Washer Not Filling With Water

Washing Machine Water Inlet ValveWater Valve - Solenoid - Inlet Valve

Every washer has what's called water inlet valve. These are where the water supply from the house attach to the washing machine. You connect the hoses to the valve with fill hoses. The inlet or water valves are usually on the back of the washer. The fill hoses should have screens installed in them to prevent debris from entering the valve and causing it to stick open or closed. Sometimes these valves are called mixing valves, because they essentially mix the cold and hot water together to create "warm" water. Another common term is water solenoid.

How to test a Water Valve on a Washing MachineHow to Test your Water Valves

When you select the hot water option on your wash cycle only one side opens and lets water through. If you select the cold water option, the other side would open. So it is possible that only your cold or hot water may not work if there is a malfunction in the mixing valves. To test this when your washer is not filling, first make sure the water supply is turned on. Next you want to check and make sure the screens are not plugged with dirt and mineral build up. This requires removing the fill hoses from the water supply and the washer to check the screens. If that all checks ok, then you need to make sure you are getting voltage to the valves when you turn the washer on to start a wash cycle. If you select cold, the corresponding valve should be getting 120 volts AC. Likewise with the hot water side. If you are getting voltage and not water then replace the valve. If you want to check the resistance and not the voltage. Just unplug the wires to the valve and check the terminals on each solenoid like the picture to the right. You should have around 500 to 1000 ohms between the terminals.

Washing Machine Pressure SwitchPressure Switch - Fill Switch

It is possible that the hose going to the pressure switch may have become plugged. This will prevent the water valves from getting voltage. How the pressure switch works is pretty simple. There is a small hose attached to the outer tub. This tube runs up to your water level switch(pressure switch). As water fills the tube when the tub is filling it pushes air against a diaphragm inside the switch. The more water that fills the tub, the more pressure is pushed against the switch. That's how the machine knows if there is a little bit of water or a lot of water in the tub. Little water equals little pressure and a lot of water means more pressure inside the switch. Make sense? Read it a couple times it will.