergent and internet enabled machines – your`re just asking for trouble there! 9) Hotpoint/ Indesit have several weak points despite the 10 year free parts (free if you call them out that is) at circ 130 quid a shot. Could go on but you get the picture. So you are probably left with Bosch as most folk are.
Best of luck.

[andyjawa]

Reasons a bosch washing machine will not pump out apart from blockages. pump winding failure, impellor broken off, impellor jammed, pump impellor stiff all these are fairly common. Broken loom wires ie one of the 2 thin, usually brown coloured wires, to the pump. Pressure switch faulty – would usually mean no fill because it thinks it has water when it hasn`t and if so takes out the heater element if set on a wash programme though you would find out all is not well from the last time machine was used so usually would`ve failed on one of the rinses. This would also mean no spin too as, once again, machine thinks it is full of water when it isn`t. PCB problem.
Inverted PART blockage in the air trap – usual scenario is: machine fills with water but to a higher level than is normal but, luckily, stops filling. Does the wash ok, gets to pump out pre 1st rinse fill, pumps out water BUT air in air trap and so pressure level switch has trouble escaping (due to the pin sized blockage) so switch cannot click out. Because switch cannot click out machine now thinks full of water and so will not spin.

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