Repairing Door Interlock Metalflex ZV-446

Written By: Ludwig
  • Comments: 33
Repairing Door Interlock Metalflex ZV-446

Difficulty

Easy

Steps

4

Time Required

15 - 20 minutes

Introduction

My washing machine gave me a hard time only starting after some door opening and closing. Sometimes it would start right away, sometimes I had to try 8 - 10 times until it started washing. I figured that there was a problem with the door switch, witch determines weather the door is closed correctly. I supposed a contact problem, so the maschine thougth the door was still open and hence did not start washing. I did not find any repair device on the Internet, put some people wondering which contact does what. So i took a picture while repairing and tried to figure out what the contacts are for.

Note: Another trouble with the interlock (experienced in another device, but similar symptoms) was caused by displacement of the axis which the lock catch swings on. The round front door was disassembled (screws and plastic latches), the axis was put in its place and fastened with glue.

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    • Remove the door interlock from your device. On my washing machine I had to remove the rubber-lid and loosen two screws. Than the interlock came of with a 3-pol cable attached. On the backside was a plastic plate which had to be unscrewed, too.

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    • Pull of the plug and remove the red cover arround the contacts. It is held with two snap-in connectors and its pretty tight (dont destroy the contact cover). Use a small flathead screwdriver to push the hooks away.

    • Remove the top of the red housing. There are six snap-ins to open. Make shure you have removed the contact cover first! Again this is best done with a small flathead screwdriver or blade.

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    • The center contact is common for the switch an the relais. The right one goes to the coil and is for the relais-function of the interlock.

    • The left one is from the door switch. This is what malfunctioned on my washing machine.

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    • The arrow points the contact of the switch. My machine stopped working because the door switch did not work properly. The machine never detected a closed door and hence never started wasching.

    • When the switch closes the copper plate with the arrow in the picture moves down. Underneath ends the switchcontact from outside. It can be removed from the plastic housing. You should gently bend up the copper plate with the arrow. Once removed you can clean the contact area of the bottom switch contact.

    • In my case nailpolish remover did not work, so I scratched the dirt off with a blade. I dont see a way to clean the top contact of the switch, because the copperplate is not removeble. For my switch cleaning the bottom contact was sufficient to get the washing machine working!

    thank you very much! it avoids me to buy a new one; mine was 10 years old month to month, as it was cheap 200€ i did not want to spend too much time or buy parts. as i have no more young child, i will short the switch to common...

    elo.bonjean -

    Sorry,

    This is a very weak post….anyone could describe what you described….no pictures to show how to dis-assemble the internal parts?..

    juriemagic -

    Thank you so much!! My washing machine did like yours, my husband opened it up. Thought it was that little piece causing the trouble. I googgled the name of the piece and your awesome, helpful post appeared! You saved us the price of a new washing machine. Thank you for taking the time to write up those instructions!

    Amelie Llorca -

    Не разбирайте этот Device! Снимете его. Питание стиральной машины должно быть отключено! Замерьте сопротивление между N (средний контакт) и L (управление, более тонкий и возможно красный провод). Оно должно выражаться 3-х значной цифрой. Если на тестере отображается 1 то Device не исправен. Просто закажите новый. Если хотите экспериментировать дальше) не разбирайте Device. Если у Вас отсутствует характерный щелчок перед выполнением программы есть шанс исправить положения при помощи винта на обратной стороне (на фото автора его нет, он с обратной стороны) Доверните винт на не большой угол по часовой стрелке. Тем самым Вы выберете зазор и заставите “реле “ (это тепловое реле) срабатывать снова. Не выкручивайте винт до конца, не крутит в разные стороны))) Я просто заменил этот Device (Реле) в сборе. Но из любопытства открыл старый Device и изучил его конструкцию)))

    PS Используйте силиконовый герметик для фиксации винта после регулировки. Спасибо)

    Marathon B. -

    If you take the parts out from below the switch, make sure they go back in correctly. Best to take a photo. At the bottom is usually an adjustment screw. Next goes the saddle which has a hole in the middle and two bent lugs that should be bent up towards you when the saddle is in position. There are four pegs the saddle sits between, it has notches in the edges. Then the bimetal strip, on mine the writing was towards me and the small notch at one end should face the terminal lugs. Then the pellet which heats up (this can go either way up). Finally the switch mechanism can be inserted and carefully screwed in until the screw bottoms out (don’t over torque or you will strip it)

    If the bimetal strip is upside down (as in my first attempt) then it will bend the wrong way and the interlock won’t work.

