UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > Specific Vintage Equipment > Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items

Notices

Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items For discussions about other vintage (over 25 years old) electrical and electromechanical household items. See the sticky thread for details.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 26th Jul 2017, 1:53 am   #1
Amraduk
Hexode
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK.
Posts: 453
Default Hotpoint 9540W Washing Machine

The door lock on this machine has just started to refuse to allow the door to be opened. I found that if I run the spin cycle again, I could then open it, however, if I left it closed for a period of time, the door wouldn't open! I've also found that there is still some water in it which I can hear if I turn the drum by hand but that hasn't happened before.

It seems that the pressure sensor is what is preventing the door from being opened, with no power, if I move the lever from it that actuates the micro switch and moves the interlock pin in the lock, it then works OK. I'm wondering if the water in it might be what is causing the problem. I haven't yet examined the pump to see if there may be something wrong with it but that's the next thing I'll do.

Moulded in the brown plastic part are these details:

FEME

BP Made in Italy

016/5133 9.80.02.03.1

Stamped in ink(?) near one end, is: 6/86

Moulded into the white part is:

A016/5133 A16 516606

I've attached a couple of photos of the lock, one is the front and the other is the back.

Any suggestions as to other things to check?

Regards,

Dave.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Hotpoint 5940W Door Lock - 1.jpg
Views:	151
Size:	79.7 KB
ID:	146824   Click image for larger version

Name:	Hotpoint 5940W Door Lock - 2.jpg
Views:	147
Size:	33.5 KB
ID:	146825  
Amraduk is offline  
Old 26th Jul 2017, 3:06 am   #2
BulgingCap
Pentode
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: South Coast, Western Australia.
Posts: 129
Default Re: Hotpoint 9540W Washing Machine

I've had similar problems over the decades with various makes- the usual culprit is the water level sensor to the door switch. This is purely mechanical (or hydraulic, I suppose) It works on the pressure in the pipe caused by the depth of water. If the pipe can be removed from the switch, give it a blow out and reassemble. It could either be blocked with lint, or have got water resident in it.
The same goes for the water level switch (at least in older machines). These suffer the same issue. They have a variety of microswitches that operate at different pressures ie depths.
Of course, if the pump is not emptying the machine fully then the door interlock is doing its job. This is checked by the main water level switch, but would give a fault if the pump runs for longer than a preset time without the level switch indicating the tub is empty.
BC
BulgingCap is offline  
Old 26th Jul 2017, 8:31 am   #3
Boater Sam
Banned
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK. & Winter in the Philippines.
Posts: 3,897
Default Re: Hotpoint 9540W Washing Machine

Ensure that there is no dribble from a faulty fill valve admitting water into the machine when off.
Boater Sam is offline  
Old 26th Jul 2017, 8:38 am   #4
Amraduk
Hexode
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK.
Posts: 453
Default Re: Hotpoint 9540W Washing Machine

@BC Thanks for your reply. I think the pipe can be removed, it's glued in with a brown adhesive, I'm not sure if I've got anything suitable to glue it back with, though.

I'll try removing the pipe to clean it and see if that helps, also the water level switch and the pump. I'm going out today so I won't be able to look at again till this evening.

Regards,

Dave.
Amraduk is offline  
Old 26th Jul 2017, 9:43 am   #5
DangerMan
Heptode
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 719
Default Re: Hotpoint 9540W Washing Machine

If there is still water in the machine it sounds like the door switch and hydrostatic sensor is working properly.

If this is the model I think it is, we had one which used to occasionally do the same thing. There was a debris trap beneath the drum which would become clogged, and then the water flow would be visibly poor when spinning or emptying because this trap had become clogged with coins, buttons, hair grips, fluff and occasionally the odd sock (!) etc..

The reason for it locking after standing was that the washing was being spun in the presence of water so was still waterlogged... if allowed to stand this dribbled back out of the washing and the level sensor was retriggered.

