maytag Neptune control board repair

[[email protected]]

I'm trying to help out a friend who was unfortunate enough to have
gotten stuck with one of these Neptune lemons. There is a resistor
burned on the control board, and I am told that this usually takes out
the small triac alongside it. I have obtained an NTE replacement for
the triac and I'm going to replace it and the resistor, (is it 3900
ohms?) . But here's my question: This wax motor that has supposedly
failed and caused this, do I really have to replace it or is it just
there to prevent some child, (ot idiot) from opening the door during
the spin cycle and having their arm removed? Will the door stay latched
otherwise with the motor not installed? I guess what I'm saying is that
we're all adults here, so after the board work is done, can this
machine be rigged to work with out this troublesome part? In any case
any further information or tips that anyone can provide with respect to
getting this washer running again will be most sincerely appreciated.
Lenny Stein, Barlen Electronics.

 

[Bob]

I'm trying to help out a friend who was unfortunate enough to have
gotten stuck with one of these Neptune lemons. There is a resistor
burned on the control board, and I am told that this usually takes out
the small triac alongside it. I have obtained an NTE replacement for
the triac and I'm going to replace it and the resistor, (is it 3900
ohms?) . But here's my question: This wax motor that has supposedly
failed and caused this, do I really have to replace it or is it just
there to prevent some child, (ot idiot) from opening the door during
the spin cycle and having their arm removed? Will the door stay latched
otherwise with the motor not installed? I guess what I'm saying is that
we're all adults here, so after the board work is done, can this
machine be rigged to work with out this troublesome part? In any case
any further information or tips that anyone can provide with respect to
getting this washer running again will be most sincerely appreciated.
Lenny Stein, Barlen Electronics.

Be careful about bypassing an interlock. While the people that live with the
machine maight know that it can be opened while spinning, and that they
shouldn't stick their hands in it, what about the visiting kids and friends?
It really is like bypassing the broken interlock strip on a microwave. "We
know to always push stop before opening it". Yes.... that has been done.

 

[James T. White]

I'm trying to help out a friend who was unfortunate enough to have
gotten stuck with one of these Neptune lemons. There is a resistor
burned on the control board, and I am told that this usually takes out
the small triac alongside it. I have obtained an NTE replacement for
the triac and I'm going to replace it and the resistor, (is it 3900
ohms?) . But here's my question: This wax motor that has supposedly
failed and caused this, do I really have to replace it or is it just
there to prevent some child, (ot idiot) from opening the door during
the spin cycle and having their arm removed? Will the door stay
latched otherwise with the motor not installed? I guess what I'm
saying is that we're all adults here, so after the board work is
done, can this machine be rigged to work with out this troublesome
part? In any case any further information or tips that anyone can
provide with respect to getting this washer running again will be
most sincerely appreciated. Lenny Stein, Barlen Electronics.

Lenny,

While I don't advocate bypassing the door lock, other than for
troubleshooting, there is something you seem to have missed. When the
switch is bypassed, you don't need to fix the control board at all.

 

[James Sweet]

I'm trying to help out a friend who was unfortunate enough to have
gotten stuck with one of these Neptune lemons. There is a resistor
burned on the control board, and I am told that this usually takes out
the small triac alongside it. I have obtained an NTE replacement for
the triac and I'm going to replace it and the resistor, (is it 3900
ohms?) . But here's my question: This wax motor that has supposedly
failed and caused this, do I really have to replace it or is it just
there to prevent some child, (ot idiot) from opening the door during
the spin cycle and having their arm removed? Will the door stay latched
otherwise with the motor not installed? I guess what I'm saying is that
we're all adults here, so after the board work is done, can this
machine be rigged to work with out this troublesome part? In any case
any further information or tips that anyone can provide with respect to
getting this washer running again will be most sincerely appreciated.
Lenny Stein, Barlen Electronics.

The washer won't start until the door is locked. Replace the wax motor,
it's under 20 bucks. When I fix those boards I use a much larger TO-220
triac, mostly because I had one on hand, I've never had one come back yet.