    Tim -

    Besten Dank erstmal, genau das war das Problem. Ich mußte immer mehrere Male mit dem Knie gegen die Türverriegelung stoßen daß die Maschine endlich startete, und das schon seit einigen Jahren. Oxidierte Kontakte reinige ich immer mit einem Radiergummi. Der untere Kontakt ist ja herausnehmbar, also kein Problem. Ich habe von einem Radiergummi eine 1mm dicke Scheibe abgeschnitten und diese Scheibe mit Hilfe einer Pinzette nach vorsichtigem Hochbiegen der Kupferplatte einige Male über den Kontakt gezogen, spiegelglatter gehts nicht. So habe ich beide Kontakflächen wieder wie neu. Ich denke das Problem ist das Feuchtklima in der Maschine die die Kontakte oxidieren läßt. Das nervigste an dieser Reparatur war für mich das Entfernen dieser Kontaktabdeckung mit den 2 Widerhaken die sich ja kaum reindrücken lassen. Dann ist mir auch noch die kleine U-förmige Bügelfeder zwischen Bimetalstreifen und Kontaktträger herausgesprungen. Eine sehr gute Anleitung mit guten Bildern, besten Dank nochmal.

    Hannes Baum -

    Huhu,

    coole Anleitung Danke !

    Hinzufügen kann ich auch etwas: Wenn das gehäuse offen ist,kann der mittlere Steckanschluß (Common) vorsichtig nach ober heraus gezogen werden. Vorsicht! Die Federspange fliegt sehr weit ;-). Dann können die Kontakte Prima gereinigt werden und verbiegen nicht.

    Primate -

    I tried to fix mine as per the method to no avail.

    I’ve ordered a new one and bypassed the lock in the meantime so we can still use it (bridged switch and common inside the mechanism with a wire).

    Andrew S -

Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Author

Ludwig

Member since: 03/05/13

874 Reputation

25 comments

have problems to build the metal flex 446 back together

toy -

Thank you very much for your guidance here.

It has made things so much easier for me in my travails with our misbehaving washing machine and its faulty door-switch!

Tone Bone Charles -

Thank you a lot Ludwig, it worked perfectly with my ill machine as well! You offered us a great guide. Cheers!

totor -

Thank you so much. Before reading your amazing technique, I disconnected the device and connected the two cables corresponding to the letters L and C ('Switch' and 'Common' in your pictures). The machine worked again, but without door locking security. Thank to you I didn't have to buy a new device. Cheers! from Paris

Stephane -

These locks are not usually all that expensive in the UK, though for some makes e.g. Whirlpool & Miele they are. Make certain that 1) the locking mechanism is working after you re-assemble and that 2) the machine will not operate with the door open. There have been instances of injury caused, especially to inquisitive children - one of whom lost an arm. The drum moves with a very high torque. A more common fault is that the contacts to the little disc heater (what you called a relay) get oxidised and either the heater won't operate the bi-metallic disc or the plastic gets carbonised and a short circuit is created which can also cause the timer / module to be damaged. For the latter reason, it's best to change the lock soon after it starts to play up.

Michael Orman -

Didn't look into this topic for a long time. Thanks a lot for the correction that the lock is bimetal operated and not via solenoid. This is also interesting from an engineering point.

I think your remark on reduced safety of operation cannot stated enough:

Know what you are doing and what the results could be. If you repair something and introduce risks make sure everyone involved knows about them.

Ludwig -

Thank you so much for your guidance Ludwig, after I cleaned all the contacts of the whole lock, my washing machine could work prefectly again.

During the dismantling of the lock, I found that the center contact with the the copperplate could be pulled up and removed, then we can clean anything that we want.

Chi Siu

CM Siu -

Mine was a bit burned, and I couldn't get it to work properly so I connected Switch with Common. Now the machine always thinks the door is closed but I can open the door while washing.