I'd be inclined to check for this first. If you lower the drain hose below the level of the bottom of the drum (say into a shallow tray on the floor) any remaining water will very slowly drain out even without the pump running, and with rubbish in the pipework.
This might save removing the filter itself and getting water everywhere if there is indeed water still the machine !
DangerMan is offline  
Old 26th Jul 2017, 10:07 am   #6
mike_newcomb
Rest in Peace
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: West London, UK.
Posts: 665
Default Re: Hotpoint 9540W Washing Machine

Hi Dave, have you tried cleaning the Machine?

I regularly do ours with a WM Cleaner from a cheapo shop such as the Pound Store.

Generally Cleaners require a high water temperature setting which helps dissolve any Sludge build up. Probably came from my Socks!

Regards - Mike
mike_newcomb is offline  
Old 26th Jul 2017, 5:59 pm   #7
G6Tanuki
Dekatron
 
G6Tanuki's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,953
Default Re: Hotpoint 9540W Washing Machine

Try a couple of cold-fill "boil washes", with a handful of washing-soda [not caustic-soda!] crystals thrown into the drum instead of clothes.

Old detergent can get into the small-bore pipework used for the various sensors, congeal/grow-mould, and so stop the sensors from being able to sense the water-pressure in the machine's deeper entrails.

There was one particular machine [brand/model now forgotten] that had a single small-bore pipe from the bottom of the drum to a similarly-small-bore 'manifold' to which the other pressure-sensors were connected. If this pipe or its manifold got a 'hairball' of fluff and/or congealed detergent the results were, to put it mildly, 'interesting' - including fill-valve held wide open despite the drum being full [water cascading out of the detergent-fill tray!] and full-on-spin-mode/drain-pump-left-running-for-hours-until-something-burned-out.
G6Tanuki is offline  
Old 26th Jul 2017, 6:33 pm   #8
Amraduk
Hexode
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK.
Posts: 453
Default Re: Hotpoint 9540W Washing Machine

Hello Sam,

I was probably still composing my reply to CB when you posted your message, so I didn't see it until today!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boater Sam View Post
Ensure that there is no dribble from a faulty fill valve admitting water into the machine when off.
I think you have hit the nail on the head! As I said, I was out today and when I returned home I could see that there was considerably more water in the machine than when I looked at it yesterday evening.

What is probably happening is that when the washing cycle has finished, there is probably insufficient water to operate the interlock in the door switch so opening the door is OK but if left for a time, which I sometimes do, it gradually fills with water from the, I guess, leaking inlet valve. Eventually, the door lock will be locked so it can't be opened.

I haven't investigated the inlet valves yet but it seems as though that is the most likely cause of the problem. I will report my findings once I have checked them.

@ DangerMan
Quote:
...if allowed to stand this dribbled back out of the washing and the level sensor was retriggered.
I don't think that will be the problem, going by what I've since found.

@ Mike and G6Tanuki

Thanks for your suggestions, I'll bear them in mind in case of future problems that may be caused by them.

Regards,

Dave.
Amraduk is offline  
Old 26th Jul 2017, 8:46 pm   #9
1100 man
Octode
 
1100 man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Ventnor, Isle of Wight, & Great Dunmow, Essex, UK.
Posts: 1,377
Default Re: Hotpoint 9540W Washing Machine

You are lucky there is a water level activated door interlock! Some years ago I visited a friend in his rented house. For some reason, when we were in the kitchen, he mentioned the washing machine was noisy. Naturally, I opened the door to spin the drum and feel the bearings. A 'wall' of water fell slowly out of the front of the machine (or so it seemed). This turned into a tidal wave which washed through the lounge and into the hall The drum was full to the brim so it looked normal through the door! Needless to say, we just fell about laughing and then went down the pub! Unsurprisingly, I wasn't asked back by his wife!!
Cheers Nick
1100 man is offline  
Old 26th Jul 2017, 10:23 pm   #10
Boater Sam
Banned
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK. & Winter in the Philippines.
Posts: 3,897
Default Re: Hotpoint 9540W Washing Machine

