Speed Sensor

Washer Repair
1

Getting a 3E error and have checked all wiring and motor ohm’s - okay. The tech manual says to check the speed sensor but I can’t locate it. Only thing left is the control board…?

Thank you.

2

John,

What is the serial number of the washer?

Gene.

3

Gene, the SN# is 10306670GE.

4

John,

Looks like for this serial number the motion sensor was a part of the control board. Maytag has redesign it later and in the new kit this sensor comes as a separate part. The kit comes with the installation instructions.

Here are the breakdown diagrams and Replacement parts for MAYTAG MAH8700AWW WASHER- HORIZONTAL AXIS | AppliancePartsPros.com

Gene.
16027320 MAH 6700 series 10 control board and motion sensor installation.pdf (167.0 KB)

5

I believe I also have a problem with the speed sensor, referred to in the service manual as “Hall” sensor (meaning the Hall-effect that detects the movement of a nearby magnet). [My model is similar to john.nell’s, but different: MAH9700AWW.] My washer has had intermittent ‘E3’ and ‘3E’ errors that could be overcome by restarting the machine but now has become a hard failure - the drum will not spin.

I believe the problem is either in the Hall sensor that is integrated into the drive motor stator coil unit OR the main control board discussed here.* Since I don’t have any schematics I can’t make measurements of the sensor to test it. I may have to just cross my fingers and buy a new motor stator and hope that fixes the problem, since the control board is fully encapsulated and does not appear to have any burned or broken components. Can you suggest any further diagnostics I can try before taking that desperate measure?

  • Gene discussed the motion sensor that now comes as a separate part with the control board. I’m not sure that is the same as the “speed” sensor that john.nell inquired about. After reading the attached Instruction Sheet 16027320 it appears that this sensor is for detecting vibration motion from spinning with unbalanced loads. This may be used by the control board to change the spin speed, but is not a speed sensor in itself. I would also like to add many, many thanks for posting the PDF of the Instruction Sheet!! This is the only place I’ve been able to find it.
6

Per the tech sheet (attached to the reply) for the MAH9700 model, the troubleshooting for both of these error codes leads to check the motor first (pages 12, 6 & 2). If not, then the control board. If you need the correct part number for the control board, post the serial number of the washer.

Here are the breakdown diagrams and Replacement parts for Maytag MAH9700AWW WASHER- HORIZONTAL AXIS | AppliancePartsPros.com

Gene.
16026736 - MAH9700.pdf (584.0 KB)

7

Gene,

I received the new motor today and replaced both the stator and rotor. Then I put washer in Service Mode and tried Quick Spin Test. Drum twitched and then locked up, just as with the original motor. Error code bE (Motor tach signal exists without motor running.) Cycled power and repeated test twice more with same result, although error codes were E3 (Machine control is attempting to drive the motor but is not seeing any tach response) and then bE again.

It would seem the next step is to try replacing the Controller Board. (I have inspected wiring connectors and tested cable continuity end-to-end and found no problems.) The serial number of my MAH9700AWW is: 12576027GL

P.S. I ordered the motor from Appliance Parts Pros instead of one of the other two sources I’d found. APP had the lowest cost, best return policy and wasn’t out of stock. Plus I get your help! Thank you.

8

You are welcome. I’m sorry for such instructions inaccuracy but we have to deal with what Maytag supplied us.

The correct control board AP4044369

Gene.

9

This is the repair that never ends! Last week I replaced the controller, prior to removing the new motor I had previously tried, and the drum spun properly under fast spin diagnostic.

Confident that the controller was the cause of the problem I reinstalled my original motor, intending to return the new one. Alas, the original fault returned. Being concerned about damaging the controller with repeated attempts I only tried the spin test twice and cancelled it immediately after lockup. After reinstalling the new motor everything worked perfectly and I buttoned it up and called it a success.

On the third load afterwards I encountered another 3E error. I opened the door and rotated the drum 1/3 turn by hand and restarted. Machine operated and finished its cycle. On the fourth load I am back to square one with a hard fault and 3E error. No restart efforts succeeded.

Unless I damaged the controller when testing with my original motor I am at a loss to explain why the problem remains. I thought of clothes trapped between the inner and outer drum, as my wife complains of missing socks, but the drum turns freely by hand. Shall I try asking for a replacement controller?

New controller info: 34001496 CNTRL-ELEC, Made in KR, CODE 111107; 0522-21-01-02; DC82-01001B, A/S MATERIAL ASSY-KIT:MAH9700(OLD), 1 PC, 20110407.

10

It’s very strange! I would try another control board.

Gene.

11

That seems the best next step to me too. I’ll let you know how it goes. Thanks again.

12

Finally received a second replacement control board and replaced it with no improvement. Drum rotation still “locks up” when it tries to start. Waited a day to think about it and decided to check wiring again. 4-pin hall sensor cable still tests good for continuity from end to end but connector contact mating was still an open question.

Held plastic latch in the open position and slid connector in and out of motor connector with no resistance, indicating low tension on flexible contacts. Eventually managed to slightly deform the contacts such that they had to flex when installed on the motor connector. Presto! Machine has operated without fail for several more loads. (Did nothing to connector on control board end of cable.)

