Monthly Archives: October 2010

Frigidaire and Electrolux ICON electric smoothtop cooktops and slide-In ranges recalled due to fire hazard

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Hey, kids, what time is it? It’s appliance recall time! Yay!

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Frigidaire and Electrolux ICON Smoothtop Electric Cooktops and Frigidaire Slide-in Ranges with rotary knobs and digital displays

Units: About 122,000

Manufacturer: Electrolux Home Products Inc., of Charlotte, N.C.

Hazard: Liquids can pool under the control knob and cause the surface heating element to turn on unexpectedly, heat to temperatures other than expected and then not turn off, posing a risk of fire and burn hazards to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Electrolux has received 70 reports of incidents, including three reports of fires that resulted in property damage. Three minor burn injuries were reported.

Description: This recall involves Frigidaire and Electrolux ICON smoothtop electric cooktops and Frigidaire slide-in ranges with rotary knobs and digital displays. Model and serial numbers for the slide-in ranges can be found inside the oven door on the left side of the unit or on the underside surface on cooktop models. The following model and serial numbers are included in this recall:

Frigidaire Serial Number Range and Models
Serial Number Range: NF501XXXXX through NF952XXXXX
Model Numbers GLEC30S9EB

GLEC36S9EB

GLEC30S9EQ

GLEC36S9EQ

GLEC30S9ES		 GLEC36S9ES

GLES389EB

GLES389EQ

GLES389ES

GLES389FB		 GLES389FQ

GLES389FS

LEEC30S9FE

LEEC36S9FE

LES389FE		 PLEC30S9EC

PLEC36S9EC

PLES389EC

PLES399EC
Electrolux ICON Serial Number Range and Models
Serial Number Range: NF501XXXXX through NF045XXXXX
Model Numbers E30EC65ESS E36EC65ESS

Sold at: Mass merchandise and independent retail stores from January 2005 through August 2010 for between $500 and $2,500.

Manufactured in: Canada

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using and unplug the recalled ranges or power off cooktops at the circuit breaker. Contact Electrolux for information on how to obtain a free repair kit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Electrolux at (888) 281-5310 between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday or visit the firm’s website at www.smoothtoprangerecall.com (Frigidaire) or www.cooktoprecall.com (Electrolux).

Sample smoothtop slide-in range with rotary knobs and digital displays

Sample smoothtop slide-in range with rotary knobs and digital displays

Sample smoothtop cooktop with rotary knobs and digital displays

Sample smoothtop cooktop with rotary knobs and digital displays

Slide-in serial plate—left side of oven with door open

Slide-in serial plate—left side of oven with door open

Cooktop serial plate—underside of unit

Cooktop serial plate—underside of unit

—

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

This recall is brought to you by the Consumer Products Safety Commission and Electrolux Corporation.

Latest appliance repair chat help experiment at Fixitnow.com

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I’ve been experimenting with various chat formats at Fixitnow.com for appliance repair help. If you’re a regular to the site, you’ve seen several different chat implementations come and go. Well, let’s add one more to that list.

The newest chat incarnation I’m trying out is using an iPhone/iPad app called textPlus. I made a text-based chat room called APPLIANTOLOGY using the app.

To use it, you have to download the textPlus app from the iTunes store (it’s free). You can download it here for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad: http://www.textPlus.com/download/

Then, within the app, look for the chat room APPLIANTOLOGY and post your most intimate and private appliance repair question for all the world to see. It gives a new but constructive meaning to the saying, “Hanging your dirty laundry out for all to see.”

New posts to the APPLIANTOLOGY chat room are pushed to my iPhone. If I’m available, I’ll answer right away. Sometimes, I’m not in signal or am simply not able to answer. But the beauty of it being a chat room is that *anyone* can answer and help out! Grasshoppers helping grasshoppers– it’s a beautiful thing!

Why am I going the mobile chat route? Good question, thanks for asking!

All of the previous chat implementations that I’ve tried were based on using your desktop computer. “Okay,” you’re saying, “so what’s wrong with that?”

Well, I’ll tell you. Some folks don’t understand chat and would try to use it as a forum. So they would post long, detailed questions, expecting step-by-step disassembly help, real-time on chat, happily oblivious to the fact that this monopolizes my time and ties me up so that I’m unable to help others.

So what’s the difference between chat and the forum?

The repair forums, www.applianceguru.com, are exactly the right place to get into detailed disassembly instructions or detailed troubleshooting of electrical circuits. Myself and other Master Appliantologists can post photos and diagrams that explain instantly what thousands of pecks on the keyboard cannot. And you can post photos and videos to help us better understand the problem. The entire conversation is permanently stored as a web page and is available to help other people who come along in the future with the same problem. It’s collaborative content creation. The Greeks call it synergia.

