Indesit IWE 7145 washer delayed cycle?

Hi there

This is a question I get asked a lot about many different makes and models of washing machines.

First off, the count down timer is not really accurate.

I am sure many times you have noticed it displaying 45 minutes remaining, only to see a little later 52 minutes remaining.

The countdown time is an estimate for a normal load only. (and still only an estimate)

So why could a heavier load take almost twice as long?

Ok, well a heavier load will absorb more water, so the machine will need to take in more cold water.

More cold water takes longer to heat to 30 or 40 degrees than less water.

(just think about a kettle boiling 2 cups of water or 10 cups of water) 10 cups will take longer to heat and it's the same with your washing machine.

The same is going to apply to the rinse part of the cycle, large loads absorb more water than small ones. It takes 2 or 3 minutes per rinse to intake that extra water and maybe 1 minute per rinse to pump it out too.

There will be at least 3 rinses per wash, so if you add an extra 2 minutes of water filling time per rinse and 1 minute of pump time, that is an extra 3 minutes per rinse = 9 minutes added to the total wash time.

You are quite right about the spin sensors and I congratulate you on being the 1 in a 1000 who actually read the handbook for your machine, so you know about the spin sensor issue.

We call it the “A B C” Auto Balance Control and it was invented by the Italian manufacturer Philco, about 14 years ago.

The machine will always try to balance the load of wet laundry equally around the drum. This means when it gets up to the high speed part of the spin, the washing machine won't dance all around your kitchen or utility room.

If you watch your washing machine as it starts the spin cycle (why would you? Life's too short, but I get paid to do this)

You will notice that the drum turns 5 or 6 times one way and 5 or 6 times the other. Then it trys to lift the speed up for a moment.

That is when it is deciding to go into fast spin or to abort because the load is unbalanced.

If it decides all is ok, it will continue with the main fast spin.

If not, it will abort and go back to what we call “The Distribution” part of the spin. Where it tries to re-balance the load and try again.

It can do this 8 or more times. This adds extra time to the cycle which the countdown timer could never have known at the start of the cycle.

This can easily add another 20 minutes to the complete cycle.

I hope this answers your question. I bet it has taken me longer to type this than even a slow cycle takes your machine.

The best part is. After all of this.

I have a strong suspicion that the pump filter of your machine is blocked or partly blocked.

On an Indesit. Check your handbook again for how to clear the pump filter.

Usually it's at the front and bottom of the machine behind the plastic kick plate.

If the pump filter is partly blocked, the water will be slow to pump out of the machine, this will slow everything down and put a huge strain on every part of your washing machine.

I could write all about how to clear a blocked filter here, but a simple google search for “How do I clean the filter on an Indesit IWE 7145 washer” will answer this question.

Last point. During the spin cycle the pump is switched on and running for most of the time, this is no problem and modern pumps rarely burn out unless something gets stuck in them.

The crazy thing about my long winded answer is. I turned my washing machine on just as I started to type, it has just finished this minute and so am I now too.

Anyway, I love giving the best advice I can, I hope it helps you and many others.

Kind regards

Aiden Mackle, of www.aidenmackle.com

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RE:

Indesit IWE 7145 washer delayed cycle?

Is it normal on a heavy load for the cycle to take twice as long. The machine will not spin as the sensor detects the heavy load and compensates by a very slow spin, but the result is a 1hr cycle takes over 2 hours, plus the pump continually runs risking a burn out.

Indesit Washing Machine Iwe7145

I prefer to sit IN the washer during the spin cycle.

it shouldnt be like this. Even if its big load or small it has time settings so if it fail on time setings then something is wrong.