We’ve had an interesting year so far — multiple issues from car problems to broken clothes drier, to broken electric window operators, sick with pneumonia six weeks with no access to healthcare, and on and on. Tonight the clothes washer has been broken for most of the week and no money to hire a repair person to come fix it, oh yes and the rear view mirror now broke off the windshield so now I must buy a repair kit and glue that back on.
So what I will share with you now is how I dealt with the clothes washer in about 20 minutes tonight. First, the problem is it would not spin or pump out the water. This left my wife’s clothes soaking in slime until I pulled them out and dropped them in my shower to drain, which meant I lost my shower for now. Sponge baths temporarily helped prevent a mass evacuation from my office, but I want my shower back. So what to do?
Looking on the Internet for a Kenmore Washer model 110. I found lots of articles and youtube videos on changing transmissions on Kenmore Washers. Even found a Word doc on the layout and part numbers. The videos all were about tearing the whole machine apart, which just didn’t sound right. It simply stopped working all at once — no grinding noise, no sound of anything even trying to spin.
So finally I saw a youtube.com video that made me think — how to change a lid switch. http://youtu.be/AOHJ_Q1p85w This also proved to be overkill, however it pushed me in the right direction! Ozcams razor — use the simplest solution: so after I had unplugged the washer from the wall outlet I could simply slide my hand under the right top side (inside the tub) of the machine and feel the switch dangling in pieces from its mounting screws. Had I done that with it plugged it would have lit up my life good as I’d be the shortest path to ground right through my body and the machine cabinet.
As shown in the photos below, it was a simple process to identify the problem, remove the failed switch, and now all I need to do is order a replacement switch and install it when it comes in. I expect that will cost about $2. It needs a switch for safety, so don’t run your washing machine without one. Hope this helps someone!
