SC20 Prewash problem

[Fred50]

I am having a weird? problem with one of my 20 lb SQ washers.

It takes in water during the prewash cycle, but it doesn't drain and refill when it goes into the main wash cycle.

The drain valve is clear and it seems to work fine in the rinse cycles. I even changed all 6 water valve diapraghms for the hell of it.

What else should I be doing to diagnose the problem? I have thought about swapping out drain valves with another 20. It seems strange that it only happens at that one point.

[Coinwash]

Swap out drain valve first

[MSKLAUNDRY.]

Most likely you have a sticky valve or something in the drain line. If I had a nickel for every time I heard "I checked the drain" I wouldn't be working as a tech, but rather sipping margaritas on the beach somewhere far away from here. Please check the drain from sump to drain connection in the floor. Hook up a VOM meter to the drain valve and see if the voltage 120 volts or 220 volt depending un your model disappears at the right time. If you have a floor drain in back of the washer and you don't mind getting a little water in back of the washer disconnect the drain hose to the washer and recheck. If all is clear it should come out the washer fast when its time to drain.

[Fred50]

Swap out drain valve first

Jonathan,

I didn't realize that you were such a tech genius! :-)

That did the trick. It was a weird one. It didn't help that the water wasn't initially flowing in the rinse cycles either (loose wire it turned out).

This is the first time that I ever had a multi-sympton washer problem.

It took too long, but it was a relatively easy fix in retrospect.

Thanks!

ps Sorry Marc, I didn't see your post until later. I didn't have time today to do meter checks, but I'll file that for later use. I figured that I would get a 120 or so volt reading when the valve was needed to be open, but I didn't get a chance to. I went with the very low tech parts swap after the very high tech wire connection jiggle / jam!!

[Kitty]

Mark honey,
Thats the first thing I learned in laundry land....swap parts.....:) Right after turning off the power........

I just wish I learned the damn names of the darned things.....

Jonathan gets so mad when I call them whatchemacallits and doodlethings.......but for the life of me I cannot remember technical gadget names.