Advice please on faulty washing machine

mjbeckett

Hi Folks

I would appreciate the benefit of your wisdom. Our 8 year old zanussi washing machine has broken down. The drum doesn't turn round or spin at all.
Is it worth me getting the repairman out to look at it? Or at that age would it be tter to just junk it and buy a new one?

Thanks in advance

Mark

fabbers

Not sure, does it make all the normal noises but the drum just doesn't spin? If so could just be a drive belt or the motor. Drive belt should be cheap not sure on the motor.

JezCooke

Take the back off (unplug first of course), if the belt's gone (sounds likely) then it will be obvious, you'll see the remains of it in there. New belt should only be about a tenner and should be very easy to fit. The belt went on ours the other month but it was only a cheapy machine so took it as an excuse to buy a posh new one (considered not having to buy the belt a tenner saving on the new one!).

mjbeckett

I watched it yesterday. I went through the cycle filling and draining correctly but never span and I only saw it rotate once during the washing cycle when it rotated very lazily around 1 or 2 turns and didn't rotate again after that.

When I get home tonight I'll take the back off and check the belt (Thanks Jezcooke). If it's not that I will assume it's the motor and probably just scrap it and buy a nice shiny new one with a "AAA" energy/water saving rating.

weekendwarrior

You don't take the back off washing machines, you normally remove the top from the machine.

Take off the top and look inside, check the belt, if the belt is ok and if like you say it tries to turn then it may just be that the brushes in the motor need changing, these are normally a doddle and cost about £5 for a set. You have to remove the motor on most machines to change them but it is easy on most machines.

mjbeckett

Thanks very much for your advice folks. I'll whip the top/back off it tonight.

Many thanks :j

Mr_Grumpy_7

weekendwarrior wrote:

You don't take the back off washing machines, you normally remove the top from the machine.

Take off the top and look inside, check the belt, if the belt is ok and if like you say it tries to turn then it may just be that the brushes in the motor need changing, these are normally a doddle and cost about £5 for a set. You have to remove the motor on most machines to change them but it is easy on most machines.

I would agree, most likely cause is the brushes. However, the last set of brushes I bought were for a Siemens washing machine and cost around £20. They were a real pain to fit as the motor was mounted under the drum not on top.

wendyrobson

Had the same problem a few months ago and just replaced the carbon brushes - cost less than £15 - and 30 minutes to change. Seems like a common fault

Sponge

weekendwarrior wrote:

You don't take the back off washing machines...

I disagree.

You need to check your own machine of course, but I find removing the back panel gives you better access to the motors, pumps, hoses and belts.

It does sound like a belt has gone, maybe the motor. If it's not obvious from your own investigations then you need to way up the cost of getting it looked at compared to buying a new one. It could cost £50 just to have it looked at before any parts are replaced. A new machine can be bought for under £200. So after 7 years of use, would you rather have it fixed and possibly something else break shortly after? Or have the piece of mind of a new machine?

Soemthing similar happened to me recently. My 8 year old Candy machine stopped emptying and spinning and had an intermittent program (electrical) fault (which I had been suffering for nearly a year). It was a simple matter to remove the rear panel and check for any obvious problems.

After getting quotes for someone to come out and look at it, I decided it was easier to let the thing die peacefully and buy a new one.

Cagey

I don`t think an 8 year old Zannuzi has carbon brushes as I am sure it will have an induction motor. Sounds like a belt problem but not sure if they are prone to that. Some machines had variable pullys that would stick in the open position but I don`t know if it applies to this machine. Mainly Candy`s if I remember.

mjbeckett

Hi there

Just an update. Got a bloke in whgo I had called out before (when the machine wasn't actually broken as he kindly pointed out). He says it's the brushes and it should only cost a total of about £50 so the machine will live to fight another load of washing.

Thanks for all your advice

Mark