Hotpoint WMD962P(UK) Violent banging at higher spin speeds.
S/N: 110146567 * 30694508700 Hotpoint WMD962P (UK) S/N: 110146567 * 30694508700 We think that the machine was overloaded when it first started to make loud banging noises at the end of the 35 minute cycle with 1600 rpm spin speed. I checked for bearing failure and found some movement between the outer tub and drum. When the machine was tipped forward, the drum was resistant to turn. I replaced the tub/drum with a new sealed one, fitted a new drain pump and cleaned up the fill pipe, sump hose and anti siphon ball. The problem persisted so I changed the suspension legs for a new genuine set. Problem persists. There are no fault codes showing, not sure that this machine is capable of producing fault codes for the user. There are no issues when the cycle is completed with no load (washing). I checked a no load 1600 rpm spin with a digital tachometer on the rear pulley and obtained a speed of 1559 rpm. With a partial load the banging starts at around 600 rpm. The pully was too unstable to check the speed with a load above 700rpm, and it terrifies the cat. I checked the drain hose for blockage by disconnecting from the kitchen waste system, removing the drain pump filter and blowing through. There was no resistance. I repeated a trial wash with a partial load and the waste pipe draining to a bucket therefore eliminating a blocked kitchen waste system. Problem persists. I made a video of part of a 800rpm spin cycle. I wetted two bath towels and wrung them out by hand so that there was not too much water transferred into the washing machine but some weight for the machine to deal with. Whilst video gives an indication of the problem, it does not pick up the sound too well. What sounds like ticks are actually bangs and are quite violent. The video starts at around 5 minutes in to the spin cycle I am thinking that there may be a fault in the motor/motor controller, perhaps you could give me you thoughts. Cheers, Richard Williams
Hi Richard,
Thanks for reaching out and providing such a detailed breakdown of the problem. You have done a brilliant job troubleshooting this Hotpoint so far—replacing the sealed tub, suspension legs, and checking the drainage system covers a lot of the usual suspects. Also, apologies to your cat; those heavy spin-cycle bangs are terrifying enough for us humans!
Regarding your thought on the motor or motor controller: it is highly unlikely to be the culprit here. If the motor or control board were failing, you would typically see erratic speed fluctuations, sudden stopping, or fault codes, rather than a physical, heavy banging that only occurs when the drum is under load. Since you clocked it at a steady 1559 RPM empty, the drive system seems to be doing its job perfectly.
Based on the symptoms you are describing—perfectly fine empty, but violent banging with a partial load as the RPM climbs—there are two specific mechanical faults we need to look at:
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Loose Counterweights: The heavy concrete blocks mounted to the outer tub can sometimes work loose. When the machine gets up to high speeds, a loose counterweight will vibrate and violently strike against the tub or the machine casing, causing exactly the kind of loud, rhythmic banging you are hearing. Double-check all the mounting bolts holding the top and front weights to ensure they are torqued down completely tight.
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A Fractured Drum Spider: The spider is the three-pronged bracket at the back of the inner stainless steel drum that connects it to the bearings and pulley shaft. If one of the arms on the spider has a hairline crack or fracture, the inner drum will flex off-center when it is weighed down by wet clothes. At high RPM, this causes the inner drum to physically bang against the outer plastic tub. I know you mentioned replacing the sealed tub unit, but if there is a flaw in the replacement, a fractured spider mimics these exact symptoms. It is also a fault that will steadily worsen over time as the fracture spreads.
I would recommend having a thorough check of the counterweight bolts first, as that is the easiest to rule out without stripping the machine down again.
Let me know what you find!
Cheers,
Paul
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