Maytag washer blows fuses after unbalanced load

[Ironhorse]

I have a Maytag model:LAT8226AAE. The other day I had a load become unbalaced during spin and before I could get there, it stopped running. It has done this before and I turned it off and back on and it was o.k. Not this time. Upon further investigation, I found a blown fuse in the control panel. Replaced it. Blew instantly. I looked for direct shorts with a continuity tester. Nothing. I disconnected the motor wires and covered the ends. Still blows fuses. Any suggestions??????????

Thanks,

Dave

UPDATE: I have discovered a green ground wire in the control panel that appears to slide on the edge of some steel somewhere. I'm not sure if this was off before and shorted out or not. If anyone knows where it connects let me know. I would think that it might go to the timer body since it is mounted in plastic.

[Dan O.]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

Maytag [washer] model:LAT8226AAE. I found a blown fuse in the control panel. Replaced it. Blew instantly. Any suggestions?

Yes, replace the switch assembly (see the following link) and not just the fuse. When the fuse blows, it usually damages the switch(es) too.

LINK > Switch and Fuse Asm.

I have discovered a green ground wire in the control panel that appears to slide on the edge of some steel somewhere. If anyone knows where it connects let me know.

I'm afraid I don't.

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[Ironhorse]

Thanks Dan. I'll give it a try.

Dave

[Dan O.]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

I'll give it a try.

It's a stupid design IMO but they were forced to go to it by safety regulations.

Let us know how you make out.

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[Ironhorse]

Dan,

I used a continuity tester across both switches and they appeared to be o.k. Will they still test o.k. but still be bad?

Dave

[Dan O.]

Once the amount of current that causes the fuse to blow goes through them, they often act flaky. Just testing with the minuscule currents an own meter uses does not always present a true picture of functionality.

But if you don't think they're the problem someone would have to test the rest of the machine to try to find out where the short lies.

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[Ironhorse]

Thanks. I'll replace them anyway to be sure.

Dave

[Ironhorse]

It seems that the loose ground wire was the problem. The terminal on it was very loose so I crimped it better and connected it to a tab on the control panel faceplate. No mor blown fuses. I figure that it must have fallen off during the unbalanced load and shorted out something. I ran three loads through it last night with no problems.

Dave

[Dan O.]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

It seems that the loose ground wire was the problem.

I can't see how having a loose ground wire (or even it totally off) would cause the fuse to blow as the ground should never even be in circuit besides during a short. But glad to hear you seem to have it working again.

Dan O.

[everysandwich]

Ironhorse, I'm following exactly in your appliance malfunction footsteps here. I've found a a green wire to nowhere, and it has a connector on the end that doesn't seem to match the other tab connectors. It's shaped a little like a tiny meat cleaver. I'm not too experienced in appliance matters so I'm unsure if the control panel faceplate is the same thing as the timer housing. The metal of the timer housing seems to be the right size for the meat cleaver tab of the green wire to nowhere. Glad your machine is up and running again.