wha wha wha wha the washer is broke

The ever dreaded phone call I want to hear at work. The washing machine is broke. It doesn't drain or spin. Water just sits there. But no fear. Don't I always fix things that break in my home? Isn't it I that tore apart a vacum cleaner and soldered in a wire for a broken switch? Aren't I that fixed my 13 year old dryer most recently and virtually overhauled it? Like new? Aren't I the one that fixed my ac unit on condensor broke fan motor by changing out for a new one, after researching the parts and ordering the required parts? As with everything else? Aren't I the one that fixed a broken head light and front grille after the wife took out a refrigerator in the middle of the road dropped by a truck? Aren't me the one that changed out a leaking hot water heater tank by changing out a new pressure regulator valve and splicing in a new drain line? The same guy....ME that unclogged drain lines from my ac unit in the attic? I don't even want to get into other projects and car fixes I've done, or tables and entertainment centers and cabinets I've put together utilizing my wood shop skills and mechanical skills.

But thanks to amazon.......they have my washing machine switch. After a thorough analysis on my washing machine, and checking out the pump for clogs or damage, I determine that the problem is with the lid switch. If the switch quits functioning, it won't spin the machine and drain the water. Took the switch off and checked it out and it feels broken, not doing the clicking noise thing, so I didn't even bother to take a multimeter to it.


Ok, so what does this have to do with the price of tea in China? Nothing. Just saves me money from having to buy a new washing machine. More money saved is more money I can use to go somewhere with. Later gator.

My wife has been kind of annoying lately when things break down. No matter how simple the issue, she ALWAYS brings up replacement as well as repair. "Your computer has been restarting at random? Maybe you should get a new one..." - I can't keep track of how many times I've had to remind her that computers (at least desktops) are EXTREMELY repairable. Or our garage door recently broke. Can't remember if a replacement was brought up then (probably) but a $15 gear set fixed that up just fine. That other one had the main drive gear turn into plastic powder. Thankfully that one is up and running again.

UPDATE. Got the switch at amazon. To my surprise, it came quite fast but it wasn't even protected as flimsy as the switch is. Luckily, it was intact and in good working order. Got the new hot water cold water hose with new gaskets. Had to pull the machine apart, slide the cabinet out to install new switch. Bottom line, ops check is good, washer spinning, draining good, washer working fine, cloth being washed. Total repair bill. 7.99 for the hoses and 2.99 for the switch. 13 year old washer still going good.

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Originally Posted by spongebue

My wife has been kind of annoying lately when things break down. No matter how simple the issue, she ALWAYS brings up replacement as well as repair. "Your computer has been restarting at random? Maybe you should get a new one..." - I can't keep track of how many times I've had to remind her that computers (at least desktops) are EXTREMELY repairable. Or our garage door recently broke. Can't remember if a replacement was brought up then (probably) but a $15 gear set fixed that up just fine. That other one had the main drive gear turn into plastic powder. Thankfully that one is up and running again.

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In this world of disposable things, everyone thinks that upgrading or buying a new something because it breaks down is the only alternative. I understand that not everybody is mechanically inclined or have tools to do things with. By the time you call a repairman to do the job, it makes it not economically feasable when you can take that repair bill money and slap it down on a new washing machine. But I'll be damed if I will pay money for a repair guy or buy a new washer over a lid switch. The hardest thing about this job was accessabillity like most things. The water hoses I decided to change out because they looked like in due time, they will spring a leak. They looked pretty bad when I took them off. Gasket shot and ready to leak at any time.

Absolutely. My dad was very mechanical. Was a car mechanic before I was born, and would repair cars all my life (with very few specialized exceptions). I think that TVs are one thing that have gotten really disposable that used to be almost always repaired, and he's been buying broken TVs off craigslist, replacing some capacitors on the motherboard (the issue 99% of the time, few dollars in parts) and voila - new tv. Thankfully, I've picked up from my father in that regard, not my father-in-law.

I have a projection TV that took a dump a couple of years ago. Make a long story short, it lost some color, so it looks semi-black and white. I tried messing with it, but then opted for a more modern smart tv and use the projection tv in my man cave. Works good, got the antennae hooked up to it, basically watch DIGITAL TV and have caught some great football games with the big screen. So the color is somewhat compromised, but I didn't see any reason to deep six the projection tv when I can still watch TV, only not in its best color. But its clear and crisp enough for a man cave tv. That tv is a bit over my head. Could be alot of things wrong with that causing the red color to go out.

