One day while I was doing laundry, my washer stopped in the middle of a cycle and the screen displayed the error code E20. Since the owner’s manual did not have any information on error codes, I went online to find an answer. Sure enough there it was -- error code E20 indicated that the “coin trap” was blocked.
I thought, “Wow, what a clever component -- a trap to block coins and other debris from ruining the evacuation pump.” So I looked for an access door only to find that it was on the rear of the machine. I moved the units away from the wall -- I have the washer and dryer stacked -- and proceeded to remove the back cover. There it was, the coin trap... behind three hoses.
The three hoses are connected to a boot at three different locations with three different kinds of clamps. This assembly is at arm's length, and there is only room for one arm to get in to work on it. After two hours, I managed to get two of the three hoses unhooked. I then looked for a solution to remove the last hose. I saw there was a cutout on the bottom of the washer, so I lifted the dryer off, tilted the washer back against the wall, and tried from the bottom.
After another hour I got the coin catcher assembly removed and cleaned out. Now I had to try to reassemble the boot assembly with one hand, blindly. When your hand is in the access area, you can't see in to line up the hoses and install the clamps. After five more hours of trying to remove the front panel and other options, I was ready to drag the machine down my driveway with a chain and put it out on the curb.
Then I thought, “I have nothing to lose. Why not make an access hole in the side?” So I got out my saber saw and cut a 12x12-inch panel in the side. In 10 minutes I had the boot and pump assembly together and the machine running again.
This entry was submitted by Gary D. Rodichok and edited by Rob Spiegel.
Tell us your experiences with Monkey-designed products. Send stories to Rob Spiegel for Made by Monkeys.
Yes, manuals are often good. I recent replaced the side-view mirrors on my car (don't ask -- it has to do the kids), and I found very good instruction online. I can't imagine how I would have been able to do it without the online help.
I agree, the forums are great for very specific problems that you want to know other users' experience with, like that new chip. They're especially good for electronics hardware and software. But for basic mechanical stuff, I prefer to find a manual.
Good point, Ann. Yet sometimes the forums come in handy. I bought a memory upgrade chip for my Toshiba laptop. As soon as I inserted it, the laptop started to crash. Of course, I thought I'd done something wrong. I went to the forums and found that everyone with this particular laptop was having the same problem with this particular memory upgrade. Who knows why they keep selling the upgrade. At any rate, it was the forums that validated my problem.
Last weekend I installed a new storm door. The instructions and diagrams made the process straightforward except for the step to mount the glass in the door frame. The diagram looked like one of M.C. Escher art prints where the crazy perspective makes you wonder which set of stairs goes in what direction. A video on the company's site let me see how to position a mounting rail on each side. Worked like a charm.
There is something way more frustrating than no access provided:
You look and look, finally spend hours to dissassemble something, only then to find out how it was supposed to come apart (making it worse, is that it's usually a no-tools-required push-tab).
The best things on-line are usually the video's that people post as they repair the same object (I've done a few repairs lately where I was saved a lot of hassle by on-line videos).
That's a really good point about what happens to the noise damping when an access hole is cut. Maybe the 12-in square cut out should be saved for a door.
Rob, I've also found lots of info in the user forums, but it can take a long time of searching to find it. Usually, I'd much rather have the manual. William, thanks for that info on service people. Now it makes sense, although doesn't really ratchet down the annoyance value. I am boggled that people actually throw away papers they don't understand, or any papers that come with an appliance. I was taught to save and file everything.
Cutting a 12" square hole in the sheet metal is bound to have changed the noise damping. While we've all slammed appliance manufacturers here (myself included), they DO put some attention to noise attenuation. Such a change as described must have caused more noise than before?
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