Their SQ FL Washer Died!

[mark_wpduet]

the algorhithm recommended a video I just saw...it was simply a video of someone showing off their FL SQ washer doing a load of whites...they UPDATED the title of the video saying "UPDATE, SQ Washer dead after 6 years" then they put this in the comments:

DISAPPOINTING UPDATE:
After only 6 years, this machine has died. The control/drive assembly was defective and rendered this entire machine useless. Speed queen refused to stand by their machine as it was "out of warranty" by one 1 year... But we didn't use it more than average...
So much for most reliable brand, so much for 25 years. So much for caring about your customers who spent $2,200 on your machine!

Apparently the 2015-16 models had defective drive boards but I guess they won't be doing right by me. They only offered a 20% discount code on the part but it still is a ridiculously expensive part even with the discount. Time to start looking into a different brand. Never thought I'd see the day i would be disappointed in a speed queen

 

[Chetlaham]

I'll say it again since my personal postulate has put me on everyone's ignore list anyway: Electronics don't belong in modern appliances. A 2/16 pole PSC motor and dual EM timing mechanisms would suffice for a front-load as has done so for decades in Europe and South America.

 

 

All these premature board failures are tarnishing Speed Queen's reputation. 

 

[mark_wpduet]

I too hate it and that's the part I worry about most in modern appliances... the control board

 

[qsd-dan]

"All these premature board failures are tarnishing the entire appliance industry."

Fixed that for you.

 

[mark_wpduet]

I wonder what the total cost would have been to the customer who SQ wouldn't help because it was 1 year past warranty? I mean, it may be worth it since the machine itself is built like a tank...but still after that much $$. UGH

 

[pierreandreply4]

time to bring back the good old mechanical timers on washers

maybe its time to bring back on modern washers front loads and toploads good old mechanicals timers like these pics including was rinse temp knobs and water level even if they keep the modern looks of the machines it would give an extra option even if it would mean no matter the band from whirlpool to samsung and lg speed queen included that the machine would be special order at least it would give to consumers a non electronic control washer

 

[mark_wpduet]

I can remember this commercial and I remember always being so freaking excited if someone in the family had to get a new appliance... and I always was hoping it would be push buttom... and in 1983, they were already starting the electronic boards on appliances

 

[me]

If it was a premium price and quality machine, then I would have tried to find a reasonable price third party board repair service, if I couldn't find the fault and fix it myself. Likely to be a fair bit cheaper than a new board, or new machine, a new triac or relay costs very little. If the machine is a modern 3-phase inverter driven, I'd guess there's a fair chance it will be a mosfet or capacitor, if it is an inverter fault.

For me to seriously consider buying a premium priced appliance, it would have to come with a fair bit longer than a 5 year guarantee.

Personally, I prefer microprocessor based controls, my parents went from a really nice hotpoint X2000, an early microcontroller based washing machine bought in about 1980/81 (ironically, the only machine I've had to replace the controller board on, due to the early chip being unreliable - think the IO pins weren't adequately protected against stray voltage), to an electronic model with a mechanical timer in the mid 1990s when the bearings failed on the old one, and I really missed the all push button controls, and regretted not trying to replace the bearings. I had a look, but the tub was thickly caked in years of limescale.

Admittedly, I just fixed a fault yesterday on my current machine, which probably wouldn't even have caused an issue on an all electro-mechanical timer machine, at least not until it got bad enough to trip the mains, or ruin the motor:- power to the motor when it should be inactive, which could be indicative of a stuck motor reversing relay, but this time was caused by a slight earth leak due to water getting in the motor.

I do wish they'd build in self diagnostics on the boards, to more accurately identify the actual cause.

 

[launderess]

Since had no idea what this thread was about went in search of YT video in OP's post.

Having found video can say at least poster linked to AW.org.

 

[henene4]

Again, I don't think these fail at an enormous rate.
That's case number 2 or 3 on this website of those drive boards failing.

Compared to the whole machine, about 1/4 to 1/3 of machines retail price for a main PCB or motor inverter board appears to be average for a part through out the entire industry.

The parts manual would be this one:
https://parts.alliancelaundry.com/files/docs/alliance/ALPM-805861.pdf

So part number would either be 807175P or 808149.
With the inverter being the former retailing for around 600$, or 1/4th the machines new price.
There us at least one service (Mountain Electronic) that offers a board repair for under 150$ for that particular board:
https://mountainelectronics.com/product/speed-queen-washer-motor-control-inverter-board-repair/

So while I don't think this failure is indictive of something majorly wrong with SQs (they honored their warranty, they offered a slight discount, the part is still available, repair services exist) - my major gripe with people shouting about their indestructible construction still stands.

