DIY Indesit Washing Machine Control Unit Repair

The difficulty of repairing a washing machine's control unit on your own lies in the tens of thousands of possible malfunctions. Testing every single semiconductor component on the board at home can be fruitless. However, if you know the typical symptoms of a malfunction, you can quickly identify the cause. Let's look at how to repair some types of damage to the control module of an Indesit washing machine.

Flashing of all indicators

A fairly common control unit malfunction, which can be fixed by yourself. A typical sign is that the machine starts flashing all the lights on the panel. The lights flash very rapidly, like a light show. This "symptom" indicates a faulty control panel. What steps should you take if you notice the LEDs are glowing?

The power supply needs to be checked. To do this, remove the element from the Indesit washing machine housing. In front-loading models, it is located in the lower rear corner, on the left. In top-loading models, the control unit is located on top, directly under the control panel.

Once the unit is removed from the machine, remove the module from its plastic housing and inspect the unit thoroughly for any swelling. Also, pay attention to the capacitors. If you find a damaged or burnt-out part, it will need to be replaced.

When replacing, pay attention to the polarity of the capacitors; incorrect installation may result in complete failure of the display panel.

It is also important to consider the capacity of the capacitors to be replaced and their voltage. Capacitors are designed to dampen impulses, so it is not advisable to install elements with different ratings. So, if the capacitance is 680 μF, a similar capacitor should be installed. However, the voltage can be increased, for example, by replacing it with 680 μF and 16 volts.

The washing machine does not turn on

First, I'd like to remind you how important it is to properly connect the heating element of an Indesit washing machine. In one case, the owner replaced the heating element, after which the machine worked without leaking and heated water. However, very soon, the machine simply stopped working. A poorly repaired heater caused the breakdown. What happened?

An incorrectly connected heating element can cause several components of the control board to burn out at once. In the example shown, relay leg K5 burned out, and inductor L1 also failed. No defective resistors or varistors were found, but that was just luck. Repairing the control unit consisted of replacing the TNy264 and ULn2003 PWM controllers, the network capacitor, and the secondary capacitor of the microcircuit.

If your Indesit washing machine simply stops turning on, check the D9 diode and the board transistors. If damaged semiconductors are detected, they should only be replaced with identical ones. If identical transistors are unavailable, be sure to replace them with the same value as the previous one.

If reinstalling the above components doesn't help restore the control board, run diagnostics on the transformer. Testing the component on the microcircuit is pointless; it must be removed first. The transformer will most likely also need to be replaced.

The worst case scenario is when a power surge kills the processor. In this case, repairing the control unit is useless. The only way to save your Indesit washing machine is to install a new control board. Generally, board repair is a complex job requiring specific expertise. Therefore, if you can't fix the control board yourself, it's best to call a professional.

   

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