The correct operation of the washing machine largely depends on how it is installed. It is important to position it not only comfortably, but also without slopes or distortions. In this article we will look in detail at how to install a washing machine smoothly yourself, without calling a technician. First of all, you need to choose a place where the SM will stand. In order not to make a mistake in the correct location, you should analyze all possible options.
Why does the washing machine jump?
The first cause of strong vibrations may be transport bolts that have not been removed . They firmly fix the tank inside the housing so as not to damage it during transportation. Before starting work, bolts and other fixing elements must be removed. It is strictly prohibited to operate the machine with them.
The next reason for vibration is uneven distribution of things in the tank . If you start the device with an empty tank, it will not vibrate. The same thing will happen if you distribute things perfectly evenly - in an even layer around the entire circumference of the tank. In reality, such a distribution is impossible to achieve; even those evenly distributed at the beginning are mixed during the washing process.
Faulty tank suspension and support bearings. Loosening of the counterweight.
The purpose of the system of springs, dampers and counterweight is to make the natural frequency of the tank much lower than the frequency of its rotation. This reduces the amplitude of vibrations and the amount of vibration transmitted to the body.
To better understand the content of the previous paragraph, remember: at the beginning of the spin cycle, the body of the loaded machine sways more strongly, and then, with an increase in the rotation speed of the tank, the swaying turns into a slight trembling or, with the correct distribution of the laundry, practically disappears.
Swing the tank - after that it should make no more than one oscillation and stop. Otherwise, the shock absorbers are faulty and must be replaced.
Open the casing, inspect the elastic elements - metal ones should not have deformations, rubber ones should not have tears or cracks. Defective parts must be replaced! Check the counterweight fastening - if it is loose, tighten the nuts.
Faulty bearings. There should be no squeaks or knocks when the equipment is operating. Rotate the tank by hand and rock it from side to side. If you detect squeaking or beating, replace the faulty parts.
How to set it correctly
To install the washing machine level, you need to:
- Remove all transport bolts and check that the drum rotates easily.
- Loosen the locknuts on the legs using the wrench included in the kit.
- Fully tighten the supports.
- By adjusting the legs, achieve a stable position of the unit.
- Install a spirit level on the top cover of the SMA parallel to the control panel. If the air bubble of the device has moved to the right, then you need to adjust the legs on the left side, and vice versa. The machine is installed correctly when the ball is placed between the two middle marks.
- Position the level perpendicular to the previous position. You need to level the machine by twisting the front or rear legs.
Adjust the MCA until the device shows a horizontal position in both directions. Sometimes, when moving the machine across the floor, you can find a position in which adjustments are not required. This is possible if the base is made as level as possible. After you have finished installing the unit, you need to use a wrench to fix the nuts in the upper position, otherwise if vibration occurs, the adjustment will be disrupted. This can lead to independent movement and damage to the washing machine.
Correct installation of the washing machine
The first installation requirement is a horizontal floor. When deviating from horizontal, the vibrating machine will slide in the direction of the slope. If the floor is not ideal, you need to build some kind of podium that creates a horizontal surface. At the same time, it itself should not slide on the floor surface.
The second requirement is the horizontality of the equipment itself. Or verticality. It depends on what is chosen as the criterion: the top plane must be strictly horizontal, any side edge must be vertical.
Why is this necessary? Even with the most careful distribution of things, they will move during the washing process and create a beating when the tank rotates quickly. In an unevenly parked machine, the beats will deviate from the calculated ones and, as a result of the uneven load on the supports, can cause displacement.
Is the impact of deviation significant? It’s better not to analyze it, but simply level the car. This is not such a difficult operation.
How to level a car? What will be needed for adjustment?
Before starting work, prepare a level approximately 1 meter long. No longer needed. If there is no such long one, we will take what is available. But we must keep in mind that the shorter the level, the less accuracy.
You will also need two open-end wrenches. The size must match the adjusting nuts on the legs of the washer.
Step-by-step instructions for installing a washing machine
We check that the platform on which the device will stand is horizontal. In fact, it is not the horizontality of the entire platform that is important, but the plane passing through the spots on which the legs will rest.
Using a level, we check the horizontality of the site along both diagonals. If horizontality is maintained here, we check along two adjacent sides. If everything is in order here, we place the car with its feet on the proven platforms. If the floor is not horizontal in any directions, we place stands on low places, achieving horizontality in all directions.
Stands can be made from any flat and hard material. It is recommended to stick a thin sheet of rubber on the side in contact with the floor. Its purpose will be described below.
Now we place the washing machine on the platform or on stands. By adjusting the height of the legs, we achieve horizontality of the upper surface. We check the correct installation of the verticality of the side ribs.
If everything is fine, tighten the locking nuts on the adjusting screws of the legs and check again whether the vertical-horizontal alignment has been disturbed during locking.
