Small items can be sucked into the drain assembly during the drain cycle, blocking the flow of water. Here’s a small list of things I’ve pulled out of washer drains over the years: Baby socks, panties, thongs, a $20 bill, bra wires, guitar picks, lots of coins, hair pins, hair ties, rubber bands and so on.
The solution is easy: Always empty the pockets of your clothes before washing. And put small clothes in zippered mesh bags to keep them from being sucked into the drain.
I hardly ever replace a washer’s drain motor, except in LG washers. LG drain motors tend to stop working around the fourth year of operation. With other brands, if a washer won’t drain, it usually means something is blocking the flow of water or preventing the drain impeller from turning.
Symptoms of a washer with a drain problem are:
- The cycle ends and the tub is still full of water.
- Faint humming sound from stuck impeller when the washer is set for drain/spin.
- The cycle ends and the clothes are sopping wet.
- Error code displays. All these codes mean no drain: OE, LD, ND.
- The washer won’t spin. It can’t when it’s full of water.
Here’s what to do to fix it.
Expose the Drain’s Coin Trap
- Unplug the washing machine.
- Locate the lower panel below the washer door.
- Some washers have a small door in the lower right or left corner of the front panel to access the coin trap. That’s a plastic tray with holes in it that catches coins and other small items before they contact the drain impeller. Just hinge this door open. Some washers have a rectangular lower panel that spans the entire width of the front panel. Use the 1/4-in. nut driver to remove the screws below the lower panel.
Pro tip: Lean the washer back. Put something solid that’s about two inches thick under the washer to make it easier to reach the screws on the bottom of the lower panel.
Did you miss our previous article...
https://rsssuperfeeds.com/life-hacks/there-are-10-types-of-hammers
