GE Hydro Wave Washer -Mode Shifter Ghetto Repair

[goodsusedappliance]

I opened up the solenoid on the mode shifter WH38X10017.  There is a thermal cut-off wired on to it.  I bi-passed it and put it back together and everything works fine.  Is this a bad idea?

[domain]

WHOA! Pics?

[JWWebster]

Cool. Ain't no bad idea long as you put a bullet fuse in there or the equivalent. I would love to see that too. How did you get into it?
The older washers would work fine UNLESS a person added a garment after that solenoid was initiated. Instead of being activated for seconds it stayed on for minutes thus it would blow the solenoid. This is the first I have heard of a limit within the circuitry.

[LowSL2]

WHOA! Pics?

I need to see this too. I'm tempted to tear apart the one in my truck...

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

[fairbank56]

  The coil cover is riveted on so you just have to drill them out, remove the internal fuse and solder the wires directly. Use heat shrink to insulate. You should install an external fuse holder with 2 amp fuse. Use screws and nuts to reinstall the coil cover. There was a web page with pic's that someone did but I can't find it now.

Eric

[goodsusedappliance]

Sorry I didn't take pictures.  I pulled out the tub & flipped it. I removed the drive pulley.  I drilled out the rivets holding the solenoid on.  I snipped the red & yellow wires to pull it through. (leave plenty to re-connect)  I removed the plastic housing holding the windings from the metal housing.  I removed some of the tape holding the wires down.  I found
http://www.aupo.com/products_detail/&productId=1dc42fb5-c9a6-4da5-ae4c-941072324fa5&comp_stats=comp-FrontProducts_list01-004.html
this thermal fuse wired between the winding & the Yellow wire. I cut the fuse out and soldered the wire straight to the yellow wire. I used high temp fiberglass tape to keep the wires in place. 

The fuse was rated at 130C witch is 266F.  I'm not sure where to find a fuse so small. I was thinking of trying to burn it up by leaving the door open... just to see what happens. 

[niobrara]

Technicians do not have bad ideas. Just some ideas, that need a little modifying. After all, we make the things engineers design work. How long did the repair take you, and could you do it in there home without taking the shifter back to the shop?

[JWWebster]

Cool

[tgoods]

I just changed a mode shifter out so I opened it up.  It has an A8-5A-F.  It's rated a little hotter than yours, 150C. I couldn't find it for sale so I crossed to an NTE8035. It's $1.25 plus shipping at Mouser. The 130C fuse crosses to NTE8020, same price. The windings look good, no burning, 65 ohms.


I haven't decided if I'm going to repair it or not.  It's only the second mode shifter I've replaced.  I think they're pretty reliable as long as you don't leave the lid up on the older ones. I wouldn't repair one without a new fuse, bypassing safety devices is never a good idea.

[domain]

may i ask what leaving the lid up causes to the mode shifter? thank you

[fairbank56]

  The inverter applies 135vdc to the mode shifter coil to energize the solenoid for around 15 seconds or so and then reduces that to 30vdc as that is all that is needed to hold the armature in. If you open the lid at the wrong time in the agitate cycle, 135vdc will again be applied for too long a period of time causing the thermal overload to blow. The firmware in newer versions of the inverter has been modified to prevent this from happening.

Eric

[domain]

 

[def]

Gosh, you guys are smart. Why can't we get one of you into the white house? 

[Wedgeman55]

I have a mode shifter job this weekend.   I have one customer,  he has about 20 GE Commercial washers,   I have already done 3 for him.    Im gonna take the old mode shifter and try this.    I think the external fuse would be a good idea,  maybe an auto fuse and holder.  You can get them at radioshack for about 5 bucks for both.   I'll sell him a " rebuilt " mode shifter for less,  we both win.   I hope this works.   

[JWWebster]

Take some pix Wedge.