Washers and dryers are a lot easier to fix than a TV. I've taken mine apart completely, pulled up the schematic and fixed them without calling anyone. I've found that plenty of things are fixable if you try.

Not only that, but (somewhat contradicting what I said earlier) newer LCD tvs are a lot easier for a common person to repair. Once you get past the main power supply (which I don't think goes bad as often, and can be replaced as a unit fairly reasonably) things are very low-power. Tube tvs, on the other hand, store HUGE electric charges, even when unplugged. If you don't properly discharge it, and touch the wrong point, you can be killed.

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Originally Posted by MRSDS1DONNA

Washers and dryers are a lot easier to fix than a TV. I've taken mine apart completely, pulled up the schematic and fixed them without calling anyone. I've found that plenty of things are fixable if you try.

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You can read a schematic? Me too. I learned it in A&P school. Where did you learn about capacitors,resistence, impedance, voltage drop, PNP,NPN, diodes, soldering, rectifiers, transformers,fuses, and crimping? What is your position in the airlines?

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Originally Posted by spongebue

Not only that, but (somewhat contradicting what I said earlier) newer LCD tvs are a lot easier for a common person to repair. Once you get past the main power supply (which I don't think goes bad as often, and can be replaced as a unit fairly reasonably) things are very low-power. Tube tvs, on the other hand, store HUGE electric charges, even when unplugged. If you don't properly discharge it, and touch the wrong point, you can be killed.

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Problem I've run into things like LCD tv's is WHERE DO YOU GET THE REPAIR MANUAL and where do you get spare parts? A repair manual like aircraft manuals tells you FAULT ISOLATION procedures such as TV RECEPTION NOT WORKING. NO SIGNAL. Then you have a flow chart like steps to help you fix it. And I'm not talking about the owners manual with stupid steps like, to make sure that the tv is plugged in. Or like the antenna is connected. I've been told that repair manuals for tv's are not sold to anyone aside tv shops. If you have the right manuals/schematics/troubleshooting guides, that may be enough for a trained technician with semi-technical training. But you still have to have certain skills like soldering, and understanding how a fuse, resistor multimeter works along with certain hand skills like taking a tv apart. Not to mention tooling or even test equipment. Removing and replacing parts is easy. Finding out what is wrong with it (troubleshooting) is the hard part, or even gaining access to a suspect part. Be aware of those that say they can fix TV's by watching youtube videos and have zero formal electronics training. (Or any kind of technical training.)

I'm a rez lead. According to my husband, I shouldn't be able to read it since I have no training in such things (his degree is in engineering) but I can. When I was younger I had more time than money so I had to learn a lot of things that some folks don't bother to learn - and repairing things was one of them. Now don't ask me to actually build something like a deck because I won't even try but installing a garbage disposal or fixing a electronic device? Those I can do.

Gotcha. I see.

Lets debate this for a minute. A TV is harder to fix than a washing machine? About the major difference is that a tv is basically ALL ELECTRONICS. A washing machine of my type, utilizes mechanics and electrical circuitry mostly by one very interesting device called a TIMER. Via the timer, this is the knob that when pushed in, ALL SWITCHES open up rendering the washing machine off. When the cloth is loaded, and the knob of the timer gets pulled out, timer whinds down it goes about opening and closing switches based on what position the timer gets to. For instance, certain switch will open stoping agitation and closing another switch to start a different cycle. A very clever device. Almost like a clock that rings when it hits the witching hour. Understanding the schematic on when certain cylcles take place can help in troubleshooting your washer. For example, my timer wasn't draining the water. It just stopped and did nothing but wind down. The switch did not open because the switch was broken on the lid switch. This is the switch that keeps you from opening up the lid while its in its spin cycle for safety. Since it was broken, the machine acted like the lid stayed open, even though the lid was closed, preventing the draining of water and the SPIN cycle.
The machine also has a clutch, a motor, a pump attached to the motor that drains the water from a tank that senses when the water is full utilizing a SENSE LINE that is attached to what? THE TIMER AGAIN. So that's pretty good old fashion mechanical enginuity one must admire.
It aint easy messing around a broke clutch without reviewing a manual or maybe hopefully someone like REPAIR CLINIC can show you how to do it online. I watched some of these videos, and let me tell you, there are clips, snap rings, springs involved that can eat your lunch.
What is there on a tv? Mother boards, and most people remove and replace cards. There are no moving parts such as a washing machine has, no motor, everything is based on card files maybe a main fuse. Then there is the screen itself. I'm sure a good tv repairman has the essential tooling needed to fix, and troubleshoot this high tech component. Some of these file cards are soldered by precision machines, that even a soft hand renders a fix useless making you buy a card file. Without repair manuals or fault isolation assistance, one can be throwing parts needlessly and burning money if your troubleshooting skills are missfiring.
So the tale of the tape is as follows. A washing machine, clever enginuity utilizing a timer to open and close various switches of the washing machine cycle with mechanical components like motor, sensors, switches, a clutch, pump all not the easiest access and heavy, bulky to open up and close. Can make a bit of a mess with water spillage especially with broke hoses and clamps or bad in cold/hot water hoses.
A LCD television, electronics inclined. No moving parts, mostly card files, mother boards as you find in your computer, needing small tools, perhaps a bit of soldering involved, if you can identify the issue, and get away with removing a replacing a card file, or board successfully, you did good. Which is harder to work on? That depends on the individual I suppose. I don't think aircraft avionics is any harder than aircraft mechanics, because in the end, all that is needed to work on aircraft avionics, (aside doing actual "BENCH WORK" meaning tearing into an altimeter and other avionics boxes) is an airframe and powerplant technician's license. We can do it all including avionics in airline work. There is a fine line between aircraft avionics and airframe and powerplant electrical. I've done them both. Avionics is not harder. It's just how much time you put into the prospective area.

