Amana Washer Keeps Filling Water or Won't Fill up with Hot/Cold Water

American owned and founded in 1934, Amana manufactures everything from refrigerators to dishwashers and washing machines. As with any other company, sometimes you may find that your washer isn’t working exactly how you need it to.

A common issue when an Amana washer keeps filling is a faulty water level pressure switch. This switch tells your washer when to stop filling. If it’s malfunctioning, the washer may not receive the signal to stop. Fixing this involves replacing the pressure switch with a new one.

Imagine your washer is a balloon. Just as a balloon needs someone to stop inflating it at the right moment to prevent it from popping, your washer relies on the water inlet valve to stop water at the right level. If the water inlet valve is stuck open, water will continue to flow into the machine. To solve this, turn off the water supply, and inspect the valve for any obstructions or damage. If it appears to be faulty, replacing the water inlet valve will prevent the washer from endlessly filling.

Amana Washer Keeps Filling Water or Won't Fill up with Hot/Cold Water

A common issue with Amana washers not filling is a clogged water inlet valve. Sediment from water lines can block the valve, preventing water from entering the washer. To fix, turn off the water supply, disconnect the hoses, and clean the screens inside the valve. Reconnect everything and test the washer.

In this article you will learn how to check the valves and switches to determine if they are faulty, along with water pressure and your home’s water supply.

Is Amana Washer’s Water Pressure Sufficient?

Your washing machine requires a certain level of water pressure in order to run effectively. If your water pressure is below 20 psi (pound-force per square inch) you will likely see issues in how your washer is working

Water pressure can be reduced by water running in the house, or a clogged valve. Lower water pressure will increase the fill time on your washer. Or if the pressure is very low, it may seem like the washer is not filling up at all.

Also, if the pressure is too low, the valve may get stuck open after a cycle which will allow water to leak into the machine when not in use.

How to Check Your Water Pressure

Before you begin, make sure that all of the faucets in your home and off. There should be no water running anywhere that could disrupt the results of your testing. When you are sure it is safe to do so, consider the following:

Is the water valve open? Locate your water meter and check that the main shut off valve is open.
Could your pipes be blocked? If you are experiencing low pressure throughout your home, it may be a bigger issue.
Do you live in a low pressure area? Certain areas, such as hillside homes often experience drops in pressure if they are far away from the water mains.

If you want to test the water pressure in your washing machine, you will need a water pressure gauge. This will connect to the hose, located at the back of your machine, and will give you a reading of the water pressure.

Ensure the water is switched off before locating the cold water supply to your washer. Carefully disconnect the hose and attach the water pressure gauge. Once it is secure, turn the water back on and note the psi reading on the screen.

What You Can Do

If you find that the water pressure issue is coming from the mains, you will need to call a professional. There’s a chance you have clogged pipes and that is not something you can fix alone. However, if you live in a low pressure area, you can purchase a pressure pump to improve the water pressure.

If you determine that the issue is at the washer itself, you will need to check the water inlet valves and pressure switch for any damage that could be causing the issue.

Is Amana Washer’s Water Inlet Valve Working Correctly?

The water inlet valve opens and closes to start and stop the flow of water to your machine. A defect in this valve can cause water to not fill, or to continue filling when not in use. This valve can be directly affected by low water pressure.

This valve also directly controls the flow of both hot and cold water to your machine. If you are having trouble with temperatures during cycles, it could also be an issue here.

If you have already checked the water pressure and found no issues, it is likely to be a problem with the valve itself.

How to Check Your Water Inlet Valve

This valve has two ports that connect hot and cold hoses to the washer. Each hose and port is controlled with an individual valve. These solenoid valves give electronic signals for the valves to open or close, depending on the cycle selected.

Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on November 14, 2020.

Before looking to check the valve, disconnect both the power and water supplies. Unplug your washer and make sure the power switch is off. With the hot and cold water turned off, unscrew the connections of the hoses and place the loose ends in a bucket, to collect any water remaining in the hose. At this point, you can turn the water back on to check that each hose is letting water through.

Next, look at the filter screen. It is common for these to become blocked over years of use and can be the reason behind your issues. Similarly, use a flashlight to check the hose itself for any potential blockages.

If you can’t see anything obstructing the screen or ends of the hoses, you can go on to test the solenoid valves. The video below goes into detail of what to look for and how to test the valves:

As you will see, you need to remove the valve from the machine, and unplug any hoses or wires (be sure to label anything you remove for easier access later.)

Using a multimeter, you can test that the valves are in working order. You are looking for a reading between 500 and 1500. You will know if the valve is not working, because the reading will be zero.

Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on November 14, 2020.

What You Can Do

Start by cleaning the screen of the valve and checking the hose for any obstructions. If one of the hoses is blocked, you might find that your machine can’t fill with hot or cold.

Though, if you test and find that your water inlet valve is not working, you should look for brand specific replacements. These can be put back in place of the damaged valve using the same connections and hoses.

Is Amana Washer’s Pressure Switch Working?

Usually found at the top, the pressure switch controls when and how much water to fill the machine with. It also registers the cycles and when the machine should be emptied.

As your machine fills, the switch will register the cycle and begin work. It then senses the empty machine to activate the spin cycle. Common issues with the switch, hose and chamber can cause your machine to fill too much, or not enough.

How to Check Your Pressure Switch

Build up of detergent in the hose can cause your machine to over fill. In addition, damage to the hose can result in incorrect readings. Your machine will keep filling, or won’t fill because the switch won’t give an accurate reading.

Locate the hose and disconnect from your machine. Blow through to check for obstruction or any damaged areas. Damage can be caused by moving the machine, or by wear and tear as it knocks into other parts of the machine over time.

What You Can Do

You can test this switch with the same multimeter used for the valve test. In the video below, you can see how to locate both the hose and pressure switch on a top loading Amana washer:

The readings you receive will show you if the switch is in working order, or if it needs to be replaced. If the readings show a bad connection, this is the cause of the overfilling, or not filling of your washer.

Final Thoughts

If you are finding that your Amana washer is not filling correctly, continuously filling or not filling with the right temperature water, you might have an issue with one or more of the valves inside the machine.

Start by checking your water pressure, both in the house and in your washer to see if this could be causing filling issues. It might be the result of an obstruction, or that you are in a low pressure area,

Another common cause is damage to the water inlet valve or pressure switch. Obstructions in these hoses, or damage to the inlet valve can prevent adequate water flow, along with hot or cold water flow. Similarly, a faulty switch can give false readings and cause the machine to fill when it is not in use, or not fill enough.