Baby washing machine - do-it-yourself repair
There is an opinion that only old people are interested in the Malyutka washing machine. In fact, many other segments of the population use such technology. She is especially interested in summer residents and single bachelors. The beauty of this machine is the lightness and simplicity of the device; it lacks a drum and cool electronics, but it sometimes breaks. Breakdowns of the Malyutka washing machine cannot be called complex, much less fatal. In most cases, you can fix it yourself, especially if you take the advice of our specialists.
Frequent breakdowns
The Malyutka washing machine is an activator type appliance. This means that the drum, an integral attribute of any modern automatic washing machine, is missing here, and is replaced by an activator. However, if Malyutka was an automatic washing machine, it might have a drum, but since this is a semi-automatic machine, we won’t find anything in it except a washing tank and an activator.
Since Malyutka does not have a drum, it does not make as much noise during operation as automatic washing machines.
Since this washing machine is simple in design and there are not many breakdowns, we can list and consider all the typical faults that the user potentially encounters during the operation of such equipment. Here are the symptoms of typical malfunctions:
- instead of washing, the machine hums and then turns off;
- the activator turns slowly or gets stuck;
- the machine tears and greatly wrinkles the laundry, a loud noise is heard;
- The body of the Malyutka washing machine is leaking;
- Malyutka washing machine hose is leaking;
- the machine does not turn on;
- the machine turns on, hums, but the activator does not turn;
- washing starts, but stops within a few minutes, heating of the body is noticeable;
- The machine does not turn on, and there is a smell of burnt wiring.
The symptoms of breakdowns are clear and obvious, but what malfunctions caused them. Everything is quite simple here too. Some symptoms are caused by a faulty activator, some are caused by a washing machine electrician, and some are caused by a faulty electric motor. Leaks of various natures can occur both due to improper connection of the machine by the user, and due to wear of the O-rings and various rubber bands, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Problems with the activator
The activator is a moving element of the Malyutka washing machine, due to the rotation of which the clothes in the washing tank are washed. Violation of the mobility of the activator leads to a stop in the washing process. Moreover, in some cases the thermal relay is triggered and the machine turns off. Let's list the problems associated with the activator and at the same time, let's look at how to fix these problems.
- The washing machine tank is significantly overloaded. When the washing machine is overloaded with laundry, the activator does not spin normally or does not spin at all. At the same time, the washing machine begins to hum desperately, and then completely turns off. Solution to the problem: unload the washing machine, wait at least 15 minutes, and restart it.
- Threads, pieces of fabric, etc. were wound around the activator and its shaft. The symptoms are the same, the activator does not spin normally, the machine hums and then turns off. The repair will consist of cleaning the shaft and activator from threads, rags and other foreign bodies that interfere with the operation of the moving part.
- The activator is skewed.The activator turns, but after washing the laundry is partially torn and badly wrinkled, or the activator touches the walls of the washing tub. These actions are accompanied by a strong hum, and sometimes the Malyutka washing machine turns off for no apparent reason. Solution to the problem: unfold the washing machine, remove the plug, unscrew the activator, clean the threads and screw the activator back in until it stops.
Leaks
Leaks occur quite often in Malyutka-type washing machines, so some users, not considering it necessary to fix them, simply put their “home assistant” in the bathtub and start the wash. This approach can be dangerous due to the fact that water leakage from the tank or hose can damage the washing machine's electrical system, a short circuit will occur, and the user himself may be harmed. So let’s not ignore leaks, but fix their causes with our own hands.
If you find a leak in the body of the Malyutka washing machine, you need to check it for two potential breakdowns: damage to the large o-ring and damage to the flange assembly. To understand exactly where the leak is, you need to partially disassemble the washing machine. We do the following:
- dismantle the activator and then unscrew its body;
- we inspect the large rubber band, called the large o-ring;
- if there is any damage, we replace the part with a similar one;
- if the large rubber band is intact, disconnect the casing itself and the electric drive from the tank;
- Having unscrewed six screws, we disassemble the casing, pulling out the flange assembly;
- when disassembling the flange assembly, photograph the location of the parts, remove the rubber bushing and inspect it for damage;
- Also inspect the small o-ring; if damage is found on one of the parts, replace them.
Sometimes the cause of a leak is a small spring ring on the flange assembly. If the ring does not tightly compress the cuff, it needs to be replaced with a tighter one or simply bent, but in this case the leak may recur.
