Hoover HF110M Washing machine - sticks midcycle

[ecologica]

Hi,
Our Hoover HF110M washing machine is starting to stick at the rinse cycle, but only on cotton washes (3 or 4) - never on coloured 5 onwards.
The programmer stops half-way through rinsing and the machine stops completely, often with water in. If you turn it off and on again it will sometimes carry on to the end, or turning it off and setting it to another program starts it.

What I've done:
1. Taken off the filter and cleaned up the pump rotor etc.
2. Checked the pump - this is working fine.
3. Removed and cleaned the rubber tubing bit between the drum and pump - no blockages.
4. Just replaced the timer (programmer) as another post said this was likely to be faulty - no difference.

Any ideas what to look at next? Heard someone talking about a water level switch?

Thanks in advance - this is doing my head in. And my wifes. (bits all over the kitchen)

 

[zipper]

How old is this machine? If it doesn't have a display you ought to be seeing an error code (start led & first option led flashing in a particular sequence). It sounds very much like a drain issue. The pump may run fine unloaded but that doesn't mean it is in order. Is there any up/down slack on the impeller? When you spin it by hand is there a noticeable magnetic resistance? You should also check the motor brushes for excessive wear while you're at it.

 

[ecologica]

Its about 8 years old. It doesn't have any leds on the front at all except the "door locked" one next to the "door open" button. It just has 6 buttons (mini-load, maxi-load, start, open door etc etc) a temperature dial and a program dial. I can't see anything flashing and when it stops there is nothing happening atall.

At the moment I've got it running in the kitchen with the hose going out of the door (about 50cm off the ground) and during the early parts of the program ity looks as if the pump is working fine - the water fairly gushes out anyway. I'll have a poke about for free-play on the impellor as you suggest. When I turned it by hand I could feel magnetic resistance at 2 points each revolution but apart from that it felt fairly smooth. Is it the pump motor brushes I need to be looking at or the main drum motor?

The odd thing is that it works fine on programs 5 and above - right through the cycle and back to stop, which suggests that the pump is working OK then. Washing everything on this at the moment!

Cheers, Simon

 

[Leccy758]

The drum motor brushes are the ones to check, they usually last around 5 years and can cause problems with the faster spin and heavier load washes first (typically cotton washes), progressing onto other wash cycles until the drum will not rotate at all.

 

[ecologica]

Thanks - that sounds a promising avenue to explore. Is there a guide to locating / checking the brushes on a hoover anywhere - its my first time at this end of the washing machine!

 

[zipper]

Pump motors don't have brushes, only the main motor. At 8 years they are guaranteed to be very worn. Change them before it pops your pcb.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CImLdp8seo

 

[ecologica]

Don't know if its just me, but I can't find a single dealer stocking carbon brushes that will fit a hf110m. Is this model completely obsolete (it seems that I can buy most other bits for it) or are there any other models that are compatible?

Thanks

 

[zipper]

These should fit your machine http://www.espares.co.uk/part/washi...107/0/0/898716/washing-machine-carbon-br.html If in doubt call Hoover & tell them you want brushes for a SOLE ACC motor p/n 41002728. Alternatively pop into your nearest domestic appliance workshop & take a brush with you, most have brushes in stock. BTW...have you actually checked the brushes???

 

[ecologica]

Can't help checking for spares before I take anything apart!

I've got the brushes off but they don't look too bad to me - about 1cm of carbon showing otside the holder bit. I can't see any marks on them to say when they need replacing - is 1cm still good or bordering on needing replacing?

 

[zipper]

1cm is pretty short when you consider the reduced spring pressure involved. Low spring pressure = poor brush contact & it all gets worse the higher the load involved. How do the brush faces look...dull & mat, or shiny over the whole contact face? Does the commutator surface look burned by arcing or have "stall marks"? It should have a uniform light brown colour around the whole periphery. 2cm is about the minimum going rate for brushes, less than that change them out...

 

[ecologica]

Blimey, this is a level detail I wasn't expecting!

No marks on the armature (to my unpractised eye). One of the brush faces is shinier than the other, but both have a very distinct, very shiney band about 1mm wide going across the middle of the contact surface.

I'll have a look for some replacements ... Thanks for your help!

 

[ecologica]

Dammit, you guys are the best!! I would have bet good money (if I had some!) that if it could get half-way through the cycle then at least the motor (+brushes) were OK. Well, one set of carbon brushes later and our washing is up-to-date again and all is peaceful again in the kitchen.

I can't thank you all enough for your help - we just couldn't afford a new washing machine at the moment. Why doesn't this thing have a 'thousand thanks' button?

 

[zipper]

8)

 

[ecologica]

A dozen or so washes down the line, and the machine is as dead as the proverbial doornail. I can't fathom it - it went through a normal wash to the end, then next time .... nothing. No lights, no action, just a big zero.

I've tried:
1. socket is OK
2. fuse is OK
3. leaning on door incase catch is loose doesn't help
4. checking for loose wires inside (with power off)
5. power is reaching relevant points inside the machine (as far as I can tell - used a buzzy thing which detects live wires) - certainly on/off switch, programmer, etc.

When you push the start button there is no detectable function at all - no lights, no noise from door lock, water hose valves don't click etc. Not even any very faint noises of bits trying to start, etc.

I'm inclined to find a electrician (unless this is something to do with changing brushes and fairly easy to fix), but thanks in advance for any ideas anyway!

 

[zipper]

"Buzzy things" that detect live wires are pretty useless for faultfinding electrical appliances. In the worst event they can be downright dangerous to the user. Buy yourself a cheap multimeter instead. You could have a defective mains suppressor, power switch, door interlock, loose motor plug/broken wire...or in the worst event your pcb may have popped. But whatever the problem is more faultfinding is required. Badly worn brushes can certainly damage your pcb, it might not pop straight away but there is always a possibility it could sometime further down the line. Cross your fingers & hope for the best