A washing machine is one of the most used appliances in my home. But like any other electrical appliance, washing machines can face a whole lot of problem. One of these problems I encountered recently is when your drainage pump keeps running for no reason. So, I decided to dig deep and find out why a washing machine drain pump keeps running…
The most common reason is some blockage in your drain hose which can easily be fixed. However, a drain pump that keeps running can also be a faulty control board, the water inlet valve or just a defective water level switch. Some of these issues are pretty easy to fix while some may require you to call a professional or get the parts replaced.
There can be some serious issues if you don’t figure out how to fix it as faulty washing machines are one of the biggest causes of house fires!
Let’s take a look at some of the possible reasons behind it and how can you fix these issues.
Common Reasons For The Drain Pump To Keep Running
Problem With The Control Board
Think of the control board as the mother board of a computer or the chipset of you phone. It is the brain of your appliance and is responsible for doing and managing everything in the machine.
From the moment you press a specific button, to the completion of the task, it is the control board which tells the appliance to perform the specific functions. So any issue with the control board will affect the entire system.
One of the most common reason why there might be a problem with the control board is wear and tear and old age. If your washing machine is really old or if you have recently moved it from one place to another, there is a chance that the control board might have been damaged.
Another reason can be accidental water spillage. Although the control board is placed inside the appliance and the chances of water being spilled on it are pretty low. Sometimes water can reach there if there is some leakage within the machine.
The third reason can be a faulty control board from the manufacturer itself. The chances of this taking place are low but it can still happen. If this is the case then you will have to call the company’s customer care.
Problems With The Drain Pipe
Let me quickly explain what the job of the drain pump is.
When you turn on your washing machine, it gets filled with water which is then spun around by the drum to clean the clothes and once this is over, all of the water is drained out.
This last process needs to be very efficient as you want the clean clothes to spend as less of a time possible in the dirty water. And the lesser the amount of water in your washed clothes, the easier it is to get them dried.
This is the job of the drain pump, to get all the water out of the appliance in an efficient manner.
Blocked Drain Pump Or Drain Pipe
If your drain pump is running while there is water present in the drum and the water level is not reducing then there might be some blockage in the drain pump or the drainage pipe.
The appliance will be trying to get rid of the water but it won’t be able to do so.
Other Possible Issues
The drain pump can have two issues, either it won’t start at all or it will get stuck in the running position.
The latter can happen due to grounding of the drain pump or something known as siphoning.
This is when the machine cannot sense that the water is being drained out and it keeps filling the drum with more water. In this case the appliance gets stuck on a loop.
This happens when the water level is too high, usually when it gets above the end of the drain hose.
Problems With The Thermostat
A thermostat is meant to regulate the temperature in your washing machine and if it doesn’t work properly then it can lead to overheating.
This makes the drain pump to become energized. When this happens the drain pump keeps getting turned on even if there is no water present in the system.
If this is the issue then there should be an overheating error displayed on your washing machine. You can also check the thermostat to see if it is working properly.
The Water Level Switch Is Not Working Properly
When your washing machine is filled with water or if the level of water is too much, there is a switch which lets the appliance know about this issue. Once this switch sends the signal, the drainage pump is activated.
A similar thing happens during the opposite situation, if the water level is not high enough, the sensor lets the machine know about this and more water is pumped into the drum.
This sensor works on a water pressure system and there is a chance that this sensor might be malfunctioning. If this is the case then the sensor will keep informing the drain pump that the washer is overflowing and therefore it will keep running.
Broken Water Inlet Valve
This situation is on similar lines as the last one. The water inlet valve is responsible for letting water into the drum, it works in conjunction with the control board and the water level switch.
If this component is malfunctioning then even after the wash cycle, when the appliance is draining the water, the inlet valve will continue pumping water into the drum.
This means that the water will continue to get filled in the drum and the water level switch will continue telling the drain pump to keep draining.
Positioning Of The Drain Hose
Every washing machine has a drain hose, it is responsible for draining all the water out of the machine. This drain hose is connected to a standpipe outside the washer and the drain hose has to be inserted at the correct length inside the standpipe.
This length is roughly about 4.5 inches, other than this, the drain hose shouldn’t taped to the standpipe. This is because there should be some airflow for proper movement of water.
If this is not the case then the water won’t be drained out efficiently or there might be some water stuck inside the drain hose. In this case the drain pump will keep running forever or for a really long time trying to drain all the water.
Easy Fixes For These Issues
Some of the issues above are pretty easy to fix, while some issues will need some professional help or even full replacement of the specific parts.
One piece of very important advice, washing machines are electrical appliances and you should be very careful while handling them.
If you don’t have any experience with electronics then it would be better to call a professional. In any case, make sure the appliance is turned off and plugged out before you check anything.
If the issue is clogged drain pump or drain hose, then the solution is easy. You simply have to check if there is any clog and clear it. Usually the drain hose is located behind the appliance (on the side in some cases) and once you find it, you can find the drain pump as well.
Similarly, the issue of the drain hose placement can also be figured out quite easily. In this case also, you will need to clear the hose and make sure the fitting is right this time.
In terms of the water level switch, it is pretty easy to locate and replace by yourself. It is usually located inside the drum and you can confirm with your device’s manual to find out the exact location.
But if you don’t have experience with electronics then feel free to call a professional.
Issues with the control board, the drain pump, the water inlet valve and the thermostat might be a bit more complicated to figure out.
Although a thermostat issue will be known by the overheating sign, replacing it might be a bit tricky. In these cases you should probably call the customer support or any professional. Most of the time, these parts need to be replaced.
Don’t worry, replacing the parts are way less expensive than buying a new washing machine.
The drain pump is usually located behind the appliance, once you open the back panel you can gain access to it. Unscrew the pump, you will also see the drain pipe coming out of it.
This way you can check for any blockage or damage and even replace it if you want.
In Conclusion..
A lot of the issues which I have explained above can be solved by yourself but never take unnecessary risks while handling electrical equipment.
Make sure you are taking all the necessary precautions before you do anything.
You should always call the customer support or for some professional help whenever you are in doubt.
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