SQ AWN432 - Overheat - It almost happened!

[llmaytag]

As some of you may remember, I posted a note in the not-to-distant past about an experience with my somewhat new AWN432. It appeared to be between the wash and first drain/spin, but was unresponsive with a smell of electrical burning. After several attempts to put it back to agitate, or fill or spin, with no response at all, so I left it alone for a while. A while later I put it back to the first spin, and it started.

Tonight as it was washing a large load of all black cotton stuff, (tshirts, socks, polos, etc), I hear the wash agitation stop. Then a few seconds later when I should hear the spin begin with the sound of water flowing to the drain, all i heard was a very prominent hum. I went in, and sure enough, no motion, just the hum. I pushed the timer in, pulled out again to a hum. So I figured it must have had either some kind of mechanical jam, or the motor simply wasn't not reversing properly. I put it back to agitate, and it agitated normally. I then tried putting it to the spin on the dial after the rinse, again hum. I let it rest for a while, then put the dial to the very last part of the wash agitate, figuring maybe it needed to transition again, and fortunately it started the proper drain/spin. The rest of the cycle ran without incident. I'm now washing a small load, and it's running okay....but what do you think? Should I call repair?

 

[arbilab]

First guess is that the timer reversing contacts are scorched where they contact intermittently. If only one coil is energized the motor won't start but it will hum and get very hot very fast and click itself off until cooled.

 

[llmaytag]

Timer

Hey Arbilad - Thanks for the response. I had considered that perhaps there was something about the timer transitioning from wash to the first drain/spin on this specific cycle, so that's why I tried advancing to the spin after the rinse, but when I tried it, still just hum. Now I admit that I don't understand exactly how timers work, but would the contacts you refer to, are they specific to each phase on the timer, or all spin phases on the dial?

-L

 

[mrb627]

Hmmm...

I wonder if you have a dead spot in your motor.

Malcolm

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Regardless of what is going on...

If this is a "somewhat new" and still under warranty washer, and this continues to occur in only certain conditions, I think it is very adviseable to have this situation documented with SQ as soon as possible. In case this is one of those things that doesn't happen when the service tech. is watching, and especially if you are close to your warranty expiry, your issue will be on record with SQ while in warranty in case this drags on past the warranty period. That way, if or when they finally figure out what is going on, you should be covered for the cost.

Clearly something is either allowing the motor to load up, or is not sending proper current to it. Either way, I wouldn't mess with an overheating motor very long as I would never feel like I could trust the washer without hovering near it the entire time it was operating.

Good luck! From what I hear, SQ is very good in their handling of problems, so please keep us informed!

Gordon

 

[llmaytag]

Good Advice

Gordon,

Great advice. You're absolutely right...for the last few loads I was doing exactly that, hovering nearby. Luckily my laundry room is inside the house, and because of the way my house is laid out, if I leave the laundry room door open, I can hear the cycle well enough to know if something is wrong, but it's frustrating because I avoid putting the TV up load, or like last night, I had worked out and wanted to shower as a load was running, etc.

Have a good one!

 

[kenmoreguy64]

I know exactly what you mean

Leonard -

I know precisely what you're talking about. I have a laundry room in the house, and another in the garage which I had my builder make as an extra. In the house are my most-special machines, but in the garage are a host of others, many which I would have inside if I could.

That said, my second dryer, which I bought used for my sister in 1989, has been drying for me since 2007, especially in the summer. It was manufactured in fall 1977, and has countless thousands of loads in its history. Last summer its motor started going bad, but not all at once and it didn't demonstrate any odd behavior, it just got progressively louder. Through 2010, it was quiet, quiet enough that I had to listen to hear if it was running or not, just 15 feet away. Last year, I could hear it through the walls, louder and louder as the motor finally wore. Last fall, it started making occasional grinding sounds, which then caused the motor to amp-up too, leading to a louder hum. Just a month or two ago, I was using the dryer only to see how long it keep going as it was groaning a slow death - I'd have to keep the garage door open, and be within feet (aka hovering) of the machine in case it locked up, put on a light show, etc.

