LG FL Needs more water

[3beltwesty]

Hello;

I just want to learn more about how the washer senses the water level and if it can be goosed higher. I typically get or buy a manual for most devices I own. I am a mechanical and electrical engineer and modifying stuff is done all the time. I found several LG service manuals on the web already that I have downloaded for non steam older models.

The WM2501HV LG steam washer when first connected must have an internal chamber with a cuttoff that "fills up" because the cold side sounded like a very very quiet toilet tank filling for about 5 minutes. This is probably the steam generator's water tank is my wild guess. There are no leaks and the sound was very faint; at first I thought it might have leak. The hot side did not have this noise.

When one shut off the cold side's supply; the "water filling up" noise stuff stops; opening up the valve made the water filling noise re-occur. After the approx 5 minutes the fill noise is gone and the washer seems a bit heaver to move; thus there must be a tank or chamber on the cold side filling with water.

I too like the thread starter had the thoughts:

"My model, WM2501HWA, has an "Add water" option, but it still is not enough for really muddy/dirty loads. "

 

[pullmyfinger]

Mods have begun

I added some volume to the water pressure sensor to "Fool" it into adding more water. The first bottle was too big (1 gallon) and the water level went more than half way up the window

I am trying different size bottles and will post results soon.

 

[pullmyfinger]

Water level with the 2 bottles added to the sensor line. Its maybe 1.5" higher than before the mod.

 

[dj-gabriele]

That much water for that little load? That's so wasteful!
If you have a specially dirty load can't you just add a prewash?

 

[pullmyfinger]

Wasteful?? What, 2 gallons? I don't think so.

"Wasteful" is my neighbors lawn sprinklers watering his side walk for 30 minutes every day at 5 gallons a minute.

 

[jlbrazil]

...

I want to make this , but if with the little water my LG suffer to heats the water , imagine with more water
I should've bought 220 volts.
I don't know where the hell my mind was when I bought 110 volts
But I only don't like the rinses water levels , the wash water level is ok.
It almos reach the rim of the drum.
I have one WM1355HW.
I have some videos of it uploaded on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/user/lucasmartinipontes?feature=mhum

 

[pullmyfinger]

Well you can install a 1/4 turn on-off valve in the hose to the bottles and turn it off for the wash then on for the rinse, but that requires you to be near the washer to wait for the rinse cycle.

 

[3beltwesty]

"Water level frequency" as LG's buzzword

"Instead of either opening or closing a switch, it moves an iron "plug" inside of a coil. This coil is charged and measures how far the iron plug travels based on a magnetic field and inputs the reading to the main control board in KHZ. "

http://appliancejunk.com/forums/index.php?topic=6215.0

 

[supremewhirlpol]

I believe the pressure switches on the LG's are analog. While you may have "fooled" the machine by this hack, You've affected more than just the pressure switch. The amount of water in the drum is determined by several other things as well. Also the amount of water can differ per cycle.

 

[pullmyfinger]

Post 3 states the sensor is digital. So far this mod is working, just need to finalize the chamber size, then make one using PVC for reliability, and mounted inside. The setup seen in the pic is just for testing.

 

[pullmyfinger]

A 64 ounce container is working good so far. At least now some water is visable during the wash cycle. Will post pics of this "hack" soon.

 

[3beltwesty]

is you hose T'd into K550?

So is this mod a "T" added to hose K550 and your green hose runs out to your bottles that add volume?

 

[3beltwesty]

Pressure Sensor is Diagram A410 6601ER1006E

This part fits the following models:
Kenmore
40441, 40448, 40512, 40518, 41022, 41028, 42192, 42198, 42199

Lg

40272, 40311, 40318, CW2079CWD, CW2079CWN, F1305FDM, GCW1069CS, GCW1069QS, LSWF388HVS, WD-10270BD, WD-10272BD, WD-11270BD, WD-11270RD, WD-11275BD, WD-11276BD, WD-12272BD, WD-12275BD, WD-12276BD, WD-1243FHB, WD-1243RHD, WD-12523BDM, WD-13270BDM, WD-13275BDM, WD-13276BDM, WD-14311RD, WD-14316RD, WM0001HTMA, WM2050CW, WM2075CW, WM2077CW, WM2101HW, WM2140CW, WM2150HW, WM2233HD, WM2233HS, WM2233HU, WM2233HW, WM2277HB, WM2277HS, WM2301HR, WM2455HG, WM2455HW, WM2487HRM, WM2487HRMA, WM2487HWM, WM2487HWMA, WM2496HSM, WM2496HWM, WM2497HWM, WM2501HVA, WM2501HWA, WM2601HL, WM2601HR, WM2601HW, WM2677HBM, WM2677HSM, WM2677HWM, WM2688HNM, WM2688HNMA, WM2688HWM, WM2688HWMA, WM2701HV, WM2801HLA, WM2801HRA, WM2801HWA, WM2901HVA, WM3001HPA, WM3001HRA, WM3001HWA, WM3431HS, WM3431HW, WM3677HW, WM3987HW, WM3988HWA

 

[3beltwesty]

added tube and volume

The way these pressure switches work, the internal moving diaphragm really "wants" to see a small rigid pressure tube to the source of pressure.

By adding a larger tube and more spongy volumes { pop bottles } in the input line, you basically are having to have a higher water pressure {head} in inches in the washer to make the LG pressure switch read "what it wants to see".

About 4 years ago I placed a "T" in my 1976 FL Westinghouse and ran it to a Dywer pressure gage, and the laundry room almost flooded because the old beast filled up about 3/4 full and was still rising.

If the pressure gauge was directly on the tub one could not fake it off so easy.

The added tube and volume is like having voltage drop added purposely.

 

[3beltwesty]

The sensor is a 3 terminal device

For testing, a manual says:

Is the resistance of the pressure sensor out of range?

(pin 1 ~ pin 3)

(21 ~ 23 ohms +/- 10 percent )

 

[3beltwesty]

An electrical hack might be to

Figure out what resistance the computer "wants to see" versus water level of the tub, and fake it off with a bias. ie a dumb resistor added in place.

 

[3beltwesty]

tube to sensor layout

Here I borrowed supremewhirlpols image from the other thread and showed myself! where the tube and sensor run. Strangely, this is NOT in the LG service manual.

 

[3beltwesty]

The LG Training manual points to a slug moved by the diaphra

That resistance test I mentioned up the just measures the coil's DC dumb resistance.

IN actual operation the sensor's moveable iron slug is part of the computers analog input.

The slug in the sensor is part of the oscillator circuit, where frequency drops with pressure.

http://www.kirklandhouseforsale.com/pdfs/wm2496_training_manual.pdf

 

[3beltwesty]

to fake it off electrically

to fake it off electrically would require moving the resonance, maybe adding a coil in series or parallel.

There also might be a dumb as sliced bread screw driver adjust too; photos of the sensor look like there is a crossed slot.

 

[pullmyfinger]

More pics

The tee