Washing machine help?

[jerkbait]

Any appliance experts out there? I need a little advice. We have a Kenmore Elite HE3T and we are getting an F20 error. I have checked all the drains and inlets, all checked good. Screens and all. Last night I replaced the flow meter and we were able to do 2 normal loads. Before we went to bed last night my wife started a heavy duty cycle and this morning the F20 error was back. So she started a normal cycle and that completed before we left for work. When I ordered the flow meter I also ordered a pressure switch. Plan to try that next. If that does not do the trick what would be the next thing to look at? Control boards are not cheap and living in BFE we are kind of on our own.

Thanks

[CAMAN]

Living in BFE I assume you are on well water? Does your pressure seem constant? Or is it fluctuating?

Google also says there are some models of the he3t that an f20 can indicate a bad heater circuit. Could your washer have a heater for steam or something ?

[amateurfishing]

we have all GE profile series products. fridge, washer, dryer. all new with house in 05. all of our circuit boards started going at same time 2 months ago. fridge was 150. washer was gonna b $400 but we opted for buying new one on sale instead (& repairman recommended that)

if its giving you issues and u cant find/verify them, i'd say chances are its circuit board. our washer would always stop mid cycle stating not level/off balance. we had 3 inspections with it everything in perfect condition except circuit board that smelled like burnt wire. sadly these are the items that go first these days on this new stuff.

kinda like a vehicle with a great engine but bad sensors telling it not to start or something else cause the electronics tell it their is something wrong event though there really isnt

[jerkbait]

Yes we are on well water, but it is filtered and softened. Not sure about the heater.

[CAMAN]

I wasn't thinking you could have contaminants in the system, I was more so seeing if you could have a pump or pressure tank going bad. Do you seem to have a fairly consistent and reliable flow of water throughout the house? Try running a hose for a couple minutes to see if the pressure drops significantly.

[Tom7227]

I don't want to steal this thread but since when do wash machines have all these controls? Why? We have a 15 or 20 year old low end rig that seems to get the clothes clean and there are about 6 parts that could go kalfooey. And it is relatively simple to figure out what one is boogered up. No codes involved.

[swamptiger]

I bet yours doesn't play a tune when it's done washing, though..

[Dave S]

Our front load washer is starting to dump water all over the floor if the load doesn't balance itself. I know it's probably just a seal or something easy to replace. The Mrs. demands she get another but I can't justify the kaching to replace something that's going to be a pile of dump in a couple years.

[amateurfishing]

I don't want to steal this thread but since when do wash machines have all these controls? Why? We have a 15 or 20 year old low end rig that seems to get the clothes clean and there are about 6 parts that could go kalfooey. And it is relatively simple to figure out what one is boogered up. No codes involved.

most everything is made to operate like that these days such as newer vehicles

[Cicada]

For every appliance problem, there are usually at least three things that can cause the issue.

Look inside the washer door and get the model number. A Sears model number will be three digits, a decimal point, then eight or nine more digits. The first three may be printed differently, or stamped, but it is the part that tells you who made that thing for Sears. For example, if it's 110.something, it was made by Whirlpool, 911. something would be GE ( which we, where I work, think that's just funny right there).

Once you've found out who made it, call around until you find an authorized servicer for that brand. You usually can bring it to them, it will be a lot cheaper, especially if you consider how much you can put into parts that you didn't need. At the store I work at, we charge $24.00 for an estimate. If it gets the death penalty, we will usually credit half back towards the purchase of a new machine.

To determine if your machine has a water heater, look for a "Sanitary" cycle or "Steam" options. Both will heat the water temperature past your water heater's temperature.

Also, weigh in the age of the machine. New front load washer life expectancy is only about ten or eleven years on the average. Usually, folks will opt to buy new if the cost of repairs gets in the neighborhood of half the cost of a new machine, especially when it has half or more of that life expectancy gone.

Electronics in these machines are a two sided coin. On one hand, they make the machines work so much more efficiently and way more cost effective, but they are often messed up by shorts or electric spikes, which are a byproduct of inconsistencies in our electric utilities not the quality of the part. They do, however, play a big part in the decreased life expectancy of the machine.

Bad news for Tom, even the low end machines have electronic controls these days and the life expectancy of those machine is down to around seventeen years. If you are looking for top load and longer life expectancy, I have two words for you...Speed Queen.

[NEANGLER]

We had that a awhile ago and it took Sears 4 trips out and every switch and module(5 total) before it was fixed. Good thing we had the insurance coverage on it since between the 5 parts and the labor it would have cost us over $1300- about what we paid for it. If the last part they put in didn't work they were going to consider it a lemon and get us a brand new one.

Have you had any power surges lately, we think that is what caused our problem.

[jerkbait]

What was the last part that fixed it?

[Dave S]

We sent our Kenmore packing on Monday. The Mrs just got herself a new LG. Only had to replace one pump and it's life here ended with a torn drum seal. No other electronic issues.

The dryer will be the next to go. I've put 3 heating elements in it over 11 years with the most recent installed last week.

[NEANGLER]

Yep last part since that was the only one they had not changed out, -there is not too many parts to change out so should be able to figure it out in short order. But not cheap......