Chat, OTOH, is for quick questions and answers or for directing you to resources at the site that can help answer your question. I may well have a silver bullet answer to your appliance question and if I do, I’ll tell you. But if I don’t, I can direct you to other resources at the site that can help you. This could be a post I’ve written previously or I may direct you to the forums. There’s no harm in asking, just don’t cuss me out if you don’t like the answer (yes, I’ve had people do that).

So, back to the mobile thing. My thinking is that by going to a mobile-only chat format, it’ll help folks intuitively understand what I’ve just explained. In chat, the key word is brevity. The mobile venue encourages brevity; brevity encourages clarity of thought because you can’t waste words. As the ancient Romans might have said, “E brevitas, claritas.”

BTW, I encourage people to contact me through Twitter for the same reason; you get 140 characters to explain your problem and ask your question. That’s been working out really well. More on that here==> http://fixitnow.com/wp/2010/10/13/free-appliance-repair-help-via-twitter/

For more info on the textPlus app, go to http://www.textPlus.com

Samurai Appliance Repair Man
http://fixitnow.com

Parts==> http://parts.fixitnow.com
Forum==> http://applianceguru.com
Facebook==> http://facebook.com/FixitnowSamurai
Twitter==> http://twitter.com/FixitnowSamurai

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Bosch WFMC3200UC washer not draining completely and E04 error code

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For any front loading washer with a draining problem, the first things to check for are a clogged pump or drain hose. But Bosch, always wanting to be different, adds another little Gotcha to their washers that’s not well-known but can also cause poor or no-draining problems. Sublime Master denrayr reveals this esoteric kata unique to Bosch washing machines:

There is a big ball in the hose that connects [the pump] to the tub. This ball is there to act as a one way valve to prevent dirty water from enterin the tub. Sometimes this ball will get stuck due to dirt or other contaminents. Remove the ball and clean it and the hose and reinstall.

Samurai Appliance Repair Man
http://fixitnow.com

Parts==> http://parts.fixitnow.com
Forums==> http://Appliantology.org
Twitter==> http://twitter.com/fixitnowsamurai
Facebook==> http://facebook.com/fixitnowsamurai
Newsletter==> http://newsletter.fixitnow.com

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Test points and schematic diagram for a Whirlpool-built modular ice maker

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The little ice maker inside the freezer compartment of a refrigerator is called a modular ice maker. Most of these ice makers are built by Whirlpool regardless of the refrigerator brand. The exceptions are GE, LG, and Samsung.

Go ahead and download this handy troubleshooting sheet and share it with all your friends. Makes a great gift for Thanksgiving!

Samurai Appliance Repair Man
http://fixitnow.com

Parts==> http://parts.fixitnow.com
Forum==> http://applianceguru.com
Facebook==> http://facebook.fixitnow.com
Twitter==> http://twitter.fixitnow.com

Sent from my iPod

Replacing a wire harness foamed inside a refrigerator/freezer door

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Now, at long last, the Essential Guide™ you’ve been clamoring for on how to replace a broken wire harness foamed inside a refrigerator or freezer door. This Essential Guide™ is brought to you by the letters "C" "T" and "G" and the numbers "5" and "1." Spraznikum!

From Evernote:

Replacing a wire harness foamed inside a refrigerator/freezer door
Fellow, Academy of Sublime Masters of Appliantology


Here is the way I replaced a wire harness on a Frigidare freezer..

…..I used 1/4 copper tubing…

…….It took a couple of tries, this was the full lenghth of the door…..

 

once I got the tubing at both ends I pulled a new wire harness thru, Then reconnect wires

 


Get appliance parts at http://parts.fixitnow.com

Frigidaire Stack Washer-Dryer Model FEX831CS0 Schematic

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Frigidaire Stack Washer-Dryer Model FEX831CS0 Schematic

Model number variations: FEX831CS, FEX831C

Frigidaire Stack Washer-Dryer Model FEX831CS0 Schematic
(click to enlarge)

Samurai Appliance Repair Man
fixitnow.com

Parts==> parts.fixitnow.com
Forums==> applianceguru.com
Facebook==> facebook.fixitnow.com
Twitter==> twitter.fixitnow.com
Newsletter==> newsletter.fixitnow.com

Today on Mt. Moosilauke

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Awesome day for a late Fall hike in the Whites with The Oz Man. Clear trail until the ridge then about 4″ of slushy snow. Gaitors a must! Clear views on and off, depending on cloud blowage. Summit proper was engulfed in a cloud but good views elsewhere. Up and back via the Glenncliff Trail. Samurai Appliance Repair Man
http://fixitnow.com

Usage tips for an LG combo all-in-one washer-dryer

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You may have seen the LG combo washer dryers the last time you were looking at appliances. They’re all the rage among city dwellers where space in those tiny studio apartments is a rare and precious commodity because the washer and dryer are combined into one machine. While they do save on space, don’t expect it to act exactly like a stand-alone washer dryer set.