Now try to rock the car left and right and diagonally. If it doesn’t sway—not almost, but doesn’t sway at all—that means it’s positioned correctly.
But there is one more nuance. As already noted, it is almost impossible to completely eliminate vibrations, so there is always the possibility of equipment leaving its rightful place.
Remember when they used to put a sheet of rubber on the footrests? This is so that with small vibrations they do not slip on the floor and do not allow them to move.
Find a rectangular sheet of rubber 1–1.5 cm thick, and about 5 cm larger than the size of the machine. The hardness should be such that the legs will penetrate it by about half the thickness. Place it on a horizontal surface under the car, and the likelihood of it leaving will be reduced to zero.
Another reason for strong vibration
It happens that strong vibration is caused by unevenness of the supporting surface, which cannot be corrected. Or, after operating the machine for a long time, local wear has occurred on the supporting surface under the legs. As a result, the device becomes unbalanced during operation and the machine begins to jump and shake.
If adjusting the feet does not solve the problem, you can use an anti-vibration stand. It will reduce vibration and noise levels, and also prevent further damage to the flooring. This stand is made of polymer material and comes in different shapes and sizes. You can buy it at hardware stores.
Operating tips to reduce vibration
Do not overload the drum when washing. The suspension system is designed to work with a certain load. Excess will lead to excessive vibrations, and in the long term to premature failure of components.
Before starting, distribute things evenly around the circumference of the drum. There are models that can do this on their own, but still help them - artificial intelligence is not that smart yet.
If your machine is a top-loader, you can keep something heavy on it, such as a laundry basket. This will increase resistance to vibration.
Place the machine at a distance of at least 5 cm from the walls so that in an emergency it does not damage them or itself.
Level check
The correct installation of the SMA is checked during washing with a full load and maximum spin speed. An incorrectly aligned machine will manifest itself immediately after the drum begins to rotate, and maximum - in the centrifuge operating mode. To prevent strong vibration and movement on the floor, you need to adjust the unit at the moment the defect begins to appear. The adjustment is carried out on a de-energized SMA. There is no need to drain the water.
It is recommended to remove minor vibration by installing rubber pads under the supports. In addition, they will prevent the machine from moving on the tiles. During operation, it is necessary to periodically check the horizontal installation and the tightness of the locknuts. If any comments are found, they should be corrected.
Preparatory stage
This stage is divided into preparing the machine itself for installation and preparing the selected location.
Preparing the device
If the car is new and just brought from the store, then first of all you need to unpack it. If the packaging is damaged, this may indicate damage to the machine itself.
Advice. When unpacking, try to remove the box undamaged. Subsequently, if a return is required, damage to the packaging may be grounds for refusal of a replacement. The packaging is stored during the entire warranty period.
After removing the packaging, the equipment is inspected for defects. Carefully check the completeness, checking the list in the passport.
After this, remove the bolts and fasteners installed for safe transportation. These parts are needed to secure the drum during transportation.
Important. Be sure to remove shipping fasteners before installation. If this is not done, the device will quickly fail. Moreover, the manufacturer's warranty will not apply in this case.
The location of the fasteners is indicated in the instructions. The holes for the transport bolts are usually closed with special plugs. Bolts are stored for the life of the equipment. They are reinstalled if the device needs to be transported.
Preparing the site
The main requirements for the surface at the location are strength and strictly horizontal location of the machine.
During operation, the device is constantly exposed to vibration from the centrifuge. Therefore, a surface that is not sufficiently rigid and strong will quickly wear out, creating a misalignment.
Preparation of engineering systems
To connect the washing machine you need the following communications:
Concrete pad
The best way to upgrade the coating for a washing machine is to prepare a concrete base. It has sufficient strength and good rigidity, which allow you to confidently hold the machine loaded for washing in all operating modes. The disadvantage of this option is that it is time consuming. In addition, it will require more tools and materials.
Tools and materials
To complete this work you will need to purchase:
It is necessary to select a set of the following tools for the material:
Pouring the base
Before starting work, you need to dismantle the laminate or other wooden floor. Next, you should mark the perimeter of the future base according to the dimensions of the machine and begin its manufacture:
You will need to wait about two weeks for the solution to harden sufficiently before installing the machine.
Plywood podium
Such a base is easier and cheaper to make. It does not require much time, but is inferior to concrete in strength. This means that this option temporarily solves the problem of stability and requires periodic monitoring and updating of the design .
Inventory
As a set of materials you will need:
The tools you need to work with these materials are:
Making a podium
In this case, there is no need to dismantle the laminate or boards, which simplifies and speeds up the work. If necessary, you will need to strengthen the floor by eliminating unwanted movement of the boards. After this you need:
All that remains is to install the washing machine on the finished base and level it by adjusting the legs. Then you can proceed to connecting communications.