Failures happen, lifes change, mechanics and electronics are just that and abide by the same laws for any manufacturer.
And if you can't do the repair yourself, you're SOL with ANY brand as soon as you are out of warranty.
And these - both the FLs with their electronics as well as the TLs with belts, pumps etc. - will need some form of service after anywhere from 5 to 15 years.

There's a reason engineers design for failure rates for a given time - there is no absolute certainty of reliability in any form engineering, that's not how the world works.

So yeah.
Get the board out (it's a few connectors, that's it), send it in for repair and get a few more years out of it.

Sucks, really. But can't do much other now.

 

[me]

I would guess that's likely to be a fault in the inverter circuit, would be a real shame to toss the machine for the cost of repairing the board, whether or not the owner needs to send it off or can DIY repair it themself. I usually try to find uprated components, when I need to repair one of my appliances so it is less likely to go wrong again.

On top of being more efficient, I would imagine the manufacturing cost of the motor used in a modern inverter driven machine is a fair bit less than a conventional motor, as they are are a fair bit more compact and lighter, so less copper, which probably more than makes up for any additional cost of the inverter circuit.

Ever since my mum's 1980's microtronic controller chip failed, I've quite fancied the idea of making my own control board, and programming it myself, but never gotten around to it.

 

[william8]

Video's are over a year old at this point. Probably already tossed the machine.

 

[panasonicvac]

To SQ's defense

The warranty already expired, this looks like the third machine I've read it's happened out of like hundreds if not thousands of these machines sold not to mention they're already discontinued, and they offered a discount which is still better than full price. Regardless of what, I agree that we live in a world now where modern washers don't last as long as they used to especially with SQ ever since they were acquired by ALS. Thankfully the commercial options are still available with less bells and whistles but for that price I'd rather stick with a FF7. And what I really like about SQ is the simplicity underneath the hood where I could probably fix it myself whereas I'd be more uncomfortable repairing my LG.

 

[DADoES]

 
<blockquote>... and in 1983, they were already starting the electronic boards on appliances</blockquote> WP/KM introduced electronic washer controls in 1978.

 

[mark_wpduet]

here's the video I'm referring to... Honestly, I thought I posted it. I totally forgot

 

[cfz2882]

SQ PC boards...

if these boards can be repaired,not potted in polymer,The pre-charge thermistor could be checked to see if it is bad(open circuit)I often find this on power boards for BLDC and inverter AC motor drive appliances(very common breakdown with GE BLDC furnace motors and some Rotron fan motors too and usually an easy fix )The pre-charge thermistor is to reduce the current inrush of the large filter capacitors charging up when power is applied.

 

[mark_wpduet]

another video of them updating what happened that I just now noticed:

I guess you guys are correct... this is really probably a rare phenomenon... I would hope so

 

[combo52]

Speed Queen reliability and repair ability

We've discussed before that Speed Queen had a main board problem on their front load washers for about two years, the boards are rebuild, keep in mind that no other Appliance maker guarantees a board for five years, there's not a single other brand that goes any longer than two years and usually it's just one year.

Speed Queen's quality has improved dramatically since alliance laundry systems took over full control 70s and 80s Speed Queen washers were awful. We used to throw them out and never looked back when major things went wrong with them.

I can also honestly say in the 15 years we've been working with Speed Queen. I have never seen them cheap and any machine one little bit. They've only improved them.

Just about every single apartment building and condominium complex in the Washington area has Speed Queen front loaders in the laundry rooms. These are very rugged machines, when I'm working in condo buildings and things I always like to stick my head in the laundry room and I've not seen anything, but Speed Queen front loaders since 10 years now.

We hardly ever get a warranty call on a Speed Queen washer or dryer. We literally might get one a month and it's rated as the most reliable brand by consumer reports. Nothing else comes close. On Friday Jason had a call on a three year-old TC five Speed Queen washer and it was acting funny and they were getting a fault code or flashing lights and he started checking it out. Turned out. Something was wrong with the power coming into the house and they had 138 V coming to it. There was nothing wrong with the washer and it didn't destroy anything. We were having windy weather, and it turns out that a tree was hitting a powerline on a pole near the house.

The boards on Speed Queen machines are not encapsulated so they are rebuildable, the boards almost all Samsung's and LG's are all in capsulated and you're out of luck if you can't find a replacement.

John L

 

[repairguy]

That’s an awesome catch Jason. I’ve rebuilt speed queen top loaders for 20 years and while I can say it’s not the cheapest repair these washers are built like tanks and can be rebuilt again and again for years for folks that like the machine. You can keep one of these analog washers going for many years . Just an example I replaced the center seal and transmission in a 1992 model around 2002 and it’s still working great today. These washers are very repairable but most would rather replace them with a throwaway due to cost. And some companies put a ridiculous price on the repair simply because they don’t know how to do it.