Should there be water sitting in pre-chamber of SMART Hotpoint Washing Machine

t45

Should there be a lot of water  (a pan size full!) in the bottom/pre-chamber / pump/filter area of my washing machine?

I opened the filter pump at base (pre-chamber) and was expecting a trickle of water but instead a lot came out….

I am trying to work out why the machine smells (eggy smell) and the smell seemed to be at the bottom area so I checked the filter /pump areas and low and behold there was  a lot of smelly water sitting there.

When I drain this water the smell disappears. However, if I then do a wash cycle, water then returns to this area where it sits and starts to smell unless it is drained. I was wondering if anyone has experienced this with their Hotpoint machine?

The machine has self-cleaning pump and there are no coins of obstructions in the filter. There is however a lot of water as mentioned. If I leave this water it reeks. I therefore have to drain after every wash which doesn’t seem right.

I assume a small amount of water is normal in this area but the amount I am draining every time is rather a lot. 

Could there be an issue with the drain hose or the pump itself i.e. the pump not draining out all of the water after cycle and/or there could be a blockage in the hose pipe?...

Many thanks!

neilmcl

Sounds fairly normal to me. There's usually about a litre of water in most machines that comes out when you drain the pump filter.

EssexExile

If the machine is going through its cycle , washing and rinsing properly, then there is no fault with the pump or hose. Try a different detergent to get rid of the smells, or a very hot wash now and again. 

t45

Many thanks - this is so helpful- i'll try the change in detergent and a very hot wash and hopefully this will sort it out. It smells so bad! Any ideas of a good detergent that would help this? 
Out of interest how often should I be draining the pump filter?
And is it worth keeping an eye on the drain hose for potential blockages....I assume that an error code would appear on the HP washing machine is there was blockage....
Much thanks!

Jumblebumble

We never drain the filter pump unless it needs it when family members have left coins
I would get some washing machine cleaner from the supermarket and run the hottest wash empty 
( the same apply to dishwashers which we do more often)

t45

Thank you so much - i'm going to try the hot wash on empty load with washing machine cleaner or vinegar - hopefully this will solve the issue - if not then I'll have to troubleshoot further - i'll run several hot washes and change detergent - so helpful - many thanks all

EssexExile

As above, leave it alone if it's working. Any big brand detergent is fine, don't use Ecover. Leave the machine door ajar when not in use.

Funny things washing machines. Our cheap old Hotpoint never had smell problems, our shiny new expensive Miele is a pain in the bottom for it!

neilmcl

t45 said:

Thank you so much - i'm going to try the hot wash on empty load with washing machine cleaner or vinegar - hopefully this will solve the issue - if not then I'll have to troubleshoot further - i'll run several hot washes and change detergent - so helpful - many thanks all

If you can, remove the drawer and give it and the area it came out of a good clean.

poppellerant

The eggy smell you mention might be a sign of water backing up the pipes from elsewhere, for example the sink or dishwasher.  If you remove the end of the waste pipe where your washing machine's waste pipe is plumbed into, you might also get a similar eggy smell.

If you are getting water from elsewhere backing up into your washing machine, you need to sort out the plumbing so that it stops.

t45

Thank you all very much - im going to try the detergent, door ajar, hot wash and  service/clean - the smell gets stronger when it's hot like today! 
If neither of the above work then I'll look at the piping - the drain hose -..so could the smell be stagnant water in the drain hose? i dont have a dishwasher but the washing machine s plumbed into the under sink area...i assume i remove the end of the drain hose?......

poppellerant

Without seeing a picture of how it's plumbed in and the plumbing around it, I can't be exact.  But usually they are push-fit, so you should be able to easily remove it by pulling with not too much effort.

If you want to try and get rid of the smell while you wait to access the pipework, run the washing machine on a the hottest (90c) wash with a small dash of bleach.  it might also be worth putting some bleach down your kitchen sink to try and help as much as possible - rinse it away once the washing machine has completed it's cycle and your pipes should be a bit more fragrant.