 

[[email protected]]

I was wondering if you happened upon the scheme I read about where you
install a 120V relay right off the brown wire from the board. Then
instead of driving the wax motor with its variable resistance
capabilities off the triac you energize a fixed resistance coil. The
motor gets 120V switched to it through the relay. So if the damned wax
motor ever overheats again at least it won't take out the triac and
resistor. Incidently I have heard that the problem with the motors was
a defective seal. This apparently let moisture inside and dropped the
resistance drastically. The new motors I'm told are sealed better and
this shouldn't happen again. Maybe....
..Lenny Stein, Barlen Electronics.

 

[[email protected]]

I was wondering if you happened upon the scheme I read about where you
install a 120V relay right off the brown wire from the board. Then
instead of driving the wax motor with its variable resistance
capabilities off the triac you energize a fixed resistance coil. The
motor gets 120V switched to it through the relay. So if the damned wax
motor ever overheats again at least it won't take out the triac and
resistor. Incidently I have heard that the problem with the motors was
a defective seal. This apparently let moisture inside and dropped the
resistance drastically. The new motors I'm told are sealed better and
this shouldn't happen again. Maybe....
.Lenny Stein, Barlen Electronics.

So captainvideo, you're suggesting leaving out safety equipment because
'we'e all adults...' ? Some 'adult' gets an arm ripped off and
Maytag/Whirlpool finds the washer was booby trapped, who do you think
gets sued? I wouldn't do something so dumb even if I was the only user.
Do it right or find someone who will.

GG

 

[James T. White]

So captainvideo, you're suggesting leaving out safety equipment
because 'we'e all adults...' ? Some 'adult' gets an arm ripped off and
Maytag/Whirlpool finds the washer was booby trapped, who do you think
gets sued? I wouldn't do something so dumb even if I was the only
user. Do it right or find someone who will.

I think you misread captainvideo's suggestion. He didn't suggest not
driving the wax motor, he suggesting using the triac output of the board
to drive a relay which would supply the 120VAC to the wax motor.

Both the relay and the higher rated triac solutions get at one of the
basic problems with the early Neptunes. Maytag screwed up when the
designed the damed control board and used a triac with too low a current
rating for the wax motor. I personally like James Sweet's TO-220 triac
solution and will likely use it if my Neptune fails again.

Now if I could just find something that would permanently eradicate the
mold on the front door seal.........

 

[Michael Ware]

Both the relay and the higher rated triac solutions get at one of the
basic problems with the early Neptunes. Maytag screwed up when the
designed the damed control board and used a triac with too low a current
rating for the wax motor. *snip*

Doesn't anybody use a simple glass fuse anymore?

 

[James Sweet]

Doesn't anybody use a simple glass fuse anymore?

It has one, but Maytag used triacs rated at IIRC 400mA, pretty puny.

 

[baileysedge]

Hello all, Trying to save myself $200 and my wife from killing me
cause the washer is broke. I have already replaced the wax motor and
upon further troubleshooting I can see that my control board has a
burnt resistor on it. If someone will let me know for sure what size
the resistor is, and also what a triac looks like so I can replace it
also. I am going to take a guess and say its the little blue box
located right next to this burnt resistor? Maybe, Maybe not. Thats
why I need a little help. Thanks for anyone with help.

 

[James T. White]

Hello all, Trying to save myself $200 and my wife from killing me
cause the washer is broke. I have already replaced the wax motor and
upon further troubleshooting I can see that my control board has a
burnt resistor on it. If someone will let me know for sure what size
the resistor is, and also what a triac looks like so I can replace it
also. I am going to take a guess and say its the little blue box
located right next to this burnt resistor? Maybe, Maybe not. Thats
why I need a little help. Thanks for anyone with help.

Check out http://members.shaw.ca/gavb/feedback.html#freefix

 

[James Sweet]

Hello all, Trying to save myself $200 and my wife from killing me
cause the washer is broke. I have already replaced the wax motor and
upon further troubleshooting I can see that my control board has a
burnt resistor on it. If someone will let me know for sure what size
the resistor is, and also what a triac looks like so I can replace it
also. I am going to take a guess and say its the little blue box
located right next to this burnt resistor? Maybe, Maybe not. Thats
why I need a little help. Thanks for anyone with help.

The triac is a 3 legged device that looks like a transistor, I forget
what the number on it is offhand. The replacement triac you can get at
Radio Shack, it will look quite different and you have to transpose two
of the pins but it works and will be much more durable than the old one.