A Grasshopper in the Samurai Appliance Repair Forums recently scored a good deal on a used LG WM3431HW combo washer dryer and asked about some noticeable differences in how these machines run compared to stand-alone washers and dryers. Sublime Master john63 gives a good summary of the differences. Let’s listen in…

I was wondering if i have a problem cause the clothes are not coming out dry like a standard dryer does.

*******************************

This is a combo washer and dryer all-in-one.

The dryer is of the condensate-dry type (no external dryer exhaust vent system).

The dry cycle can take (depending on fabric type) 3 to 6 hours to dry laundry.

Open the door to the tub—you’ll notice a black slash mark near the opening which indicates 2/3rd full.

Dry laundry should not be loaded into the tub higher than this mark—or the wet laundry will take an abnormal amount of (for a condensate dryer) time to dry—or not dry completely.

If the unit is more than a year old—it may be necessary to clean out the condensate DUCT.

Remove the rear access panel. On the left side of the tub—remove the DUCT where it attaches to the bottom of the tub & remove any / all lint accumulation.

********************************

Also i was wondering if you should be hearing the water turning on and off in the dry cycle ?

********************************

Normal.
During the dry cycle—a special cold water misting valve sprays into the condensate DUCT. This converts steam from the wet laundry in the tub back to liquid—to be drained by the drain motor—which turns on & off intermittently.

*********************************

I was doing some reasearch on a “Cd” error. From what i have been reading it is a cool down process not an error am i correct ?

*********************************

Correct.

Need parts for your LG washer, dryer or combo unit? Get ’em here==> http://parts.fixitnow.com

Samurai Appliance Repair Man
http://fixitnow.com

Parts==> http://parts.fixitnow.com
Forums==> http://applianceguru.com
Twitter==> http://twitter.com/fixitnowsamurai
Facebook==> http://facebook.com/fixitnowsamurai
Newsletter==> http://newsletter.fixitnow.com

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Tips for installing the spring-loaded door gasket ring on a Bosch washing machine

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Replacing the door boot in a Bosch washer is a pretty straight-forward job; this little cheat sheet shows the basic disassembly and gets you most of the way there==> http://db.tt/OFujKrn

The one little detail they gloss over is getting the spring-loaded door boot retaining ring back on. This seemingly innocuous and trivial procedure has been the source of much spleen-venting for both Grasshoppers and Master Appliantologists alike. Well, you just go grab you a cold brewski and a small screwdriver and sing along with Master Appliantologist Delawaredrew as he shares some tips for getting the retaining ring back on:

Place spring clamp around seal partway, making sure one end of the spring is behind lip, and nearly 1/2 of the left side of the clamp is in position. I usually locate spring at bottom so I can hold the spring behind the lip with my left hand and use my elbow to hold top side of clamp behind the lip. SO left hand down holding one end of spring, left elbow holding wire behind lip towards top and free right hand.

Insert the screwdriver into loop on clamp where spring attaches. Gripping the shaft of the driver near the tip to stop spring from sliding up it and allowing you to keep the spring from pulling away from washer, you can the stretch spring enough to allow rest of clamp to drop behind the lip. It’ll take some force to stretch it, and might take a few attempts to get the hang of it but it is easy once you get the trick down.
—->Point the screwdriver tip slightly in the direction you want to stretch the spring, do not lead with the handle end as it will likely pop out and you’ll gouge the front of your machine (ask me how I know this!) Make sure screw driver is large enough not to slide out of the loop sideways but not too large to slip though the hole in the loop.

If you need a new door boot for your Bosch washer, get it here (use your model number to select the correct one)==> http://www.repairclinic.com/Shop-For-Parts?searchText=Bosch%20washer%20door%20gasket&Search=Find%20Parts

Samurai Appliance Repair Man
http://fixitnow.com

Parts==> http://parts.fixitnow.com
Forums==> http://applianceguru.com
Twitter==> http://twitter.com/fixitnowsamurai
Facebook==> http://facebook.com/fixitnowsamurai
Newsletter==> http://newsletter.fixitnow.com

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

GE Monogram built-in refrigerator ZISS480DRDSS condenser fan wiring

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If you find yourself the victim of a botched condenser fan motor “repair” job, like this grasshopper was, you may need to know the wiring scheme for the fan motor. After the parts changing monkey finally gave up on brutalizing his refrigerator, here’s the conundrum our grasshopper was left with:

A local repair shop attempted to replace my condenser fan and in the process he removed the wires from the control board harness connector that mates with the fan harness connector. He couldn’t figure out how to put it back and eventually gave up. How hard can this be? I have the wiring diagram that was attached inside the refrigerator but it doesn’t show enough detail to re-install the connector.

