Plumber+washing machine= not getting warm!

I recently had a plumber come in to replace my very ancient basement utility tub and the equally ancient plumbing hardware. In the process, he also replaced the two hoses to my washing machine. It's an Admiral (Whirlpool) purchased at Home Depot in 2014. Absolutely no problems with it.

My washer has cold/warm/hot settings but since they replaced the hoses I can't get warm water - only hot or cold. They insisted they only replaced hoses and so it must be something wrong with the washer.

Seems like more than a coincidence and my gut tells me it could be something simple but I don't know what. Before I pay for a service call, any ideas? Thanks much.

P.S. This plumber had never heard the term "mansplaining." Can you believe it??

 

Well...if they moved the washer, it COULD have jarred something and caused a failure.

 

If you have hot wash in hot mode and cold wash in cold mode then it cannot be the plumbers fault.
If you were missing either..... then it would mean a loss of hot or cold water supply.

It's the job of the temperature control to select the wash temp. Now maybe the temperature control got hit and is damaged. Other than that I can't see how the plumber would be at fault.

Post the model number of the machine so we can look into it further. If it's a top load.... the ID tag is at the bottom of the lid when it's open.

 

Jeez...I read the OP completely wrong. All my suggestions were a waste of electrons. Deleted my reply...except the first part.

 

I am with Pete hot on hot, cold on cold not plumber fault. Need model #

 

FWIW, if I leave the hot & cold shutoff valves (what the hoses are connected to) fully open, my warm water is just barely warm. Apparently, my cold water is too cold (well water) or my hot isn't hot enough. My solution is to partially close the cold water valve to reduce the amount of cold water to change the proportion of hot/cold water.

Perhaps your old setup had the cold water partially shutoff to reduce the amount of cold water entering the washer. In all likelihood, the plumber left both hot & cold valves "full on". Try partially closing the cold water valve until the warm water is the temperature that you want.

 

Model #ATW4675YQ1. Serial #C40321490. Heading downstairs now to test Bob's theory.

 

Nuts. Adjusting the proportion of hot/cold water didn't make any difference. On the "warm" setting I get cold water and if I turn the cold water all the way off it stops flowing all together.

Hopefully the model number will tell you something. Not trying to blame the plumber, just trying to understand why this would have failed immediately after they did the job.

Thanks again for all your help.

 

Does the water flow sound more sluggish when you select hot compared with selecting cold?

Turn off the hookup or faucets (at the wall).

Undo the hoses, look at the ends to see if there is lint or sediment blocking the screen filters (if any). If no filters, take the hoses outside, connect them (one at a time) to the garden hose bibb and flush them out.

Reinstall the hoses and see if things work better.

 

Actually, Allanj, water flow is strong in either case. As far as doing what you suggest, I have to get someone to do that since I have compromised mobility and reaching the back of the machine is difficult if you're not a tall person. I'm not.

 

Something doesn't sound right. On my Kenmore (Whirlpool) washer, if I have the temperature set to Warm and the machine is filling, as I slowly start closing off the Cold water valve, the water gets hotter and hotter until it's just Hot water (cold all the way off). If your water shuts off when you close off the cold water valve, it would appear that the mixing valve in the washer isn't working (it isn't letting in any hot water). In other words, the Warm setting is only allowing cold water through.

 

This is not a straight mechanical washer. The temperature control is a rotary encoder which means it talks to the electronic control board. The temperature control tells the main board what is wanted. Then the board does the controlling. I figured this may be the case when I read the owners manual and it described the variable wash temps.

What is defying your understanding of the temperature is that there are electronic sensors (thermistors) monitoring the hot and cold water temps and the computer is making adjustments on the fly.

This is a very complicated washer and is fully electronic controlled. You will need to follow the diagnostic routines which are quite involved. The tech sheet is inside your washer and I'm temporarily leaving a link below so download it.

I have a feeling that static may have been the cause of the problem and that the main pc board is at fault.

Admiral Tech Sheet

 

Thanks for the explanation, Pete. That makes sense.

 

Well, so much for my theory that it might be something simple.

Pjmax, THANK YOU (and everyone else) so much for the time you put into researching and explaining what the problem probably is. Unfortunately, it's way beyond my technical capability so it looks like I will have to make a service call. "Main pc board is at fault" sounds expensive!

Oh well. Wish me luck.

 

My forum partner.... pugsi.... will stop back as he's worked on more washers than I have.

I see that board for around +/- $100-125. (excluding markup and labor)

 

Sears has the part for 97$ usually plus shipping. There part is not returnable. Other sites have a 360 day return policy which is the way i would go. The tech sheet Pete put up is good and I have used it many times. The only hard part was understanding how to read the lights. When they first came out explanations were bad. Better now. If I remember I have changed several boards for like problems.Can walk you through part changing.

 

Thanks! Nope, I don't think I want to attempt this repair, but my nephew may be able to handle it. I'll contact you if he thinks he can use a walk-thru. Thanks again, everyone.

 

If you, or your nephew, were to turn off both the hot & cold valves, then take the hoses off of the machine, and direct them into a sink or bucket, then open the valves and see what comes out, you would know if it's the machine or something else. There may be screens where the hose connects to the machine that can get clogged.

 

Just a comment not directly connected to the OP's problem. Several post made mention of leaving the hot and cold supply faucets on or partially on when not in use. DON'T do it! Always shut off the supply faucets when washing machine is not in use. Those hoses can and do burst. You can get a single lever valve set to make it easier.

https://www.faucetshark.com/Brass-Wa...RoCdbgQAvD_BwE

 

@Steve ...... the OP has good cold wash and good hot wash pressure levels. The problem is no warm mixing. This machine either varies the valve opening or pulses it based on temperatures.

On older machines..... it was either the hot valve open, cold valve open or both for warm.
This machine actually determines the warm temperature and has two settings.

 

Maybe I missed it, Could the C&H supply hoses be reversed?
Sid

 

Yup..... you missed it.
It's not a mater of hot and cold being in the wrong position (reversed)..... there is no warm is the issue.