You can isolate which valve is leaking by taking the pipe off the outlet with the water connected, power off.
If the valve is capable of being dismantled, you can fix it without any new parts.
They close by having equal pressures on both sides of the diaphragm as they close. For this to occur, there is a tiny hole off centre in the diaphragm which may be blocked with grit.
Sam.
Boater Sam is offline  
Old 27th Jul 2017, 12:30 am   #11
Refugee
Dekatron
 
Refugee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 5,549
Default Re: Hotpoint 9540W Washing Machine

Last time I fixed a machine for leaking like that it was being run cold only with a T piece to the hot and cold inlets.
I just moved all the wires to the good valve and did away with the T piece.
If you need all the valves a new or salvaged valve block will fix it.
Refugee is offline  
Old 28th Jul 2017, 6:35 am   #12
Amraduk
Hexode
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK.
Posts: 453
Default Re: Hotpoint 9540W Washing Machine

I removed the valves from the machine and left them in a bowl with water applied. I couldn't detect a leak even after a few hours, perhaps the disturbance of removing them cleared the problem! I had a spare hot water valve, so I replaced it as a precaution. The valves can't be dismantled, as far as I can tell, so would need replacing if faulty.

After reassembling the machine, I ran the spin cycle again. When that had finished, I could open the door and here was no noticeable water in it, even after a few hours, so I think the problem has been fixed.

I think the problem must have been due a leaking valve, given that the amount of water in it increased significantly after a few hours.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions and comments, it is much appreciated.

Regards,

Dave.
Amraduk is offline  
Old 29th Jul 2017, 11:00 am   #13
mike_newcomb
Rest in Peace
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: West London, UK.
Posts: 665
Default Re: Hotpoint 9540W Washing Machine

Hi Dave,

some valves have a gauze Filter where the inlet water Hose joins them. This can be in the valve itself, and pulled out for cleaning with Pliers, others are held in place by the inlet Hose union.

Wondered if yours have.

If not, maybe a small piece of grit had found its way into valve and was stopping it closing 100%. Your disturbance has 'lost' it.

The Filters are fragile and should be cleaned by reverse running water through them. Same with those on Electric Showers.

Regards - Mike
mike_newcomb is offline  
Old 29th Jul 2017, 9:39 pm   #14
Amraduk
Hexode
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK.
Posts: 453
Default Re: Hotpoint 9540W Washing Machine

Hello Mike,

Thanks for your reply.

Quote:
some valves have a gauze Filter where the inlet water Hose joins them. This can be in the valve itself, and pulled out for cleaning with Pliers, others are held in place by the inlet Hose union.

Wondered if yours have.
Yes, they do!

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/t...psvjbghs21.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/t...psprqakhtg.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/t...psbrmivdjq.jpg
Quote:

If not, maybe a small piece of grit had found its way into valve and was stopping it closing 100%. Your disturbance has 'lost' it.

The Filters are fragile and should be cleaned by reverse running water through them.
The filters I have are not gauze, but moulded plastic and they don't appear to be fragile.

Regards,

Dave.
Amraduk is offline  
Old 29th Jul 2017, 10:09 pm   #15
Oldcodger
Nonode
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 2,181
Default Re: Hotpoint 9540W Washing Machine

Amraduk - this site might be of help- http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/forumsphpbb3/
You will have to register to get help, BUT these blokes spend all day repairing white goods, such as your 9540W.
Oldcodger is offline  
Old 29th Jul 2017, 10:45 pm   #16
Amraduk
Hexode
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK.
Posts: 453
Default Re: Hotpoint 9540W Washing Machine

@ Oldcodger,

Thanks for the link, I'll check it, but as the machine is now working again, I don't need their expertise!

Regards,

Dave.
Amraduk is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:42 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.