Four Days of Not Washing

Yesterday the washing machine started to make a funny noise. Today it wasn't making any noises at all. And the big drum thing wasn't going round any more. My professional opinion is that it is broken. Bearing in mind it is four years old, I think it is new machine time.

I usually have a go at mending them, and I'm actually pretty good. I've rebuilt motors, replaced pumps and unclogged valves. I've only really got it wrong once, when I didn't quite fit a seal properly and the back of the machine fell off, putting the kitchen under three inches of water. But apart from that slight mishap I'm quite good. But this time I think I'll get a new one.

The one before this failed under very impressive circumstances. Two chaps had just turned up and fitted a new cooker. They turned it on and the washing machine across the kitchen blew up at exactly the same moment. They were most apologetic, before they realised that it was not their fault.

This time I've managed to get a replacement machine organised without even leaving the keyboard. Trawled through some Which reports to find a brand that is broadly OK (Why are all the best buy ones hugely expensive?), found a local supplier, checked stock levels, ordered and paid. It arrives next week. I hope it is on time. I'll probably have to change my socks at some point.....

Comments

[IgnorantPom]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMU0tzLwhbE
I am like, totally enthused.

[JDog]

After watching that and many other videos containing Steve Balmer I now fully respect his place in Microsoft.

[Just a little hint]

Usually when your machine stops working like that (drum stops spinning) you need to replace the belt which you can pick up for cheap.

[Rob]

I've done belt replacements, with those you can hear the motor going berzerk but the drum doesn't move. In this case I have nothing, no movement and no noise. If I spin the drum by hand I hear the motor turning as well, so the belt is fine.

I think the "funny noise" the night before was the motor arcing across. This usually means that one of the windings has shorted and that it is new motor time. The last time I bought a new motor it cost around 100 pounds, and so a new washing machine would seem to make sense.

[John S]

Could it not just have been solved with new brushes on the motor?