Please educate me - water level switch function - direct drive Whirlpool washer

[aribert]

I'm a small time landlord and service my appliances. I have never needed to repair any washer related to water level. The washer is a Kenmore 110.88752790 24 inch stacked washer/dryer - in Whirlpool speak, this is the 24inch Thin Twin. When the water level switch is set for a large load, the water fills the entire drum up to the rim - see image. This appears to be several inches too high. This water level is essentially the height of the drum and water leaks out of the drum/rim joint.

What little I think I understand about this switch is that the switch operates on air pressure. Is this true? How does the water level setting work? Is this typically a works till it fails type of a part?

 

[DADoES]

An air tube connects from the side of the outer tub to the water level switch in the console. Rising water in the tub during fill pushes air through the tube into the water level (pressure) switch to flip the contacts in the switch for fill to stop and the motor to turn on. The switch has a spring mechanism that changes the required pressure to trip-over the switch contacts for multiple fill levels per the knob position. Your model appears to have a fully-variable range selection between minimum and maximum on the selector knob.

There typically is an adjustment screw on the switch mechanism. It's factory-set and the screw "sealed" with a bit of locking compound but it can be adjusted if necessary. Loosing the screw to reduce the pressure will lower the fill level.

This parts source has several photos of the switch, you can see the adjustment screw. Adjust it a little at a time, draining and refilling the machine between adjustments to insure it's operating/reading correctly from a tub-empty condition. Set the knob at maximum level when doing the adjustment, the lowest level is according the range of the switch cam.

 

[me]

I'm not familiar with top loaders, but potentially if the pressure switch's air tube, or the air chamber at the bottom if it has one, gets almost blocked with sludge it could restrict and slow the airflow into the pressure switch, so it doesn't keep pace with the rise in water level, allowing it to overfill.

 

[phillymatt53]

I'm not familiar with top loaders, but potentially if the pressure switch's air tube, or the air chamber at the bottom if it has one, gets almost blocked with sludge it could restrict and slow the airflow into the pressure switch, so it doesn't keep pace with the rise in water level, allowing it to overfill.

That's true, rare but true.
It doesn't take a lot to flush out that tube during servicing and insure proper operation.

 

[combo52]

Water level on a direct drive compact washer

The water level in the picture doesn’t look particularly high. These small machines filled up pretty deep, a picture from the front of the machine with the front panel removed would give a better indication. The water level should be about an inch or so lower than the top edge of the outer tub.

Is the water leak leaking during agitation or when it goes into spin you could have a bad seal between the tub cover in the outer tub if water is just leak leaking when it goes to spin, especially if the machine is no longer neutral draining and spinning with a full tub of water.

As suggested in reply, number three be sure there’s no buildup in the little final tube, but pushes onto the connection on the outer tub. It is possible to get a build up there that might make the water level switch, less sensitive to the amount of water in the outer tub.

These 24 inch than twins that whirlpool built are rugged little machines we still have hundreds and hundreds of them among our customers in Washington area. They’re usually pretty easy to fix and usually worth fixing.

John L

 

[aribert]

Thank you all for the responses! Follow up responses and questions below.

I had the top and front removed from the washer. The vinyl (pressure) tube looked clear (not filled with sludge on the bottom where the tube mated to the pressure chamber). The opaque plastic of the pressure chamber on the bottom of the tube does not allow me see if there is any sludge in there. What is the procedure for cleaning this out if needed?

The water was leaking from the tub to "washer tub ring, P/N 64175" during agitation - running down the outside of the tub. It appeared that the water level was considerably less than one inch below the tub to ring joint before beginning agitation.

I see that there is a seal called: Washer Tub Ring Seal WP3359587. Based on the image, the seal appears to be open cell foam with some type of an abrasion resistant outer layer. Again, simply looking at an image online, this appears to be to be more of a gap filler than a water resistant seal. Might this part need replacement?

combo52 wrote: These 24 inch than twins that whirlpool built are rugged little machines we still have hundreds and hundreds of them among our customers in Washington area. They’re usually pretty easy to fix and usually worth fixing. ​

Since this machine is still cosmetically acceptable, is a direct drive and there is only room for a 24 inch stacked unit I intend to keep the machine functional. I've invested in a pump in the past and a new washer motor last year, I have no issues spending money to keep the machine operational.