Thread Number: 73586  /  Tag: Modern Automatic Washers
That's That! One AEG Oko-Lavamat Sorted
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Post# 971657   12/5/2017 at 06:41 (2,305 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        

launderess's profile picture
Couldn't stand my Lavamat playing up any longer so ordered a new solenoid from Homespares UK before Thanksgiving. Parcel arrived yesterday so rather than wait, dug right in last night.

First and foremost if ever ordering a solenoid that requires seals/gaskets, make sure the spare comes with. One from Homespares did not but thankfully the ones on old solenoid were basically brand new and sufficed.

Replacement while straight forward once got a grasp of things was not easy as the video some nice member posted in aid of my project.

AEG/Electrolux switched to a direct fitting of triple outlets to water distributer which made for tight fit. There are four screws; the two on top were a piece of cake, underneath... not so much.

Any way in about an hour or less was totally sorted and had machine up and running with a test wash on "Silk". So far so good. No leaks, error messages, alarm bells, etc..






Post# 971683 , Reply# 1   12/5/2017 at 09:23 (2,305 days old) by henene4 (Heidenheim a.d. Brenz (Germany))        
Exchanging water valves

Gosh, I've seen the stupidest set-ups.

Some require you to remove the top middle solidifying metal bar, as to remove the drawer housing, as to remove the valves.



But glad everything worked out! Might one ask how much you paid summa summarum for the part plus shipping?


Post# 971757 , Reply# 2   12/5/2017 at 16:33 (2,305 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        

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About 31 British Pounds with another 15 for international shipping.

Post# 971762 , Reply# 3   12/5/2017 at 16:43 (2,305 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)        

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Good job, Launderess! Hope your AEG provides many trouble-free loads down the road. How is Big Bertha doing, by the way?

Post# 971764 , Reply# 4   12/5/2017 at 16:49 (2,305 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
Big Bertha Is Well, Thank you for asking.....

launderess's profile picture
Amazing how that machine keeps chugging along. Well it would given the sums and time invested in replacing parts. *LOL*

Now that the AEG is sorted may begin shifting more of the wash over that way; but there are small niggles about that washer one does not truly appreciate. The *very* long wash times for a start.

What really have to put through paces is the Maytag wringer.


Post# 971795 , Reply# 5   12/5/2017 at 19:14 (2,305 days old) by IowaBear (Cedar Rapids, IA)        

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Congratulations!  Few things are as satisfying as a successfully completed repair.

 

If it turned out to be a little more challenging than expected it only makes the victory that much sweeter.


Post# 971827 , Reply# 6   12/6/2017 at 00:03 (2,304 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
Thanks all to pieces!

launderess's profile picture
For the well wishes.

Sadly it was not all rainbows and unicorns with the repair.

Not long after sat sitting down to have a break while the machine was washing away suddenly Hans Der Große began emitting a high pitched alarm and all lights flashing. Display gave the dreaded "C3" (well to those who own a Lavamat anyway) indicator.

Knew from old research this meant the built it leak/flood detector float had been activated.

Turned off machine, drained out remaining water via manual tube, pulled machine out and took off lid. Sure enough there was a leak from that blasted "fourth" screw underneath the solenoid. This was one of the two that were tricky to reach and guess didn't tighten the blasted thing fully.

This particular solenoid depends extensively if not fully upon the screws being that tight to create the seal between gaskets and water distributor. Where there is slack, you'll have a leak. There aren't any clips, hoses or other connections.

First had to take off rear access panel and mop out the water from base and dry things up. Before doing that took off water hose to stop flow of water to solenoid as even after turning off the taps water remaining in hose still fed leak.

Once that was all done had to again finesse a way to reach that blasted screw. Several of my screw drivers were too thick to reach and or were not long enough. So in the end went back to the long enough one used from the start and using whatever leverage could be had pushed and turned until the screw was so tight it wouldn't move further.

Before doing this had gotten down on floor and "looked up into" the washer at solenoid area and could see that yes, was an idiot and didn't tighten that screw in question well enough and that was were leak came. When done the gap was closed and things looked good.

Reconnected water hose and turned on taps, but this time waited about fifteen minutes to see if anything leaked. Nothing, so proceeded to button things up again. Before doing so did a quick sweep with some paper towels to make sure the base and around float area was totally dry.

Before putting back on lid and shoving Hans back into his cubby, again looked for any signs of leaks, and then needed to clear fault code.

Couldn't lay hands on my copy AEG manual for this machine, so as luck (good or bad how you want to look at things) it was now well after 9AM and AEG Canada was open. Repair tech walked one though steps to clear fault, and there you are then.

Ran machine through a quick rinse and spin mostly to test but also to fill the ball/float valve system as had drained water out of sump. All looked good so put Hans back where he belonged, then went to have a lie down as was that exhausted.

Do not think AEG Canada was well pleased did an end run and purchased a solenoid from Europe. They did ask as part of diagnosing why machine threw a "C3" code, and of course had spoken with them several months ago inquiring about cost of solenoid part. My reply was simple; was not going to pay over one hundred USD for a part which IMHO shouldn't have gone out on a near new machine that has seen little use since arrival. That and already had spent more than cost of Lavamat/Lavatherm set to replace parts that were damaged in shipping.

Am well aware that service persons and appliance part suppliers have to eat; but then again so do I....

Am going to let Hans Der Große sit for awhile to air out; that and to give one's nerves time to recover.


Post# 971868 , Reply# 7   12/6/2017 at 05:20 (2,304 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)        

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Goodness, what an adventure. You are so right not to have purchased parts from AEG Canada. Hopefully all is well now.

Post# 971875 , Reply# 8   12/6/2017 at 06:31 (2,304 days old) by henene4 (Heidenheim a.d. Brenz (Germany))        
Proper sealing

Remounting anything that has to form a tight seal is a hazzle and quite honestly, having to redo these kinds of things seems to be the norm for me.

Now that area actually has to seal against not minor pressure, so it's totaly understandbale you had to re-do your work.


Just be happy your machine has AquaAlarm. Imagine the machine wouldn't have detected that leak and it caused some huge water damage.
Insurance probably wouldn't have covered it!


Post# 971948 , Reply# 9   12/6/2017 at 12:48 (2,304 days old) by IowaBear (Cedar Rapids, IA)        

iowabear's profile picture

Glad to hear you persevered!  Not all of my repairs go right the first time but I rarely give up without exhausting every option.


Post# 971966 , Reply# 10   12/6/2017 at 15:04 (2,304 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
Aqua Alarm & Aqua Stop

launderess's profile picture
Yes, are great things to have. However got shot of the aqua stop hose because it wouldn't work with my installation. Besides was given to believe main benefit came from leaving a machine permanently connected to taps. Even worse with the taps always on....

Yes, it was a mess and given amount of water that needed mopping up can only imagine how worse things could have been if allowed to go on for long.

Unlike my Miele, the OKO_Lavamat has a solid base which is why things would "flood" internally. On the Miele sooner or later water would simply start flowing out of bottom of machine onto floor.

IIRC Electrolux made changes to the Lavamat range and *think* the solenoid connection to distributer was switched to hoses and clamps. Far more suitable and eaiser to cope with design IMHO.



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