Bendix Spin problem...

[pulsator]

A while back, Austin was kind enough to send me his Bendix Deluxe washer. I've finally today gotten around to rewiring the whole machine, I have yet to test the new inlet valves, but, first things first. The machine won't spin, it'll tumble and drain just fine, but it just doesn't wanna kick into spin! The solenoid doesn't seem to have any current running through it. I ran all the new wires very carefully and replaced one wire at a time with a new one until all had been replaced. I just don't know... Could the solenoid be bad? Could it be the timer? I dunno what to do now. Here's a pic of the new wiring:

 

[westytoploader]

April must be Bendix month!

Wow, the new wiring really looks great! From what I remember, when the old (long gone) water valve was on, it spun fine, however, after I installed the new one, it wouldn't go into spin like you described. It wasn't the solenoid, because when I connected it to the pump solenoid wires, it continued to work. I thought it was a break in the neutral line, but I guess I was wrong. Very interesting...keep us posted.

If someone has any advice on testing the wiring, solenoid, etc. with a multimeter, PLEASE post it here as I would like to know how as well. Someone did tell me a while back, but now I've forgotten.

Austin

 

[jetcone]

Jamie

Do you have a test cord so you can actually test the spin solenoid out of the circuit? That would tell you where to start looking for the trouble.
If the solenoid holds 110V and works then you know its wiring or the timer.
I'll try to look up the wiring diagram of that machine.

jon

 

[Unimatic1140]

Wow beautiful wiring job Jamie, the restoration looks like it is going nicely.

Now lets take this one step at a time and work slowly. You said The solenoid doesn't seem to have any current running through it.

Now how do you know this?

 

[pulsator]

Well, I guess I didn't actually test it, but the solenoid doesn't seem to move at all, I can push it in manually (quite easily) and it'll spin, as soon as I let go, it slides back out, there seems to be no resistance for it to slide out...

 

[Unimatic1140]

OK so then the next test will be to build a test cord to manually test the solenoid. What you will need to do is to go to your local hardware store and get a replacement cord and some bullet connectors. Jamie do you have or does you Dad have a wire crimp tool? I assume you do since you just rewired the washer. What you do is strip off the end of the each wire of the new cord (one white, one black) and attach the bullet connectors using the crimp tool. Then you remove the two wires from the solenoid and attach the bullet connectors into each of the two connections of the solenoid and plug the cord into the wall socket. If the solenoid snaps on you know the problem is elsewhere.

 

[pulsator]

ok, soooooo, I tested the solenoid by plugging it into a power strip and turn that on and off... It seems to work fine... I dunno if that's good news or a nightmare, at least we know now!

 

[Unimatic1140]

OK good, then the next test will be to see if power is getting from the timer to the solenoid. Jamie do you have and know how to use a Mutlimeter?

 

[pulsator]

I used to..... Then again that was a year ago, I think I'll borrow dad's. What wires should I be testing?

 

[Unimatic1140]

You need to test the two wires that go into the spin solenoid. Place one wire in each of the aligator clips of the Multimeter. BE SURE TO SET THE DIAL OF THE TESTER TO AC/120 VOLTS otherwise you will ruin the Mutlimeter. Make sure that the wires are secure and do not teach each other or anything else for that matter.

Plug the washer into your power strip and with the power strip turned off set the timer dial to spin. Flip the power on and does the Multimeter read 110 to 125 volts?

 

[pulsator]

Ok, one question... I just copied the way it was wired before, so I don't know it that was really right... There should be a wire going from the timer to the solenoid and the other wire from the solenoid to the inlet valve?

 

[jetcone]

Jaimie

Here are some diagrams of your machine, Robert can help you with them.

Jon

 

[jetcone]

2

Close up

 

[jetcone]

Diag 3 Schematic

Schematic

 

[jetcone]

looking at the last one

You'll see that the BLUE wire should run from the timer block to the spin (shifter) solenoid,then a black wire should run from the spin solenoid to the BOTTOM of the water valve as the neutral wire for both the valves and the solenoid.
Check to see if the black wire got hooked to the top of one of the valves instead of being on the bottom and common to both valves.
The hot solenoid should have a red running down from the selector switch and there should be a GREEN-RED running from that switch up to the timer block.
Then there should be a GREEN wire running from the GREEN contact on the timer block.

Check to see you have that HOT-WARM switch in the circuit see on the diagram where it says SELECTOR SWITCH.

DO this with NO POWER to the machine , uplugged.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Yes I see Jon and I are doing the same thing at the same time! LOL.

Look at this wiring diagram, there is a blue wire going from the timer (contact #2 or BLU) to the one terminal of the spin solenoid. Now the other wire goes from the other terminal of the spin solenoid into the WATER LEVEL SWITCH. This tells us that if the water level switch is stuck in the up (or tub full of water) position it will not allow the machine to spin. By chance is the water float stuck in the up position????

 

[pulsator]

wait wait wait, so there should be a wire goin from the water level switch to the spin solenoid and another from the water level switch to the inlet valve? the water level switch is not stuck and does work...

 

[pulsator]

There is already a wire going from the water level switch to the inlet valve, so I don't know what to put where...

 

[Unimatic1140]

Jamie there should be a wire that goes from the Water Level Switch (BLACK-Red Tracer) to both the water valve and the spin solenoid.

How do you know the switch from the water level float is working? Just because the float goes up and down doesn't mean that the switch is working properly. To test it for sure you need to tie both points of the water level switch together and see if it spins.

 

[pulsator]

Before I did the rewire, Austin told me that the hot valve worked so I connected a hose to that and turned on the machine. It filled until the float-switch popped up and the water shut off.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Well here is the deal Jamie, if you look at the schematic I posted there are two ways that the spin solenoid has to get power from the wall plug. The red way and the blue way. Something is blocking at least one of those paths. You are going to have to use your Multimeter to figure it out.

 

[jeff_adelphi]

I think the problem may be due to the change from a three wire inlet valve to a four wire valve. The wire that comes from the spin solinoid to the water valve, shown in red on the diagram, must connect to one terminal of the cold valve solinoid and, one terminal of the hot valve solinoid and, then go on to connect with one terminal of the float switch. In other words you should have one wire with four terminals to connect all four of these points together. I hope this helps, Jeff