The easiest way to detect and eliminate leaks in hoses or fittings. Unscrew the nut holding the fitting, remove the bushing, and pull out the gasket. If the slightest damage is detected, we replace the part. The hose itself can also become damaged, although over time, low-quality hoses that come with Malyutka washing machines dry out, crack and fail, beginning to leak water. There is only one solution in this case - replacing the hose.
Electrical problems
If you turn on your Malyutka washing machine as usual, but it does not show any signs of operation, most likely the electrical circuit is broken somewhere. To look for and repair electrical faults in the washing machine, you will have to completely disassemble it.
- We dismantle the activator.
- We pull off his body.
- Remove the engine casing.
- Remove the flange assembly.
- We remove the washers from the engine shaft.
- We take out the protective elements - decorative plugs - from the casing.
- We turn out the screws.
- We disconnect the rubber seal, while simultaneously disassembling the elements of the half-body.
Now you can check the electrical system of the washing machine. We arm ourselves with a multimeter, reconfigure it into ohmmeter mode and check the wiring and semiconductor parts one by one. Poor contact may be caused by oxidized terminals, screws or nuts. We clean all suspicious elements with sandpaper and check the contact again.
If wire breaks are detected, the break point must be reliably connected. It is better not to twist the wires, but to use a small connecting block. Inspect all wiring as the repair progresses. If there are suspicious wires, terminals, or semiconductor elements, they must either be replaced or insulated.
When installing or dismantling the semiconductor elements of the Malyutka washing machine with your own hands, do not forget to check its electrical circuit.
Quite often, the time relay on the Malyutka washing machine fails, as well as the switch. We do not recommend repairing them; it is better to replace them. First, remove the old switch along with the time relay.
- There is a small cap next to the switch, you need to unscrew it;
- then unscrew the metal nut;
- remove the washer;
- push the switch into the housing;
- disconnect the wiring from the switch.
You can try cleaning the switch contacts and then wiping them with gasoline. In some cases it helps, but it is better to replace both the switch and the time relay. These parts cost pennies, but then there will be no problems with their performance.
The thermal relay may also fail. In operating condition, the contacts of the thermal relay open “hot” and close “cold”. Only the cold element is checked with an ohmmeter. A broken, faulty relay cannot be repaired; it is replaced with a new one with exactly the same technical characteristics.
Engine faulty
Problems may also arise with the engine of the Malyutka washing machine. In this case we mean: loss of contact of one of the many windings of the engine, breakdown and short circuit of the winding, burnout of the winding.In this case, repairing the engine, first of all, rewinding it, is not economically feasible. Even if you do it yourself, you will spend too much time.
It is much easier to replace the electric motor with a similar new one or, even better, buy a new Malyutka washing machine. By the way, a new motor costs almost the same as a new machine, but just in case, let’s say that the Malyutka washing machine uses a single-phase asynchronous motor with two windings.
Prevention
In order for the Malyutka washing machine to serve for a long time, and most importantly, to be safe for others, follow a number of simple rules that, in a certain situation, will save both the washing machine and, very importantly, your life. These rules are simple and do not differ in anything remarkable, however, every second user neglects them.
- Do not try to heat water with a boiler directly in the washing tub of the machine.
- Do not place the washer on the ground, the bottom of an iron bathtub, or any metal surface at all.
- If you disassembled the washing machine body, check that the seal is inserted correctly and the fasteners are tightened evenly.
By the way, if the seal has any damage, it needs to be replaced and in this case there is no need to skimp - it’s for your safety.
- If during washing you realize that there are suspicious odors, for example, the smell of burnt electrical wiring, immediately turn off the washing machine.
- If after touching the body of the washing machine you feel a strong or slight tingling sensation, also turn off the machine; it needs repairs.
The outlet to which you connect the Malyutka washing machine must have protection in the form of grounding and a circuit breaker. About how to do it right socket for washing machine in bathroom you can read in the article of the same name posted on our website.
In conclusion, we note that the Malyutka washing machine became obsolete 20 years ago, however, it is still in demand. This machine is cheap, so it is not profitable to call a specialist to repair it, and specialists often do not undertake such repairs. There is only one way out - to carry out the repairs yourself. How? We talked about this in detail in this article. Happy renovation!
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5 reader comments
The article does not provide replacement part numbers. Overall everything is great! Thank you.
I didn’t find any advice... after a few minutes of washing, the machine starts whistling. Tell me what needs to be replaced?
How do they seal the connection points between the motor and the body of the Malyutka washing machine so that there is no leakage?
Water flows out of the machine in the place where the shaft rotates and the casing connects to the tank! Show us what you need to have to fix a leak!
Detailed drawing of the place where water can flow!