Washer won't start, cascade of failures on Laundry Center

[JosephK]

I have a Kenmore model 417 Laundry Center, ie dryer stacked on top of a washer with a common control panel.  After a load of wash, the dryer wouldn't start.  Broke it down and found a bad fusestat (thermal limiter), which I replaced.  Vacuumed out a bag full of lint.  Put it back together, dryer works fine, but now the washer won't start!  I didn't check the washer to see if it was working before I repaired the dryer part.  The washer is completely dead.  Nothing happens when I pull the on knob.

Have checked the connections many times to make sure that I didn't loosen something during the dryer repair.  Checked continuity from the pull-on switch, through the lid lock, through the water level selector, and through the water pressure switch.  All seem to be ok, i.e. short when on, open when off.  I have 120 V on both sides of the temperature selector switch, which doesn't change when I switch from cold, warm, or hot.  However, the water valves never turn on.  Any clues to what to try next?  Could something else have blown with the dryer thermal limiter?

Thanks,  JK

[rickgburton]

Make sure you have all the quick disconnects pluged back in and check to be sure the water is turned on.

[JosephK]

Well yes, I checked the power and the water is on. 

I've got electrical continuity from the on-off switch through everything up to the temperature selector switch.  (This is an old all analog machine.) With the solenoids disconnected, I get 120V on the hot/cold outputs of the temperature selector switch depending on if I've got hot, warm, or cold selected.  But when I connect the solenoids, they don't turn on and the outputs of the temperature selector switch read 120V, regardess of what temp is selected (~0V with the pull on-off switch off).  I pulled the water valve and both solenoids read 860 ohms.  (Don't know what they should read.)  I can also get them to click (open?) when I apply 120V to them removed from the washer.  So they appear to me to be ok.  Seems unlikely that they could have both gone bad at the same time as the limiter. 

So why does noting happen when I try to turn the washer on?  What to check next?

[rickgburton]

Can you give me the entire model number and I'll look it up.

[BrntToast]

without model number i have to guess a bit, you say lid lock, as in the lid locks closed while spinning?  if so its made by frigidaire and for whatever reason the wise engineers there wired the water valves through the motor overload on some models

if you remove front panel you can check continuity right at the overload on the motor to test for this
btw the overload is not an orderable part, motor needs to be changed

[JosephK]

I "fixed" it.  I had connected two ground wires together (so no dangling connectors), but didn't connect them to the timer terminal block which is needed to actually establish ground.  That's why the solenoids wouldn't close even though a voltage was applied, the ground terminals were floating.  At least I now know something about how washers work

Also found a second resistor that had burned out in the dryer thermal protection circuit, but this had nothing to do with the washing machine not starting.

[rickgburton]

Glad you got it fixed. Let us know if you run into anymore problems.