- Model Number
- HLC1700AXS
- Brand
- Haier
- Age
- 1-5 years
Hello.
Thought to put out a solution for FD code happened on Haier HLC1700AXS washer combo. Also wanted to ask the community to post here, if known, part numbers of X1 power connectors (both male and female) the GE uses on their boards 0021800040X (original PN) and WH18X27222 (replacement PN). Below is the full story.
My neighbor has a 4 year-old Haier washer combo. All the sudden a month ago the drier stopped heating. It was starting the cycle, but then shortly throwing FD code. The machine top panel was cold to the touch, which indicated the heater not working. My neighbor called a tech. The tech suspected the main control board, ordered a replacement ($$), and returned to install it. After he took the front panel off, he found badly melted power connectors on the board and the mating harness:
He removed the molten plastic and mended the junction with bare blade terminals:
Nevertheless, he was not able to turn the washer on. He declared it not fixable DOA (dead on arrival) and refused to replace the control board. At this point my neighbor asked me for help.
Curiously enough I found the washer operational. Before powering it up though, I shuffled/opened the top panel in search of the melted connector that matched the picture the tech sent over. Not seeing anything like that, I pushed the power button and, to my great amusement, was able to run the washer through one quick wash and one dry cycle. Excited, I called my neighbor to demonstrate the working washer, but sure enough it did not turn on after I pushed the power button again. It was a clear case of loose/intermittent contacts somewhere.
I quickly determined that the power was coming to the board. In further search for a loose junction, I disassembled the front panel step-by-step until I had the control board in my hands. I found the remnants of the burned connector: the leftover blades #1 and 2 of the X1 power connector were wobbly. #3 was ok, but the solder on the pins looked more like a withered pumpkin rather than a cone. #4 looked all solid, but the solder cones seemed small to the eye. I did not take the picture of it as I did not expect to write this at all. I rather intended to quickly re-solder blades #1, 2, and 3 to the board and attach pigtail extensions with insulated terminals to them.
It did not work. As I started removing the solder from under a layer of epoxy conformal coating, I found that no pads left around two out of six holes (blades #1 and 2):
Apparently, the pads were designed too small, were not properly wetted in the solder bath, and later delaminated from the substrate and/or solder. The ensued arching then burned them out. It was the most likely cause of wobbly blades and molten connector plastic. This kind of failure was almost guaranteed if the MAIN POWER connector was hanging on just small solder blobs in the second decade of ROHS compliance. It should have been mechanically (e.g. with screws/snaps) attached to the board to alleviate stress during assembly/rework and constant vibration during machine operation. There is no excuse for the board designers to make customers to foot the bill for this overlook.
Because both the male (board) and female (harness) connectors were destroyed, replacing the control board (PN 0021800040X (original), WH18X27222 (available replacement)) was not an option. The new board needed a new mating connector on the harness, which PN was impossible to find. I was left only with repairing burned pads/traces.
What I did was replacing the dislodged connector blades with pigtail leads soldered directly to the board. I kept blade #4, which solder cones looked solid. I scraped the coating epoxy from the adjacent traces #1, 2, and 3 on the button side, routed AWG 16 wire from the connector side to the button side through the holes where the blades were, and soldered them to the newly exposed traces. I crimped insulated terminals to the pigtails and to the harness respectively. I opened the existing hole on the substrate and fished a zip tie through to constrain the wires: the wires must be mechanically secured to the board and not to dangle on solder alone.
That was all. It solved the problem. This is how the final assembly on the machine looked like:
It is not an easy fix for everyone, but for those with some mechanical and soldering skills it is doable. You may avoid $$$ outlay for a new machine. Just be patient not to break plastic, loose screws, and pull hard on the other connectors.
Another solution is to replace the control board; however, it would be practical only if the mating connector on the harness could be found. If anyone reading this post knows the PNs of the connectors (both male and female) the GE uses on their board/harness, please post it.
Thought to put out a solution for FD code happened on Haier HLC1700AXS washer combo. Also wanted to ask the community to post here, if known, part numbers of X1 power connectors (both male and female) the GE uses on their boards 0021800040X (original PN) and WH18X27222 (replacement PN). Below is the full story.
My neighbor has a 4 year-old Haier washer combo. All the sudden a month ago the drier stopped heating. It was starting the cycle, but then shortly throwing FD code. The machine top panel was cold to the touch, which indicated the heater not working. My neighbor called a tech. The tech suspected the main control board, ordered a replacement ($$), and returned to install it. After he took the front panel off, he found badly melted power connectors on the board and the mating harness:
He removed the molten plastic and mended the junction with bare blade terminals:
Nevertheless, he was not able to turn the washer on. He declared it not fixable DOA (dead on arrival) and refused to replace the control board. At this point my neighbor asked me for help.
Curiously enough I found the washer operational. Before powering it up though, I shuffled/opened the top panel in search of the melted connector that matched the picture the tech sent over. Not seeing anything like that, I pushed the power button and, to my great amusement, was able to run the washer through one quick wash and one dry cycle. Excited, I called my neighbor to demonstrate the working washer, but sure enough it did not turn on after I pushed the power button again. It was a clear case of loose/intermittent contacts somewhere.
I quickly determined that the power was coming to the board. In further search for a loose junction, I disassembled the front panel step-by-step until I had the control board in my hands. I found the remnants of the burned connector: the leftover blades #1 and 2 of the X1 power connector were wobbly. #3 was ok, but the solder on the pins looked more like a withered pumpkin rather than a cone. #4 looked all solid, but the solder cones seemed small to the eye. I did not take the picture of it as I did not expect to write this at all. I rather intended to quickly re-solder blades #1, 2, and 3 to the board and attach pigtail extensions with insulated terminals to them.
It did not work. As I started removing the solder from under a layer of epoxy conformal coating, I found that no pads left around two out of six holes (blades #1 and 2):
Apparently, the pads were designed too small, were not properly wetted in the solder bath, and later delaminated from the substrate and/or solder. The ensued arching then burned them out. It was the most likely cause of wobbly blades and molten connector plastic. This kind of failure was almost guaranteed if the MAIN POWER connector was hanging on just small solder blobs in the second decade of ROHS compliance. It should have been mechanically (e.g. with screws/snaps) attached to the board to alleviate stress during assembly/rework and constant vibration during machine operation. There is no excuse for the board designers to make customers to foot the bill for this overlook.
Because both the male (board) and female (harness) connectors were destroyed, replacing the control board (PN 0021800040X (original), WH18X27222 (available replacement)) was not an option. The new board needed a new mating connector on the harness, which PN was impossible to find. I was left only with repairing burned pads/traces.
What I did was replacing the dislodged connector blades with pigtail leads soldered directly to the board. I kept blade #4, which solder cones looked solid. I scraped the coating epoxy from the adjacent traces #1, 2, and 3 on the button side, routed AWG 16 wire from the connector side to the button side through the holes where the blades were, and soldered them to the newly exposed traces. I crimped insulated terminals to the pigtails and to the harness respectively. I opened the existing hole on the substrate and fished a zip tie through to constrain the wires: the wires must be mechanically secured to the board and not to dangle on solder alone.
That was all. It solved the problem. This is how the final assembly on the machine looked like:
It is not an easy fix for everyone, but for those with some mechanical and soldering skills it is doable. You may avoid $$$ outlay for a new machine. Just be patient not to break plastic, loose screws, and pull hard on the other connectors.
Another solution is to replace the control board; however, it would be practical only if the mating connector on the harness could be found. If anyone reading this post knows the PNs of the connectors (both male and female) the GE uses on their board/harness, please post it.
