The washing machine is taking on water when turned off
Even with careful handling and compliance with all the rules of operation, complex household appliances periodically present their owners with surprises in the form of unexpected breakdowns, malfunctions and strange behavior. The washing machine is no exception. After several years of stable operation, sometimes suddenly problems arise, the causes of which cannot be identified at the first time.
In this article we will tell you about a fairly rare failure - automatic water intake, which starts when the washing machine is off. About the causes of this malfunction and ways to fix it, read below.
Causes
The reason for the fact that the device begins to draw water when the machine is off, there can be only one - a breakdown of the solenoid valve, which is responsible for the supply of water (this valve is also called the fill or inlet valve). It is a small-sized plastic part with a metal plate, working on the principle of a water faucet.
When the washing program starts, the control box sends a signal to the inlet valve. Under the influence of voltage, an electromagnetic field is generated around the valve, as a result of which the valve opens and the water is drawn. When the required amount of water enters the tank, the valve closes automatically.
The fill valve is located under the top cover (if the washing machine is front-loading) or behind the side panel (if the appliance is vertically loaded), so it is easy enough to find in case of need.
Like any other element of a complex mechanism, this part can break at the most inopportune moment. If the valve jams in the closed position, it will not be possible to draw water, but if as a result of breakage of the inlet valve jams in the open position, the machine will continuously draw water, even if you turn it off.
What to do?
As soon as you discover a faulty inlet valve, you should immediately stop the water supply. Disconnecting the washing machine from the mains will not help here - you should shut off the water pipes, otherwise the flood will not be avoided.
Failure of the intake valve is not the case, when you must necessarily go to a professional repairman, you can cope with the problem yourself.
So, the broken water intake valve is subject to replacement, but to do this, you must first remove it. To get to this part, you need to remove the panel under which it is located (top or side, depending on the type of loading). Having found the valve, disconnect all the hoses and wires to it. Then unscrew the bolts fixing the valve (or unfasten the latches) and remove the faulty part. To gently pull out the valve, you need to turn it slightly.
Instead of the broken device, install a new part in its place. Then do all the steps in reverse order. To make it easier on yourself, once you get started, take pictures of each step, then you can easily reassemble everything as it was.
See the following video tutorial for more details.
Preventive maintenance and tips
- In order not to flood the bathroom, and with it the apartment of the neighbors, you can install an additional faucet on the "inlet" to the washing machine, with which you can shut off the water supply. As soon as the machine completes the washing process, close the tap. This way, even if the fill valve is broken, no water will flow into the tank.
- If you doubt that the fill valve is really defective, you can verify this by checking it with special equipment. Remove the valve and connect the water supply hose to it. Make sure that the valve is not leaking water. Then apply voltage to each section of the valve in turn. Water should flow from the section that is energized. If it does not, then the element is defective.
- Another way to check the operation of the solenoid valve is to use a multimeter (a device used to diagnose electrical equipment). Connect the probe to the metal plates on the valve and set the device to resistance measurement mode. If the value is between 2 and 4 kOhm, the valve is working.
For more tips on connecting your washing machine to the water supply, watch the following video.
