Kenmore washer won’t start after tripping breaker

circuit breakerwashing-machine

I've got a Kenmore top-loading washer, model #110.28782700. It stopped working in the middle of a load. I determined that it tripped a breaker, but after resetting the breaker, the machine won't start–completely unresponsive.

What's the best way to go about diagnosing the problem? My first thought is that the machine has a fuse that blew when the breaker tripped, but my limited research didn't turn up a fuse. Other common issues are the lid switch and the motherboard, but I'm not sure how to determine whether those are the problem.

Best Answer

There is certainly something majorly wrong with the washer. The circuit breaker tripped for a good reason due to what ever is wrong with the washer. This should not be ignored and the cause needs to be rooted out for the sake of safety and protection of property.

I state this the way I did because all too often folks will think that there is just some simple transient fault that tripped the breaker and that if they simply tweak something they can proceed on as before without really understanding why the breaker was tripped in the first place.

It is doubtful that the breaker trip has anything to do with the door switch on the washer. Far more likely the trip was caused by one of these things:

  1. Something has gotten caught in the agitator mechanism and is causing a drive motor stall.
  2. The wash tub bearing seals have failed and water has gotten into the bearings causing them to seize up and overload the drive motor.
  3. A direct short in a line powered solenoid valve coil.
  4. A jammed up drive mechanism in a washer with a transmission has caused a drive motor stall.
  5. For washers with a direct drive motor one of the motor driver components has developed a short.
  6. A short has happened inside the motor windings.
  7. Some part of the line voltage wiring became frayed and had caused a short to the frame of the washer.
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