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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

What to do when your front load washer will not drain

Has this ever happened to you?

So I'm washing a load of clothes when all of a sudden
I hear that dreadful beep, beep, beep.
It wasn't to tell me that it was washed.
I know that beep, it was an error beep.

Off to the laundry room I go to look at the display. 
It was flashing nd. So I got out the manual and looked 
up the error code. 
Meaning: Your washer is not draining.
It also said: Before calling for service
check the following.
1. Turn off the unit and turn it on again.
2. Select only the spin cycle.
3. Press the Start/Pause to drain the water.
If it still does not drain, call for service.
I went through those steps, the washer hummed for 
about 10-12 mins and then the dreadful beep, beep, 
beep assaulted my ears once again.

So I did what I had to do, call for service.
This is what it sounded like when I
called for service.

~Husband, where are you?~

So the call was made, he showed up right away 
- how's that for service?

He pulled the washer out from underneath
the counter and took the back panel off.


You can see 2 silver clamps holding the 
drain hoses to the pump, you'll need to slide
those down so you can remove the hoses
from the pump, the hubs used a pair of
vice grips. The clamp springs back
into shape once you let them go. 



There will be water so have plenty of towels and a
bucket ready. Chances are there won't be a clog in 
the hoses because they are pretty wide
anyways. From there unscrew your pump
from the washer...there is also a wire connection
that you will have to let go...ours had 2 wires, 
so just remember where the wires go...if possible take 
a picture to refer to when hooking the pump back up.

So here's our pump.




We took pictures of our pump from all sides before 
we started taking any screws out so that we could 
be sure we were putting it back together properly. 
Here's what we found when we took it apart.



I guess you could say it was my fault.
A bobby pin was preventing the pump from turning.
We were relieved though to actually find
something in the pump otherwise we'd really
have to call service because we wouldn't
have known what to do next.

The hubs put everything back together the
same way he took it apart and I put my dripping
wet clothes back in and set it on the spin cycle.
After a few moments of fear the washer started 
to spin...such relief!

I'd like to add that this is the first time my husband 
fixed this washer (it's the first time the washer 
broke), he had no clue really what he was getting 
into. It wasn't that bad so I think most of us could 
do this rather than pay a technician. 

20 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for sharing! My mother in law had this issue before so I'm going to pin this for future reference. Megan

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  2. Oh the messes a simple bobby pin can get you into! Lucky you didn't have to shell out $$$ for a repair bill - good hubby!
    JoAnn

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  3. That is the worst! Thanks for sharing :) following you from the hop!!!

    http://thebees3.blogspot.com/

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  4. We found the cap to a pen in our washer pump years ago.

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  5. So helpful, that handy husband of yours. That could have turned out to be a very expensive bobby pin. haha. Glad all is back to normal.

    xx, Emily
    bluedogbelle.blogspot.com

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  6. Thanks for linking up with us for Wonderful Wednesdays!

    Rachel

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  7. Very helpful. Thanks for sharing. I pinned it too!

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  8. Well, mine quit spinning about a month ago and I took it apart, although it's not a front load. I don't have a back panel, but did take off the front. When I saw it wasn't the belt and realized it wasn't anything else, I sort of gave up thinking it had to be the pump, which on mine looks really difficult to get off, esp. if you don't have many tools. Hmmm. I wonder if I should give the pump removal a shot. So glad you two had such success. Whodathunk a bobby pin would be the culprit. Thanks for sharing your fix!
    Liz

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  9. Oh goodness! Great blog! Found you thru the I Love My Online Friends GFC Hop! New Follower! YAY!

    Tif
    Ramblings of a Southern Belle
    http://www.her-southern-ramblings.blogspot.com

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  10. Found you through the facebook hop, but I love your blog, too : )

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  11. Kudos to you for knowing who to call... and for your hubby for being so ambitious to fix the washer!!! Thanks for joining TUTORIAL TIPS AND TIDBITS this week!

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  12. That's a pretty tricky little bobby pin. I hate to think what goes in and disappears in my washer! Just hope it doesn't reappear in the pump.

    ~Bliss~

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  13. Way to be the feature in the Embracing Friends Hop. Very useful post.

    Alicia @ Quirktastic Adventures

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  14. Well, aren't you luck to have such a handy hubby?? We wouldn't have a clue and just end up mad and poor. LOL

    Thanks for sharing on the All Star Block Party!

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  15. Great info!!! So happy we connected, your blog is awesome, just added you to my blog roll. When I get back into the swing on things I will definately be back to link up.I think we could be neighbors. Enjoy your weekend!! Jen

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  16. Thank you for sharing all your tips and ideas at Potpourri Friday!

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  17. Those pesky bobby pins end up everywhere! Glad you got it figured out (and didn't have to spend big bucks doing so)!

    Thanks so much for linking up with us again this week @ Keep Calm & Link Up! We're so glad you continue to party with us!!

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  18. Aren't hubbies the best? Glad that he was willing to give it a whirl. One time my sis called a repairman for hers because hubby wouldn't look at it. Only to have the repairman tell her it had come unplugged. lol! He said it happens all the time. Still had to pay for him coming out. Taking a pic before taring apart is a smart idea. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    Hugs,
    Jann

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  19. and a big Taa Daa! We are both fortunate to have hubby's who are willing to be our service call guy, giggle. Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop linky party xo

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  20. Wow, who knew? Thanks for sharing this with my readers. {PS - One time we had to pay a repairman to come out just to turn the water on! DUH!}

    Warmly, MIchelle

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