Washing machine walking across the room

pledgeX

We have just bought a Hotpoint Aquarius WML520P for our new house as it has very good reviews.

We tried it out by using just a few towels to make sure there was no leaking or anything. It was all going well until it got to the spin cycle. The machine was shaking like crazy. Stuff on the worktops all round the kitchen were vibrating and moving around, and the machine itself walks out about a metre, then back in again when it spins the other way. It was set to use the full 1200 rpm spin mode.

It's on a slate floor and there's nothing to hold it in place so it's probably not ideal, but I wouldn't expect for it to move so much. I wouldn't do a wash without being there out of fear that it would walk all the way out and pull the pipes out!

Is this normal? I suppose I could buy some brackets and screw them into the floor and surrounding units which will stop it moving, but it's still going to vibrate like crazy. I'm just worried that something is defunct with the machine.

Thanks for any advice.

Barneysmom

Have you removed the transit bracket from the machine?

kazwookie

Sounds unbalanced, are the legs level? have you put a spirit level on it to see?

Has all the packaging materials been removed from around the machine?

maninthestreet

Barneysmom wrote: »

Have you removed the transit bracket from the machine?

My thoughts as well - if this is the case, the machine may well be damaged e.g bent/twisted chassis.

pledgeX

Thanks for the replies. I didn't put the washing machine in so don't know if they've been done. I'll have to check when I get back. From looking at a few other posts though it sounds like that could be the cause of the problem.

If the transit bolts/brackets are still in place, is it likely that the machine will be broken? Is there anything to look for that would show if its broken or not?

Thanks again.

maninthestreet

If it doesn't sit level and square on a FLAT floor, and you can rock it back and for on it's feet/wheels, then that is a fair indication the chassis is twisted.

pledgeX

Thanks again for all the replies folks. Got home last night and the transit bolts were still in place . Removed them and levelled the machine. Nothing looked obviously broken. The chassis seems square and stable.

I put it on a test run with just a few towels in and it seemed to run fine. It stayed planted throughout and didn't move at all. It was a shed load quieter as well. Still a fair bit of vibration on the spin cycle but a much more normal amount.

If something was broken, is it likely that it would have gone boom by now, or could it occur a few months down the line?

akitabow

"I didn't put the washing machine in so don't know if they've been done. I'll have to check when I get back. From looking at a few other posts though it sounds like that could be the cause of the problem."

Did you pay a tradesperson to put this in for you? if so it might be worth a call to inform them that they installed it incorrectly and if there are any further problems you will hold them liable. They should offer to come over and give it a once over.

pledgeX

akitabow wrote: »

Did you pay a tradesperson to put this in for you?

Unfortunately not. Was my partner and her parents. I suppose I could try and tell them they are liable

It was a stupid thing to do, so we've got no one to blame but ourselves. Just wondering what the liklihood of it all going rather wrong is!

exprog

pledgeX wrote: »

Just wondering what the liklihood of it all going rather wrong is!

- Glad I'm not the only one who can experience this little mishap!


My guess is that if the machiine seems to be okay then it probably is. Mine was still working this morning, approximately 15 years after it had a few walking sessions.