There are 4 wires on the fan: Red, White, Yellow, and Blue. There are only 3 wires in the harness that connects to the control board: Red, White, and Pink. Schematic says Red is 12VDC, White is Fan Common, and Pink is Condenser Fan. Schematic doesn’t show the 4 wires between the fan motor and its harness connector. Only shows the Red, White, and Pink wires between control board and fan. The big question is what color wire from the control board mates with what color from the fan motor.

And the answer is…

Red to Red
White to White
Pink to YELLOW

The blue wire is RPM feedback to the main control which is not used.

In case you’re interested, here’s how the whole sordid story of appliance butchery ended up:

Issue: My refrigerator was making a ticking noise that my wife could not tolerate. (She’s the sensitive type)

I called a local repair company and the diagnosis was the condenser fan motor. The motor was running but supposedly the shaft was making noise. The repair tech had a lot of trouble removing the fan motor due to limited access on top of the fridge. He was complaining the whole time. When he left the fan wasn’t running but he attributed it to the system needing to warm up. He even called another tech who confirmed it. So I let him leave. The fan never came on.

The guy came back twice when I wasn’t home and my wife has no idea what he was doing but he eventually gave up and said call GE or another repair company. Here’s what I found.

1. The fan motor harness connector must pass through a very small hole that you cannot see. Apparently he just ripped the fan connector through because the old fan motor just has bare wires.

2. The mating connector on the harness back to the control board was in a bag when I took over the problem. I don’t know why it was removed but maybe it had something to do with him ripping the fan motor out. This is why I was inquiring here what the wire colors were for.

3. I attempted to put the wires back in the harness connector when I noticed one pin was broken. I don’t know if this was the cause of the problem or whether it just happened when he was trying to get it to work.

4. I didn’t know where to get this type of pin so I just went to Radio Shack and bought a different 4 pin connector and changed out the motor and mating harness. The fan started running immediately. Should it ever fail again the new one won’t mate with the new connector but it’s easy enough to change it out. I used the same type of connector you’d find on a computer hard drive.

As is stated in an earlier post, the condenser motor wiring for a GE Monogram built-in refrigerator is:
RED to RED
WHITE to WHITE
PINK to YELLOW
BLUE is not used (it is used on the evaporator fan which has a very similar motor to the condenser fan)

Samurai Appliance Repair Man
http://fixitnow.com

Parts==> http://parts.fixitnow.com
Forums==> http://applianceguru.com
Facebook==> http://facebook.fixitnow.com
Twitter==> http://twitter.fixitnow.com
Newsletter==> http://newsletter.fixitnow.com

Maytag dishwasher MDBH955AWB: He’s dead, Jim

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Just like Dr. McCoy said, your Maytag dishwasher model MDBH-something is dead, no lights, no beeps, no nuttin’. Two ways to handle this’n, Hoss:

1. You could tear apart the dishwasher and slog through the incomplete information in the tech sheet and wiring diagram, making measurements and tests with your meter and maybe identify the problem or

2. Sit at the feet of the wise and battle-hardened Master and allow him to take your hand and lead you directly to the problem.

Your call.

If you chose option 1, you can stop reading now.

If you chose option 2, here are some pearls from Sublime Master Appliantologist Willie that will lead you to Appliance Nirvana™:

The most likely problem is the touchpad/console assembly hardly ever see the control board go bad on these models. I see an unreasonable number of touchpads going bad though.

Order the touchpad/console from RepairClinic and if it doesn’t fix your problem, (It will), then return the part, or order both the touchpad and controller and install only the touch pad and return the control board when you find out that you don’t need it.

Touchpad/console assembly:
http://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/Touchpad-and-Control-Panel/1469761

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Frigidaire SxS refrigerator, installed new adaptive defrost control board and now won’t start

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As if it’s not confusing enough just figuring out what’s wrong with an appliance in the first place, sometimes the manufacturers like to spice things up for us by playing musical parts.

In this case, Friggidaire (not a typo) uses two different but similar-looking ADC (adaptive defrost control) boards in their newer model SxS refrigerators. Both boards look the same, come in the same white case, and mount the same inside the refrigerator. It got so confoosing for even Master Appliantologists that Friggidaire put out a service flash on it. You can read it and more discussion on this ratcheer:

http://applianceguru.com/forum1/27553.html

Need parts for your refrigerator? Get ’em here==> http://parts.fixitnow.com

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad