Repair guides
Pick a type, an appliance or a brand. Every guide lists the tools, the safety call-outs, the steps and the reading you should expect.
Diagnostic · 374
Symptom → most likely cause, step by step
Component tests · 69
How to test a specific part, with expected readings
Installation · 33
Install, replace and hook up appliances correctly
Fundamentals · 24
Core skills every appliance tech uses
Appliance
Brand-specific guides
8 guides · Washers
Component tests · 8
Component test · WasherHall sensor and tach generator (motor speed feedback)
Hall sensors are 3-wire devices (supply, ground, signal) that switch as magnets pass; tach generators are 2-wire coils that make a small AC voltage as the motor turns. Test the right way for the type.
Component test · WasherHow to test a drain pump (washer and dishwasher)
Most drain pumps are small synchronous motors. Clear the filter and impeller first, then test the winding and the voltage. Published resistance values vary a lot by brand, so use the tech sheet for the number.
Component test · WasherHow to test a top-load washer lid switch / lid lock
Older top-loaders use a simple lid switch; most newer ones use a lid lock with a switch and a locking solenoid or motor. Test the switch contacts with the lid open and closed, and check the lock coil if there is one.
Component test · WasherHow to test a universal (brushed) motor and its carbon brushes
Universal motors run on AC or DC through carbon brushes that rub on a commutator. Brushes wear out and are the most common failure. Check brush length and the commutator, then test the field and armature with a meter.
Component test · WasherHow to test a washer water-level pressure switch
The level switch reads air pressure trapped in a hose from the bottom of the tub. As water rises, pressure flips its contacts. Most failures are a clogged or leaking air hose, not the switch.
Component test · WasherRotor position sensor (direct-drive motors)
On direct-drive motors the rotor position sensor sits on the stator and tells the inverter where the rotor magnets are. A bad sensor, cracked connector or water ingress gives motor errors even with good windings.
Component test · WasherWasher door / lid lock assembly
A lock assembly has a lock actuator (solenoid, motor, or wax/PTC heater) and one or more switches that tell the board it is locked. Check the command from the board, the actuator, the switch and the strike.
Component test · WasherWasher motor control unit / inverter board
Direct-drive and inverter washers use a motor control unit (MCU) that powers a 3-phase motor and reads a hall sensor or tach. Separate MCU, motor windings, hall sensor and harness before buying a board.