I'm in the process of having to shell out 3500.00 to get my transmission replaced in my car. 2003 Buick Park Avenue, 116K miles. Car is immaculate, uses no oil, everything works like a champ, so I decided to bite the bullet and get it done, rather than take the money and put towards a new(er) car.

Sadly, I don't have a garage, lift, or any of the things needed to let me do that myself. :(

Ouch. I suspect 3500 including the transmission? What guys do here from work is hit the junk yard for good tranny then put it in themselves. I've been lucky with transmissions. Never had to deal with them, except maybe some 30 years ago or so on a Ford Fairmont. Guy rebuild it and put it on, maybe at the time around 350 bucks. Maybe you can make it worthwhile if you can get another 100k on it.

Yeah, that price is a GM rebuilt, 3 yr/36K mile warranty. My repair guy would only use a GM certified, he's dealt with them and knows they will stand behind the warranty, and he will also get his labour cost recouped if it dies whilst in warranty.

Speaking of that, my dryer roller wheels took a dump. They somehow siezed up and wore a flat side on the wheel. Imagine that of all things. I just changed them. (Wheels that ride on the drum.) Don't know why but I suspect the lubricant I used hardened up when I installed them. And the tolerances coupled with that hard lubricant I used caused them to sieze somewhat. So I ordered a new pair. In the meantime, I did sand down the inside of the wheel and the shaft it rides on, sprayed it down with liquid lubricant and it is freed up, turns great, only problem, with the flat side of the wheel, causing a definate tumbling noise. So waiting on my new rollers.

Since we're all talking about DIY stuff, I'm working on a deck now. Just got a concrete step broken into pieces. Exactly 95 whacks with the sledgehammer to get it freed. Next up, surveying and post hole digging. And a little more for framing. Should be a fun project once things really get going!

Sounds like a heck of a project. Did you wear safety goggles and gloves? Safety first you know. 95 whacks on concrete sounds like lots of flying debris. I don't like projects anymore of those magnitudes. Just don't seem to have the time really. I can do it, but I'm not geared tool wise right now for cutting wood and laying down a foundation. I've thought of having a deck but what turns me off is having critters nest underneath the deck. What I really hate is yard work. It's like patching a boat in the middle of an ocean. Just sink money in it and for what? Win 50 dollar from the neighborhood association? But being's my wife has a highly motivated green thumb, I get pushed in the jobs when the going gets tuff, like humping around bricks and mulch/grass whatever....dragging out the water hose. I've been known to curse under my breath during these Shanghai'ed moments in the name of a clean lawn.

No gloves, but I absolutely did wear goggles. And put a tarp at the sliding glass door to protect that.

When I was a kid, my dad watched This Old House quite a bit. Now I'm watching one video after another about how to do the footings for a deck. I'm kind of excited to do this, things like this are like giant grown-up lego sets to me. But I also have to make my own instructions, which is a little scary. But when I'm sipping a beer in the backyard with a pork shoulder in the smoker, I'll be a very happy man.

exactlly. Sit down and make a drawing with dimensions and sizes and at the bottom of the page, list the materials and quantity. "A MAN A PLAN A CANAL. PANAMA". Now take these words and read them BACKWARDS.