Washing Machine won't Spin

Life without a working washing machine can be tough! One of the most common washing machine problems is its steadfast refusal to spin. There are many reasons why a washing machine won't spin. You can always choose to ignore and hope that the machine will fix itself and start spinning on its own! Once you exhaust your stock of usable clothes and the 'to be washed' clothes keep piling up, at some point, you may have to give up your belief in miracles and get down to figuring out why washing machine won't spin! In this article, I discuss washing machine troubleshooting with particular focus on the case of washing machine not being able to spin.

Every appliance including a washing machine has certain problems which you can fix on your own, while there are some which are best left to an experienced repair man. If your washing machine won't spin fast or won't spin at all, there are ways in which you can take care of the problem on your own, if it's not very deeply rooted. It is essential that you keep the washing machine manual handy, which is usually supplied by the manufacturer. An understanding of the basic working of a washing machine will be helpful. Let us see how you can fix the problem of washing machine not spinning, in the next section.

Washing Machine Troubleshooting: In Case It Won't Spin

As I said before, there are many reasons why a washing machine won't spin or drain. Figuring out the causes takes some detective work on your part. Let us begin with the simplest causes and progressively move on to more complex ones. Before we go ahead, let me list the tools and other materials that you might require while undertaking washing machine repair. Here is what you will need:

• Digital Multimeter
• Wrenches
• Screwdriver
• Bucket or Container With a Mop
• Washing Machine Repair Manual

Before you go ahead, switch off the machine and unplug it. Here I list the possible causes of why washing machine won't spin along with solutions to the problem.

Washing Machine Lid Not Closed Properly
A washing machine won't spin if the lid is not closed properly. The indication that the lid's closed is provided by the lid switch which gets closed when you shut the lid. There is always a clicking sound which signifies the closing of the switch. In case you do not hear the clicking sound, the switch may not be working and consequently the machine mustn't be spinning because of that. In that case, getting the lid switch replaced will solve the problem.

Washing Machine Draining Problems
A washing machine doesn't spin if the water is not drained properly in every wash cycle. Check the drain hose for clogging or kinks. If it has kinks, straighten it out and if it has clogged, clean it. Make sure that you have a bucket and mop in readiness while doing so, as water may spill out of the pipe as soon as you remove it. You may have to use screwdrivers to remove the hose. If the halt in spinning is because of clogging, cleaning the hose will do the trick and the machine will be back to work immediately.

Problems With Washing Machine Belt
Another reason which may cause the washing machine to stop spinning or spin slower is a broken or loose drive belt. Using the screwdriver open up the back panel of the machine and inspect the condition of the drive belt. If it's slack, locate the tightening bolt and tighten it using wrenches. If it's broken, then replacing it will take care of the problem. If you cannot do it on your own, call a repair man.

Washing Machine Pump Problems
Problems with the machine pump might be the reason why your washing machine won't spin. Locate the pump by removing the back panel and inspect the pump. Check if it is getting power using the digital multimeter and setting up its knob to check voltage. Remove the pump and clean it. If it works after cleaning, your machine should begin operation. You may have to call a repair man to replace the pump in case it's beyond repair.

Read more on:

• How Does a Washing Machine Work
• Do It Yourself (DIY) Washing Machine Repair
• How to Fix a Washing Machine

Even after checking for all these causes, the machine doesn't work, it's time you called the repair man anyway and get the job done. Hopefully, these repair instruction will change the 'washing machine won't spin' status and bring it back to its spinning ways. It helps if you know these simple washing machine repair techniques, as they save you money and time!