Water Valve Question

[peterh770]

So, tonight I cracked open the Miele 1918 to try to figure out why cold water barely trickles in through the main wash dispenser.

What a simple machine! There is nearly nothing under the hood. I love (modern) machines like this! Reminds me of my laundromat machines.

The cold water valve is a three solenoid affair, one solenoid for prewash, one for main wash, one for softener. Since cold water flows copiously through prewash and softener, the problem can only possibly be a lazy main wash solenoid. (By contrast, the hot water is a single solenoid just going to the main wash.)

So the question is do I order a complete replacement cold water valve, or is there an easy way to repair that single solenoid?

Thanks all for your input!

 

[mayken4now]

I'd say order the whole new valve.

Steve

 

[Brent-Aucoin]

I would say order a whole new valve also, but then use your Bendix Combo while you wait!!!!
You might like it betta.
What?
Brent

 

[sparkcymru]

Miele water valve

Hi, the same thing happeneed to My Miele W820 washer. Water was just trickling into the dispenser and the machine would reset before it was full because it thought it had a leak. It went back to the shop twice and they couldn't fix it cause they were just stupid and couldn't see the problem.
The fill valve was a three way affair and I had to replace the whole thing as you can't change just one. It was a very exensive part for what it is.
Steve

 

[askomiele]

Hai I've had that problem to. But I solved it by blowing compressed air through the tube that connected the valve and the dispenser. Maybe it's a bit clogged.

 

[peterh770]

But how can it get clogged unless there are internal screens? It can't be on the dispenser side, as the hot water flows thru the same holes quite copiously.

Brent, hush...

 

[gizmo]

two things:

1. I have cleaned out three way valves off Italain Bendix washer-dryers. The outlets are three hose barbs, right? Inside each of the outlets is a plastic reducer. They just push into place. They are to reduce flow so that strong mains water pressure doesn't result in water overflowing out the dispenser drawer. A bit of gunk could be plugging up the reducer.

2. These valves are sometimes repairable, depending on the age of the machine. Are there screws to remove the top off each section of the valve? If not and it appears to be all one plastc moulding, have a close look. Sometimes you can do the following: remove the solenoid coil from the non-functioning section. you will now have a stalk sticking up. Around the base of the stalk is divded into sections like a pie. Each section is recessed. You can stick a small screwdriver in and use it to turn the cap off that valve. It has a fine thread in the plastic and will screw off. Inside you will find a diaphragm, spring and plunger. Usually the fault for a slow trickle will be a tear in the diaphragm but if you are lucky it will just be stuck down. Remove the diaphragm, inspect it closely in the light, there should be a tiny hole in the centre only. Any tears and it is faulty. If your machine has a hot valve, you could swap over the internals and just buy the single hot valve as a replacement - much cheaper.

Simpler solution - if you never use the pre wash (I never do) then you could swap both the wires and the outlet hose from the dud section of the valve to the prewash one, and fit the prewash wires and hose to the dud section. Then the fault will only be in the prewash section - not important.
good luck with it.

chris.

 

[peterh770]

Chris,

The wierd thing is that the washer fills thru the pre-wash solenoid and the softener solenoid for the final rinse! I only have a trouble during a cold main wash fill and any rinse before the final rinse.

 

[gizmo]

Would it still fill OK if it filled only through the softener solenoid?

Then you could have - prewash solenoid valve not working, Regular fill valve working (provides cold wash fill and rinse fills), and softener dispenser working for final rinse fill. Should still be OK, but would fill a bit slower for final rinse.

What brand is your triple valve? Any chance of a close up photo? I just might have one, or a single valve of the same brand which you could use for parts to repair your triple valve. This would be valve body only, no point me sending 240 volt solenoid coils.

Chris.

 

[peterh770]

New replacement 3-way cold valve from Miele: $179.65

 

[Brent-Aucoin]

Peter,
Wow, that is steep in price.
Does it look like you could take apart the solenoid from the top and clean it? I am just wondering what it looks like. I have taken apart newer type solenoids and cleaned them, and they work fine afterwards. I have had them either half open, or not open at all.
Have you tried tapping on it while it is trying to fill? Sometimes when you do that, they will open. If that is the case, I would say it just needs cleaning.
Have you checked Appliance Doctor's prices online? I don't know if online parts would be that much cheaper, but I would guess it would be a few bucks cheaper than going through Miele.
Brent