Washing machine has stopping spinning single/small loads

[paultownsend]

So the Bosch dishwasher stopped working last week. Would just stop half way through a load leaving a water slurry. However it told us what was wrong. E14 error code. A new genuine flow sensor delivered next day for £22 and it was fixed.

Now we are having issues with the Bosch waq243d1gb/01 washer. It’s probably 4 years old. There’s only two of us so it doesn’t get a beating. It’s started to get a little noisier when it does run at full RPM. And does vibrate a bit more. But apart from the below fault, it works as it should. I probably should add that I’m a little OCD, and the inside is immaculate. Run cleaner through it regularly and clean the filters. Gets a wipe down to dry the seals after every wash.

So, it seems it won’t spin single items. Last week i tried a single bath mat. Today I tried a single hoodie. The wash cycle is fine, but will only spin the drum lightly on the spin cycle and on spin only cycles. The items come out soaking wet. Weighed both items, sodden at circa 2kg. Ring them within an inch of their lives, still will only just spin the drum. The item will spin with the drum, then drop to the bottom. They can also just stick to the side of the drum and go round and round.

The internet does suggest that this may be an imbalance issue and the washer is designed to not spin to protect itself. If this were the case I’d assume that a sensor is showing an imbalance, but then why no error code?

I removed the rear panel and took a look inside and all looks fine. When you first switch it on to a cycle is does click as it has always done when it weighs the load.

It’s strange as we have washed single garments, and the bath mat plenty of times before, with a successful spin cycle.

Just did a wash with 10 T-shirts and 2 hand towels and it’s spins and dried as it should.

Cheers in advance,

Edited by paultownsend on Friday 12th March 12:26

[Pintofbest]

I've had this before and it was actually a blocked/slow running drain, have you checked the outlet pipes?

[Red9zero]

A friend repairs washing machines and gets this regularly. As you say, it's out of balance.

[paultownsend]

Thanks both. The drain is definitely clear. Filter, fan and hose.

When you say out of balance, is this an adjustment that can be made, or is it just that the single heavy item is putting the drum out of balance? I.e. my fault, machine is fine.

[CharlesElliott]

I've had this many times over the years, although normally the washer throws a fault code as well. Trying to spin one towel etc just doesn't work.

[Red9zero]

paultownsend said:

Thanks both. The drain is definitely clear. Filter, fan and hose.

When you say out of balance, is this an adjustment that can be made, or is it just that the single heavy item is putting the drum out of balance? I.e. my fault, machine is fine.

Just put something else in with it, like a towel.

[Sheepshanks]

paultownsend said:

It’s strange as we have washed single garments, and the bath mat plenty of times before, with a successful spin cycle.

I'm guessing here, but could be that the drum shock absorbers have deteriorated slightly and are allowing the drum to move more?

Ours is an old Bosch so doesn't have this out of balance thing - it doesn't half throw itself around if the load gets out of balance. Duvet covers rolling themselves into a ball seem to be the worst. I changed the shock absorbers a while ago and they were completely gone. Luckliy quite easy job on ours as being old they were held in with proper bolts, not plastic pegs like the new ones.

[xyz123]

Try balancing the machine per the manual. But we have this issue sometimes with our Samsung machine where putting single items just doesn't work properly..

[Ledaig]

paultownsend said:

The internet does suggest that this may be an imbalance issue and the washer is designed to not spin to protect itself. If this were the case I’d assume that a sensor is showing an imbalance, but then why no error code?

It will be the above, our Bosch washer does exactly the same if we try to wash just the dogs bed for example due to all the load being located in one small area rather than being distributed around the drum.

Bosch Manual said:

Unbalanced load detection system
The automatic unbalanced load detection system detects imbalances and ensures even distribution of the laundry by repeatedly starting and stopping drum spinning.
If the laundry is extremely unevenly distributed, the speed is reduced or the spin cycle is not performed for safety reasons.
There only error code generated will be the audible alarm by way of expletives from the operative.

[paultownsend]

I thought about the dampers. That and the motor brushes may be a cheaper fix than buying another.

[Sheepshanks]

paultownsend said:

I thought about the dampers. That and the motor brushes may be a cheaper fix than buying another.

It doesn't have brushes.

If the dampers are held in with plastic pegs they look a right pain to change. If you break one of the attachments the machine is a write off.

I'd just not put heavy single items in on their own.

Edited by Sheepshanks on Friday 12th March 16:02

[Meprobamate chic]

My ancient Miele weighs the load and about two years ago stopped running light loads properly. Suspect whatever bit does the weighing has gone bad, but can't be bothered to go digging for it. I just hang an old towel beside it and throw that in as well any time I want to wash one thing.
Cheap fix. And the towel is ALWAYS clean.

[paultownsend]

Sheepshanks said:

It doesn't have brushes.

Edited by Sheepshanks on Friday 12th March 16:02

Carbon things!

[Sheepshanks]

paultownsend said:

Sheepshanks said:

It doesn't have brushes.

Edited by Sheepshanks on Friday 12th March 16:02

Carbon things!

Still no. At least, I looked up the model and saw it as an ecosilence (most are now).

[Meprobamate chic]

It's a really awkard job replacing brushes on brushless motors. Takes me days just to do one.

[Swampy1982]

You are overthinking it, its out of balance, throw something else in it and it'll work fine.

Rare for it to throw and error code, it's just in self preservation mode so is actually working fine by not spinning itself to bits.

[paultownsend]

Ah interesting!

https://youtu.be/psln5gkWJWE

[richie99]

Have exactly the same with my 10 year old Siemens. Gradually became worse over that past few years. Slightly unbalanced load vibrates excessively and the spin cycle is cut short. I've assumed it is the shock absorbers but is hardly worth replacing them. I'd still end up with a 10 year old machine which spins better but would be overdue the next thing breaking. Already replaced motor brushes and the pump.

[paultownsend]

I’m going to look at the shock absorbers. I will replace if bolted in. il leave if the plastic pegs.

Thanks all.

[mickyh7]

Meprobamate chic said:

My ancient Miele weighs the load and about two years ago stopped running light loads properly. Suspect whatever bit does the weighing has gone bad, but can't be bothered to go digging for it. I just hang an old towel beside it and throw that in as well any time I want to wash one thing.
Cheap fix. And the towel is ALWAYS clean.

Pretty sure the machine works out how much 'Drain' is required to turn the drum then works out the weight of the wash that way.