Still need to retest original motor and controller, which may not be defective after all.

Also concerned that my connector “fix” will only be temporary until machine vibration causes ad-hoc connector tuning to fail again.

13

I’m glad you found the cause of the problem. You may want to order a new wire harness.

14

[quote=Stormy-er;738342]Finally received a second replacement control board and replaced it with no improvement. Drum rotation still “locks up” when it tries to start. Waited a day to think about it and decided to check wiring again. 4-pin hall sensor cable still tests good for continuity from end to end but connector contact mating was still an open question.

Held plastic latch in the open position and slid connector in and out of motor connector with no resistance, indicating low tension on flexible contacts. Eventually managed to slightly deform the contacts such that they had to flex when installed on the motor connector. Presto! Machine has operated without fail for several more loads. (Did nothing to connector on control board end of cable.)

Still need to retest original motor and controller, which may not be defective after all.

Also concerned that my connector “fix” will only be temporary until machine vibration causes ad-hoc connector tuning to fail again.[/quote]
WELL DID THIS SOLVE THE PROBLEM? aND WAS THE ORIGINAL MOTOR AND CONTROL BOARD OK? WHERE IS THIS 4 PIN HALL SENSOR CABLE LOCATED?

15

Once the problem with the 4 pin speed sensor cable was corrected I reinstalled the original control board and the original problem returned. I switched back to the new control board, verified proper operation, then reinstalled the original motor and drum. The washer still worked so I returned the replacement motor.

Conclusion: Try replacing the control board first. The motor driver electronics are more likely to fail than the motor windings or the low-power electronics in the motor Hall (electromagnetic) sensor.

16

I just bought a used MAH9700AWW which is the front load Neptune by Maytag. The s/n is 12931331GN It will not spin the tub in any cycle arrangement. It will fill with water but seems to overfill until I cancel the cycle. I can eventually get it to drain by messing around with the controls which seem to respond OK. I finally got a code 3E to show up which is apparently a motor or control problem or both. No wires are damaged or chafed. The motor turns OK by hand. I tried to run a test using the service mode but nothing happened. Is there a low cost way to diagnose/replace this motor or control panel . It looks like the motor cost is about $271 and the control panel is $310. Since I only paid $50 for this washer I am reluctant to spend that much money to fix it although it is very clean. Can anyone help me on this problem ?

17

I have a Maytag Neptune front load that will not turn the drum. This model number MAH9700AWW s/n12931331GN. It will fill with water (never seems to shut off) but will not do anything else. I have tried the diagnostic checks but no help in getting it to spin. I can get it to drain the water by using different commands on the panel but can never get it to spin. I suspect the motor so I checked all the connections from the control board down to the motor. The motor connections all checked out to be OK with a reading of 11.6 ohms pin to pin and no problems with the connections. The Hall sensor was checked per the manual and all resistance readings were infinite from pin to pin to pin. It appears the sensor is not working. It cannot be purchased separately from the motor as far as i can tell. This motor is very expensive from Maytag-about $280-so I am looking for a less expensive alternative. One source suggested that Samsung who made these washers for Maytag has the same part for about half the Maytag cost.
The p/n as shown in the Maytag diagram is 34001269
Samsung p/n for the same item DC31-00049A
Can anyone assist in this problem area and also tell me if the Samsung part is directly interchangeable ? Also would the water not shutting off have anything to do with the non spin problem I would like to fix this washer as it is very nice but I only paid $50 for it and dont want to spend hundreds to fix it.
Help

18

I bought the Samsung p/n motor and rotor and installed them today with no success. The parts fit perfectly in place of the Maytag at about half the cost by the way. Now the question is where do I go from here as the washer still will not spin. The tub turns easy by hand. tomorrow I am going to try something with the connections for the hall effect sensor both at the motor end and at the control board and see if there is a problem I am overlooking.
If anyone has a suggestion for the solution to this problem it would be greatly appreciated.

19

I too have a maytag neptune front load model MAH9700AWW s/n 12931331GN with the same problem. It will not spin . I replaced the motor and drum assembly but no help. Is there any way to test the control board as the source of the problem ?. Also is there a Samsung p/n for the board ? beautiful washer but it does not work and I dont want to scrap it but I only paid $50 for it and a new control board is very expensive.
Need help.

20

FWIW, I dismantled the PCB control board in this Neptune/Samsung front and compared it to a Samsung part for sale on E bay and found that the Samsung part will probably fit but it has 2 differences as compared to the Maytag part. The Maytag part has a 2 pin connection (red block) near the LH end that apparently feeds the reactor electrical device thru 2 grey wires. Reactor windings are usually used at least on welders to smooth out the current flow when striking an arc. Not sure why Maytag added it.
The other difference is up along the top edge where the multi pin connectors hook up to the board. Samsung used another 4 pin connector adjacent to the 3 already in place whereas Maytag did not. Dont know how that figured into the circuitry.
If anyone reading all this material has any knowledge about the circuit board interchangeability beteween Samsung and Maytag Neptune front load high eff models I would appreciate hearing about it