Advice requested Whirlpool Duet Sport Washing Machine "popped"

Google is your friend :-)

Try that and google first before posting.

Call the Whirlpool Customer Service line. 1 (866) 698-2538

Start there, they may save you from all sorts of false starts and red herrings.

I expect that there is some sort of fuse or fusible link inside that popped causing the sound and lack of response. You may find that it devolves to the start capacitor on the motor, or some other similar part that failed causing a load on the link.

Generally, it has been my experience with moving parts that the more extreme the symptom, the simpler the cause. But, start with the toll-free number. They have seen (and heard) it all before.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

There was absolutely no smell, although we used to blow up electrolytic caps (the blue unipolar water tank type) by sticking them in outlets in physics class and then waiting for some unsuspecting student to turn the lights on in the Physics lab - and I don't remember any smell at that time.

Anyway, the wife screamed when it happened, so I was there within a minute, and I didn't detect any smell myself.

I'm very familiar with the electrolytic caps, and I am hopeful that I'll see something burnt or blown inside when I open it up.

Can you open the door to the washer? If not it may be the door interlock has failed. The sound could have been mechanical. If the door interlock doesn't work properly then it is likely the switch in the interlock is preventing the washer from working. I had a similar experience when the door seal failed and squirted water into the interlock switch. Eric

Codes.php

Thanks for the pointer, but I can't get any codes out of the Whirlpool duet Sport Washer WFW8410SW even though I have the following manuals as described on this post from more than two years ago on the same washer (but for a different problem).

$20duet$20danny/alt.home.repair/3Q0hbYtmEJI/tN1jjcJdeugJ

Troubleshooting manuals,

(WFW8410SW) Use & Care Guide:

Parts list:

BTW, all the lights light, but nothing works; even the door is locked shut (with the clothes still imprisoned inside).

You are correct in that the door is locked shut, under all conditions. Whether the washer is plugged in or not, or if the start and cancel are operated, the door won't open.

There is no water because the wash never started, so, it could be the door interlock. Right now I'm searching for a model-specific troubleshooting manual that can give me diagnostic codes.

The model number is WFW8410SW, Whirlpool duet Sport Washing Machine. My last thread on this washing machine was more than two years ago, which I found by going to

and typing in the washer model number WFW8410SW.

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There should be a manual release of the interlock. Look in the manual. Once the interlock is manually disengaged the washer should try to function normally. If the manual door unlock doesn't work even when actuated then the mechanical linkage may be broken which is what the noise may have been. Or it may be that the switch in the interlock has corroded contacts like mine did from water squirting directly at the switch from a leaky tub seal. On my washer I carefully took apart the switch and cleaned the contacts inside. This fixed the washer operation. I still had to replace the belt, tub pulley, and tub seal. And my nice maple floor is warped under the washer from that damn seal leak. GRRR. If it is the interlock and if your washer is anything like my GE then you are in for some fun. If you enjoy fixing washers. I was pissed off at GE for the lousy construction. Still am for that matter. Eric

There is a place you can slied a screwdriver or table knife to unlock the door, if you need to.

The smarts are usually just one small PC board in the "console" at the back of the washer. Often there are a few angled screws and the while thing lifts straight up. (OK, looks like yours is a front load, so the construction is a bit different.)

Most of the newer machines, and I'll bet all of the recent front-loads, use

3-phase motors and VFDs integrated into the controller board. I suspect the load pop was something in the VFD blowing. You ought to pull the board and inspect for burst components or traces burned off the board. If you find any of that, it may be best to just replace the whole board (although it will be expensive.)

We have one of the super-efficient top loaders, and I've done quite a bit of maintenance on it.

Jon

I finally got an error code, after fiddling with the buttons. You press any button, rinse cycle is a good one, for 3 to 4 seconds on and then off for the same amount of time, for 3 to as many as it takes times. After a dozen times, I finally saw the error code F28.

F28 appears to be a communications error in the Whirlpool duet sport WFW8410SW where the Main Control Board (CCU W10679602, $300) isn't communicating with the Motor Control Board (MCU W10163007 $265) or if the front or back panel "grounding switches" are open.

Apparently the motor control board (MCU) converts single-phase power to 3 phases to run the motor; it also slows down the motor by braking it electrically.

According to this article, the solution might be as simple as rebooting the computer!

Hi Oren, Opening the door turned out to be easy.

In the WFW8410SW, Whirlpool duet Sport Washing Machine, there is a special pull tab for opening the door.

Here is a picture of it in my washing machine:

Yeah. It was nice the door opened so easily with that pull tab made expressly for that purpose.

All I needed to do was remove the lower panel, which contained this instruction manual, hidden inside:

Then, there was this drain plug:

Which, when loosened, leaked very little water (1/4 inch or so):

Unfortunately, the drain plug broke in half when I twisted it out:

So I will have to deal with that problem later.

That was my mistake to not have the F28 error code earlier, and I'm sorry I didn't have that information for you when I last posted. The instructions given were for a *newer* model washer, so I had to wait until I found the instructions hidden inside my washer to generate that F28 code.

That one error code for the Whirlpool duet sport WFW8410SW washer was F28, which is a communication error between the computer board (CCU) and the motor control board (MCU) and perhaps the lower and back panel grounding switches.

The ground straps seem to have good contact, so, I think it's the MMU or the CCU but I don't know yet what to do next.

I wiggled all the wires of the CCU, to no avail:

And I wiggled all the wires around the surprisingly small motor noting that the belt seemed to be intact and in good shape:

I found the manual for the WFW8410SW hidden inside the lower panel:

You are indeed correct that the F28 error I have is a "communications error", most likely between the main computer and the motor controller (which converts single-phase AC voltage to three phase). Right now I'm just trying to identify the parts I see so that I can piece together how the darn thing works - so that I can then piece together how to test what's not working.

For example, these are clearly the hot and cold water valves:

This round thing is in the back right top corner, near where the electrical power comes into the washer, but I don't know what it is yet (maybe a vacuum valve of some sort?):

But this is a black object where the power comes into the washer that I don't know what it does and where the wife said the sound seemed to have come from. It doesn't seem burnt though but what is it?

Besides the drain cap breaking in half when I removed it today (leaving the important half stuck solid inside the drain tube):

I noticed why the detergent dispenser hasn't been working for the past two years!

The dispenser arm had completely come off its pivot point!

That's not the problem, but, it does show a bad design for the arm. I don't know how it goes back but it looks pretty easy to put together (after I clean it up with some vinegar later).

Here's how I "think" it goes back together, but I'm not gonna worry about it right now as that is not the problem I'm trying to solve at the moment:

BTW, does anyone know if there is anything holding the lever to the pivot point? Is it just a press fit? No bolt?

That was just wishful thinking.

So was hoping there was something wrong with the power supply:

I have the diagnostic manual that was hidden under the bottom cover but NONE of the subsequent tests do a thing after I get the F28 communications error.

Maybe this black object where the power comes in is the rectifier?

The box doesn't look burnt, but the wife said the popping sound came from that right top back corner - so it may have blown without showing any ill effects on the outside.

I can see the motor, but I might need to remove the back in order to better access the motor. The manual that I found inside does give me ohms to look for in the wiring continuity:

My task now is to identify all the objects I can see inside, and then to figure out what they fundamentally do and then to figure out how to test them.

The motor controller is hard to snap a photo of because it's down low and deep in back so I may need to remove the back panel to access its wires.

I wiggled all the connections, but nothing changed.

Here's the CCU controller near the top front right corner:

I think the most likely thing is that the "black box" in the top left back right corner blew internally - but I need to figure out what it is before I can even think of testing it.

That did the trick. F28. Communications Error. No other errors.

Door lock appears to be working perfectly.

Ah, you remember that rattler, you do. I wish I had a picture of her.

I have found a half dozen since, but now I know EXACTLY what to look for!

I almost got bit by the pool, bending over to clean out the pool pumps, but I catch them now and throw them about a mile away from a five gallon bucket so that they can live, but somewhere else.