Hotpoint WD420 conditioner tray overflow

[Janner]

2 Year old Hotpoint WD420 leaks from conditioner drawer.
Major leak occurs (on cycle E) just at the start of pumping out on short spin.
Water backs up the conditioner tray exit drain pie and overflows over the sill. On half load cycle K there is less water and it doesn’t overflow.

WM drain pipe is not blocked and was located within specified height limits.
I have lowered the drain so that the highest point is now lower than the bottom of the conditioner drawer. This helps, but does not solve the problem.
As spinning starts, water is forced out of the drum so fast it rises up the large diameter conditioner pipe faster than it is pumped out of the small diameter drain.
Is there a [failed] non return valve in the conditioner pipe, stuck open wiht gunge? Is the drain pipe partially blocked?

[Penguin45]

Re: Hotpoint WD420 conditioner tray overflow

Filter in the tub to pump hose is probably choked.

Penguin45.

[Janner]

Re: Hotpoint WD420 conditioner tray overflow

Have disconnected black rubber hose from sump to exit pump.
Fairly clean, just a bit of elactic cord to remove. Exit pump not blocked

[Janner]

Re: Hotpoint WD420 conditioner tray overflow

Drum Drain partial blockage

Found probable cause of problem:
Two “colour catcher” thin fabric sheets, 20cm x 8cm had slipped round the edge of the drum

The drum drain consists of a cone with drain holes on one side of its exterior, located within the rubber connector to the exit drain pump.
Within this cone is a table tennis (sized) ball, which rises up with bouyancy when the machine is full to seal on a circular ring above it, keeping water in the drum.
Presumably centrifugal force of the spin forces it down and allows water to pass round it and out of the holes of the cone to the drain pump.
But not when those holes are blocked! 🙂

[iadom]

Re: Hotpoint WD420 conditioner tray overflow

The plastic ball is an ‘eco’ ball. On first fill the machine allows a small amount of water through the cold rinse valve. This causes the plastic ball to rise and seal off the sump.

The fill then switches to either the hot valve or the wash fill valve on cold fill only machines to flush in the detergent. This system prevents the detergent from being flushed directly into the sump where it would not be used efficiently.

Nothing to do with centrifugal force, the simple draw of the pump causes the ball to drop allowing the water to drain away.

In the trade we love colour catchers, please keep using them as much as you can. 😉

Of course if you have any sense you will pin them to an item of clothing with a safety pin first or sort your washing and use the correct detergent for coloured fabrics in the first place. 🙂

Jim.

[Author]

Posts