RoyalHighness -

This post was really helpful, I was able to bring out the copper plate of my switch and cleaned every contact within the switch and a little adjustment within the coil and the common and this really worked as my machine is up and running now. Thanks a lot!

Simon -

I got the 445 variant of this, I just bypassed this stupid switch so it can never fail again, all what has be done is make sure the door is closed before turning the machine on which is exactly what I and anyone else do anyway.

maximillian.schrott -

Surely ,the information with relevant photos are useful and many people like myself would like it. Thank you.

rislam5088 -

Thanks, useful information.

rislam5088 -

I got the same problem and bypassed Common with L cable. But problem persisted on Vestfrost washing machine. Any help please?

ccachia -

What should be the voltage between common and coil for the bimetallic strip to work?

Amrit Rai -

I swapped mine out for a new one, only 15 dollareedoos. You could see that the solenoid on mine had blown.

bennu_7 -

Thanks for the information. And what is the use of coil wire? It it important to ignore this wire if I connect directly Switch wire and Common wire? And the machine will it work?

mine it’s only spine once it is draining and draying but no spinning on washing

matextambiri -

I don't think your problem is related to this interlock.

You are right, if the bimetal (thanks for the correction in the other comment) actuator is powered the switch contact will indicate the locked door, so shorting it might be a dangerous fix, but if your spinning cycle is messed up I'd look at other points of failure. If the switch was broken your machine would either not start at all, or run even with an open door.

Ludwig -

Thanks for highlight me on this.

matextambiri -

My washing machine is in trouble and looking for a specific part until i ended up in this site. I followed the steps and viola!! My washing machine is back on operation. Thanks to this site especially to the writer. Big help!!! I dont need to buy that part!!

erwinbaetiong -

Is it possible to check by giving 230v supply and pressing the lock manually

Dhanish p -

Your advice and instructions are fantastic and well-explained!

You helped me fix and run again my washing machine without wasting a lot of money on a very expensive technical service for such an easy problem to fix, or to rid of my washing machine, Thank you!

I got a used washing machine in a good condition, but for some reason it did not run after installation (It showed a Door ERROR sign on use). Fortunately, following your instructions, helped me find the “source” of the problem, which was dirt on the contact area of the bottom switch contact and on the other parts as well. So, I scratched the dirt off the contact area of the bottom switch contact and the other related parts with a sharp tool as you suggested, and then assembled everything back, and the washing machine worked PERFECTLY!

Omar -

15 year old low cost washing machine stopped operating today. Without any idea of the inner life and operation I started my search. Came across the door switch which was unusually warm.

Found your guide and with this help opened the device. Just needed some reassembly to get it working again.

It’s great that such “little” support can bring one that far. Instead of buying a new machine which seems a reasonable reaction considering the age, I can go on with it as it does its job as on the first day.

Thousand thanks for your help and making our life a little bit more sustainable.

Elon Koman -

Thank you for the great in depth description!

Leon Bird -

@ guide / step 4 ...although many of you have already come to the same conclusions in the meantime

In fact, it is possible to access the electrical contacts by carefully lifting the Common contact assembly from its seat in the housing (the middle one on the picture). Be careful and remember or take a photo of the exact position of all parts before in case something falls apart during disassembly.

Below is a disc-shaped PTC resistor, whose side surfaces are also electrical contacts and are most certainly oxidized, so clean them as well as the main (live) electrical contact pair using rubber alcohol (Isopropyl alcohol) and a piece of felt or ear sticks.

Do NOT use sandpaper or any other abrasive or rough hard tool, because in this way you will certainly damage the smooth surface of the electrical contact, protected from oxidation by a very thin layer of a precious metals alloy (Platinum, Iridium) and this will for sure shorten its life, unless their contact surfaces are already dented.

Tom Cat -

...

ONLY in this case, you can try to repair the contacts with a fine key file and vet dry sandpaper (600 grit or finer), because you have nothing to lose, to quickly return the device to operation in case of emergency, but it is probably the best to replace the entire assembly as soon as possible, because after that it will not most certainly last much longer.

I wish you luck and joy in repairing and making our life a little bit more sustainable ...as some of you already said ;)

Tom Cat -