Plumbing question: What a night !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Clarence Martinn]

OMG!!!!!

There I was last night , putting in the last load of laundry in the Speed Queen top load Washing Machine; when it happened again for the 8th TIME !!! It fills up about a quarter of the way, and then a 30 second loud beep sound followed by the machine shutting it self down with just rinse and wash lights flashing. Cannot restart unless I unplug machine, wait 30 seconds and plug it back in.

SO..... I figured maybe the filter screens are clogged. Easy fix. I will just unscrew the hoses from the hot and cold water pipes, pull the screens out , clean up and put back in and reconnect the hoses. Simple fix !!

I did that......

NO FILTERS ON THE WATER PIPES.

SO, I check the manual , and low and behold 2 different manuals have the hoses in 2 different locations. 1st manual. said they would be where I first thought they were. The 2nd manual said they are located on the back of the washing machine.


AND SO THE STRUGGLE BEGAN AT 11:30 PM! THERE I WAS ON CRUTCHES, TRYING TO SHIFT THAT WASHING MACHINE BACK AND FORTH OUT OF IT'S LOCATION , SO THAT I COULD GET TO THE DARN HOSES !!! After about 20 minutes of shimmying back and forth, side to side, I finally got it out of it's spot !!

Then I grabbed a needle nose pliers and pulled out the screens after getting the hoses un screwed.

OH, THEY WERE CLOGGED WITH A THICK COAT OF BLACK WELL WATER GRIT !!

Cleaned the filters off, put them back in place , got the hoses all hooked back up .

THEN THE STRUGGLE WITH THE WASHING MACHINE STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN.

DID I MENTION I AM HOBBLING ON CRUTCHES ?? lol

OH, THAT MACHINE WAS PUTTING UP A FIGHT, AND DID NOT WANT TO BE PUT BACK IN IT'S PLACE !!

FINALLY GOT A 3 FOOT CROWBAR OUT , AND LIFTED THE MACHINE OVER A SLIGHT HUMP IN THE PLYWOOD IT SITS ON .

VICTORY, AT LAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I START THE MACHINE BACK UP TO TEST MY MIDNIGHT HANDYMAN WORK!! NOW, IT RUNS LIKE A CHARM !!

QUESTION:

Why the heck do they put the filters on the back of the machine? It is darn near impossible to get to those filters! Why can't they be placed on the water pipes that the hoses hook up to ? It sure would be A LOT EASIER TO GET TO THEM AND CLEAN THEM OUT !!

Sorry for the rant, But, sure did not expect to have go through that last night!!

Oh, and the manual says I have to clean the filters every 6 months. There has got to be an easier way to get to those filters !!


Plumbers, got any suggestions ?????

[Ron Citerone]

I am not a plumber, but I wonder if a filter on the well line before it gets to your house plumbing would be a possible long term fix?

[David L Morse]

Why can't you just add hose screens at the end that's accessible?
Hose Screen.jpg

[Stan Calow]

I am not a plumber, but I wonder if a filter on the well line before it gets to your house plumbing would be a possible long term fix?

Yes. If this sediment is clogging those filters, it probably also filling your hot water heater and all the sink aerators. Why don't they make the filters accessible? Because they want the washers to look sleek and attractive, not easy to self-maintain. Grrr.

[Jim Koepke]

Is this the problem of which the service people have never heard?

If this fix holds is there a possibility they might pay to know the fix?

jtk

[Clarence Martinn]

Why can't you just add hose screens at the end that's accessible?
Hose Screen.jpg

After checking the bag the manuals came in, I found the 2 filters that were supposed to be put on the inlet side of the hose connections. Why does there need to be filters on those hoses in the first place? Seems to me, that any grit would just get flushed out with the wash water ; when the washing machine drains out

[David L Morse]

Why does there need to be filters on those hoses in the first place? Seems to me, that any grit would just get flushed out with the wash water ; when the washing machine drains out

Perhaps they don't want to leave you with a fill valve that's jammed open with a bit of rock.

[Jim Koepke]

After checking the bag the manuals came in, I found the 2 filters that were supposed to be put on the inlet side of the hose connections. Why does there need to be filters on those hoses in the first place? Seems to me, that any grit would just get flushed out with the wash water ; when the washing machine drains out

Having been in a family with a business of selling, installing and servicing appliances including washing machines the simple answer is you do not want that grit in your machine to cause wear to items like the water pump and valves.

You likely do not want it showing up in any of your laundry either.

If the filters are a consumable/replaceable item, you may want to have spares in your laundry area.

jtk

[Myk Rian]

It seems to me an iron filter will help. We had one installed in our well system a couple of years ago. It made a major improvement in the taste of the water. I've even considered turning the softener off.

[Jim Koepke]

After checking the bag the manuals came in, I found the 2 filters that were supposed to be put on the inlet side of the hose connections. Why does there need to be filters on those hoses in the first place? Seems to me, that any grit would just get flushed out with the wash water ; when the washing machine drains out

My father always insisted those screen washers be installed. He always had extras in his tool box. Almost all of our installations were in areas with a public water supply.

jtk

[Matt Day]

I would have went sleep and dealt with it in the morning!

[Peter Kelly]

The “black well water grit” is likely a combination of sand and magnesium. Should probably get your water tested by a certified lab and look into a filtration system.

[Lee Schierer]

QUESTION:

Why the heck do they put the filters on the back of the machine? It is darn near impossible to get to those filters! Why can't they be placed on the water pipes that the hoses hook up to ? It sure would be A LOT EASIER TO GET TO THEM AND CLEAN THEM OUT !!


Plumbers, got any suggestions ?????

They are in the back of the machine because you're supposed to replace the hoses periodically so they don't burst and flood your house. New hoses don't have filter screens. I would suggest removing the screens in the back of the washer permanently and install a water filter in the lines feeding the washer at a place where they can easily be accessed.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Because you have a well, why not install a whole house filter? Newer ones have "Shark Bite" style connectors. If line is copper (3/4"), you simple cut out a section and "plug in filter. Same goes for 3/4" PEX With PEX, you have to provide a support for filter. FIL's house is on city water, but on low side of dead end street. Sand was so bad, we installed a whole house filter. In the tank of the most used commode, sand was over an inch deep before filter installation.