GE Front-Load Washer Not Draining in Palm Harbor: A Shorted Drain Pump Took the Control Board With It
- Symptom
- Washer wouldn't drain.
- Cause
- The drain pump had overheated and shorted, and it damaged the control board.
- Fix
- Replaced the drain pump and the control board.
This GE front-load washer in Palm Harbor, model GFW850SPN2RS, wasn’t draining.
Why we brought two parts
When we diagnosed it, we told the client up front that we’d need to bring parts before we could finish. On these washers it’s a common problem for the drain pump to overheat and short out, and when that happens it can damage the control board too. So we brought both a pump and a board, just in case.
What we found
The tech sheet says the drain pump should read about 20 ohms. On this one the meter showed about 3. That’s nearly a dead short.
The pump showed signs of overheating. Most likely the copper windings inside got hot, the insulation melted, and the windings shorted against each other.
The repair
We replaced the drain pump first, with a genuine GE part. Here’s the old pump and the new one.
Then we replaced the control board, because the short had damaged it.
It’s a fairly expensive repair, and it’s a weak spot on these washers. The drain pumps burn out, and when one shorts, it tends to pull the control board down with it. If your GE washer stops draining, our washer repair service can check the pump before it damages the board.
FAQ
Why won't my GE front-load washer drain?
A failed drain pump is a common reason. On this GE the pump had overheated and shorted inside. It read about 3 ohms on the meter, when it should read around 20.
Can a bad drain pump damage the control board?
Yes. When the pump shorts, it can take the control board with it. That's why we brought both parts to this job, and both had to be replaced.