Whirlpool Quiet Partner II - flashing green lights and burnt smell from control panel area

[oregonloos]

Model Number

DU1148XTPQ6

Brand

Whirlpool

Age

6-10 years

I have a Whirlpool Quiet Partner II that is about 6 years old. No complaints with the machine, it does great and I've never had any problems.

2 nights ago, 20 minutes into a cycle the machine started to emit a burning smell from the control panel area. I can only relate it to the plastic melting/ozone burning smell that happens when a computer monitor burns out.

no smoke/fire and no melted/hot/scorch marks anywhere. I pulled off the bottom panel to be sure it wasn't something in the wire harness melting but everything down there looks clean,connected and dry.

Anyhow, the cycle stopped running. I cancelled the cycle, restarted the machine and the cycle started and finished without incident.

Yesterday night, I tried to run another cycle. It sensed, started washing, released the tablet, but 20 minutes in, the cycle stopped, and the "clean" light started flashing repeatedly (7 times). I opened it up, there are no obstructions, the water is hot, everything inside looks good.

Reading up on the error - I performed the following to clear the error.

Reset breaker, pressed "heatdry normal heatdry normal cancel" open door close door. Error cleared.

Tried the cycle again in a variety of setting combinations- same thing. Exactly 20 mins in, the cycle stops and the same error occurs.

I'm thinking that something on the control board melted, or maybe the fuse blew (I didn't know it had one) I remember what burnt fuses smell like from being the kid who got sent to change them - I don't remember plastic smell.

Today I ran the diagnostic cycle - it went through fine and to my untrained eye appeared to do what it was supposed to.

Tried to run a light cycle after that and same thing happened - 20 mins in, it stopped the cycle and started flashing 7 times on the clean light.

The troubleshooting guide on the paper I pulled from below the machine says that the error is related to heater failure, but the water is getting hot so I don't know about that. Plus - the weird smell isn't inside the washer or underneath - it's only from the control panel area in the vicinity of the latch.

Could it be the fuse?

Thanks for your time and expertise.

Angela

 

[rickgburton]

The control is designed to stop the cycle and not allow any further cycles if it suspects a faulty heater (no temperature increase detected in the heated intervals). Clean LED blinks 7 times and repeats and disables the start resume key until cleared. Running the Service Diagnostics clears the control and allows normal operation. If not corrected the control will stop again on the next cycle. The control board looks for the temperature to increase at the thermistor, 4*F if the inlet water temperature is less than 110*F and 2*F if the water inlet temperature is above 110*F. Unplug or remove power from the machine. Check the heating element with an ohmmeter for between 10 and 30 ohms. Check the wires and thermostat connected to the heating element for good continuity up to the control board. Check the thermistor for 48K to 52K ohms at room temperature. (48,000 to 52,000 ohms). If everything checks good, the heater drive circuit on the control board is faulty and needs to be replaced. (Common on that model).
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Reset breaker, pressed "heatdry normal heatdry normal cancel" open door close door

If you replace the control board you'll need to run the Service Diagnostics. While the machine is in stand by press: HEATED DRY - NORMAL - HEATED DRY - NORMAL within six seconds. Do not press cancel or open and close the door.

 

[oregonloos]

Any idea what that melting plastic smell was? Probably the heater board circuit on the control board? I guess I'll know when I open it up. I don't have meters to test the ohms or temperature, but I do know that when I open it up, the environment is hot and steam billows out. Of course, we only get 20 minutes in, so how hot could it be?

Anyhow, thank you for your time and expertise. I'll be pulling that part out of the machine tonight. Any idea what it will look like if it's truly bad?

Thanks again

 

[rickgburton]

When you open the door and look at the control board, look for any burned or discolored spots. Unfortunately, it can look new and be "truly" bad. The plastic smell sounds like it could be something that touched the element and the door vent blows the air at the top of the door can make it appear to be coming from the control. If you smelled melting plastic, somewhere it should be obvious. If it's not obvious and you don't have a VOM (Volt Ohm Meter), you'll just be replacing parts hoping one will fix it. That can get very expensive, very fast. This will be one of the best $20 investments you ever made, trust me!
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