Well, it went out with the slightest of whimpers, as it was running one minute, although loudly, then it was off the next, and I was standing right in front of it when it happened. The machine just stopped. No fireworks, now hail mary, no major poofs even. BUT, it did leave a somewhat unpleasant hot/electrical smell. The drum was locked tight - the motor seized. My Mom when told said "So, are you going to put it out to the curb finally?" (she knows the machine's history) and then gave a hearty laugh when I told her that I had sourced an identical replacement motor on ebay for $14.95 and it had already been delivered. I waited a couple weeks to install it, but so far the dryer runs at least as quietly as it did in 2010 and earlier, if not maybe just a little bit quieter even. I am not hovering anymore either.

Call SQ - you'll be glad you did, and let us know what happens!

 

[cfz2882]

dying motors

the original motor in my '81 filterflo went about 2 yrs in failing condition before
before it ground to a halt a couple years ago-with the worn bushings,motor would
grunt loudly on startup then rattle/knock a little running.I knew the end of a
long,long run had came when i was upstairs with the filter flo running in the
basement when i saw the lights dim for several seconds then brighten when the
protector tripped-set washer for final spin,and got it going after several tries.
Soon had the filterflo going again once a spare motor was installed

 

[arbilab]

The same contact set is used for all reverse operations wherever they happen on the dial position. Reverse requires two contact sets, double the chance for trouble. That's why it was my first guess. Typically one contact goes up at the same time another goes down and makes contact in both directions. Whereas most other contacts make contact only in the down position. If you ever saw one apart you could easily see what is hard to describe in text.

 

[08_Bullitt]

I had the same thing happen on my AWN542

Hello -
This is my first post here on AW.org, but I've been quietly absorbing appliance and detergent lore for the past several years here and have learned many, many pearls of wisdom along the way (a big Thanks to all on this forum!).

I almost replied to the original post about the SQ overheating problem, but when this current post mentioned the hum, I felt it was time to share that I experienced the same behavior on my new SQ, on its very first wash.

In late December 2010, I took delivery of a new 2010 model AWN542. My house was built in 1951 and the outlets are not grounded, so we have a grounding wire for the washer that is secured to the cold pipe -- this grounding wire has faithfully done its job with a succession of Maytag's over the years. The Speed Queen installers were reluctant to ground the new washer, claiming it didn't need to be grounded at all, but I insisted, so they secured the grounding wire to the screw at the back of the top console, in the middle. They left, and I did a test load of whites about 2/3 full -- nothing overly stressful. I noticed that the timer was very loud and you could hear it clacking away from several feet away -- but I didn't know if that was normal or not for this machine.

Everything was fine, until it came time for the second spin drain (after the deep rinse) -- there was a very loud 60 Hz hum or buzz that could be heard throughout the house and the timer no longer advanced and the washer sat there full of water. The best description I can come up with is it sounded like an electrical transformer room at a large building.

I called the dealer and he had me go through a series of troubleshooting steps, including unplugging and replugging, turning the dial to other positions, etc, but no luck. Since they were going to be closed for the holidays for the following 3 weeks, he agreed to swap the bad one out with a New Old Stock 2009 model they had in their warehouse later that afternoon. About 1/2 hour after I got off the phone, the machine suddenly came to life and went through the spin drain -- my best guess is that the thermal overload switch had reset itself.

By the time the installers showed up again, the machine was behaving fine and they basically blamed me and the fact that the machine was grounded to the cold pipe (I have my doubts about this). They swapped out with the 2009 AWN542 and refused to ground the replacement unit. My Dad and I grounded the replacement the next day, except we secured the grounding wire to a cabinet screw just above the inlet valve -- near where the old Maytags had their grounding screws.

The grounded 2009 model has been fine ever since; the timer is much quieter (you can only hear it if you put your ear next to it) and the top water level is several inches higher than the 2010 model (though I learned from this forum on how to adjust it, if needed) - so I've been happy as a clam with the replacement.

Because the problematic 2010 model was immediately hauled away, I cannot tell you what the root cause of the issue was...but I can at least let you know someone else has experienced the same behavior. I hope this helps!

-Janet