Testing for continuity Hotpoint wm76 heating element

[lahorie]

Hi All

My Hotpoint WM76 is giving an E15 error, check oputlet pipes. I have checked pump, sump for blockages etc but still message is there and will not spin though it empties OK. ( Read through forum ). Im in the process of checking the heating element as many causes have been down to this i have read. Ive got a multimeter and whan i put across the terminlas it goes buzz meaning good continuity and heating element is OK right ??

Mains Power is off, meter tests for continuity under 100 ohms.

Can i take it from this the element is OK, if so could it actually be the [ump, is was making a funny sound but spat out all the water OK just not spinning.

Cheers

Lahorie

[cessna]

Re: Testing for continuity Hotpoint wm76 heating element

Sounds like the heater is ok it should be around 30 ohms.
With power off try taking off the pressure chamber HOSE at the pressure switch(the round plastic part usually slotted onto the timer by a bracket).
Try machine with this off and put it on a spin program if it works you have a blocked pressure chamber.

[iadom]

Re: Testing for continuity Hotpoint wm76 heating element

You need to check the element for earth leakage/ insulation, not continuity/resistance, even the slightest current leakage will throw up E15.

As already mentioned, sticking pressure switch could cause this as well but I have seen far more faulty heaters cause this, never seen a pressure switch cause it.

Common cause of this is the inner drum catching the heating element due to drum support or bearing failure. On rare occasions the drum can go slightly out of shape which may also catch the heater.

Jim.

[lahorie]

Re: Testing for continuity Hotpoint wm76 heating element

Thanks Cessna and Iadom.

Cessna i will check the pressure switch as you have suggested.

Iadom, can you let me know how to check for earh leakages/insulation please. Most grateful.

Secondly, i noticed the inner pcb the one where the pressure switch is located looked black. On closer inspection, i found one of the mounted transformers in the middle of the board and a few componenets ( not resistors, these were black and bulb like ) had a coating of fine black dust around them, like when a component blows and leaves a sooty trail.

I managed to get a few numbers off the pcb concerned these being:

Hotpoint 904 116 208 and
AKO 546655

Could this be the cause of the problems and if so isit easy to get a replacement part?

Thanks Guys

Lahorie

[iadom]

Re: Testing for continuity Hotpoint wm76 heating element

If you don’t know how to use a multimeter to check insulation readings then to be brutally honest you should not be trying to repair this particular fault, I mean no offence whatsoever in saying this but it really is more important to know how to test insulation than checking continuity with a meter.

The black sooty marks on the PCB are normal, its mainly dust from the carbons brushes attracted to the heat/magnetism of the components.

It is easy to obtain a main PCB ( Power board) but at almost £80.00 you need to be very sure that it is faulty. 😉

Jim.

[lahorie]

Re: Testing for continuity Hotpoint wm76 heating element

Thanks Iadom

Its beyond my scope now anyway, I’ll get an expert in.

Cheers
Lahorie

[iadom]

Re: Testing for continuity Hotpoint wm76 heating element

One thing you could try, open the door and rotate the inner drum until one of the lifter/paddles is at 6.00 o’clock, put both hands inside with your thumbs on the outside and try and pull the inner drum towards the front, repeat this on all the lifters. If you can see obvious forward movement of the inner drum away from the door seal then your drum support will have fractured and could have damaged the heater. This is usually accompanied by a banging noise on spin.

Jim.

[lahorie]

Re: Testing for continuity Hotpoint wm76 heating element

Hi Guys

Cessna, i disconnected the pressure hose, same problem.

Iadom, I did as you suggested and pulled the inner drum towards me with fingers only and there is movement of about 1 – 1.5 inches and you can hear the springs at the top of the machine twanging away where they attach to the concrete block.

Having noticed this, i isloated the heating element and then ran the spin cycle and hey presto it worked. I unhooked the heating element and lo and behold there were two score marks where the drum was catching the element.

Now the interesting bit, i went of the back of the machine and found brown/ black dust caked to the lower half of the platic outer drum, the source looked like the big nut on the back of the plastic drum which im assuming houses the bearing.

I thought it may have been from the fan belt or carbon brushes but this was just in one place like it had been spilt there and no obvious sign of damage to the belt.

I know for certain the element has gone, could the bearing have gone too??

Cheers
Lahorie

[iadom]

Re: Testing for continuity Hotpoint wm76 heating element

It looks like your bearings have failed, did you not notice that the machine was noisy on spin?

You may have a more serious failure though. If the marks are black/grey in colour and the drum is perfectly quiet when you rotate it by hand then the alloy bearing housing that is moulded into the outer drum may have come loose. Had one this afternoon and another only last week. Only cure is a new outer drum, around £150.00 plus of a repair. 😥

Jim.

[lahorie]

Re: Testing for continuity Hotpoint wm76 heating element

Hi Iadom

Turning the drum by hand gives a slight grinding noise, on spin there are no noises such as bangs etc but you can hear the springs on the concrete block in the machine.

Thanks
Lahorie

[iadom]

Re: Testing for continuity Hotpoint wm76 heating element

The springs will ‘creak’ during spin etc, if they are in place then there is no problem there. If you remove the belt and spin the drum by hand it should be almost silent, often slightly dry/worn motor bearings can give a grinding noise, removing the belt would eliminate this.

If the drum is silent then it does sound as though the alloy bearing housing tube has come adrift. 😥

A snapped drum support will also cause damage to the heater but would not cause the marks on the back of the drum.

Jim.

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