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    FreeMDU: Open-source Miele appliance diagnostic tools

    (github.com)
    334 points Medusalix | 24 comments | 17 Nov 25 13:40 UTC | HN request time: 0.606s | source | bottom
    1. wiz21c ◴[17 Nov 25 14:11 UTC] No.45953701[source]▶
    what we miss is a universal control computer to control those washing machines. It is very often that part that breaks and that is "so expensive that you'd better replace the whole machine".
    replies(9): >>45953708 #>>45954131 #>>45954367 #>>45954787 #>>45955112 #>>45955555 #>>45958724 #>>45959380 #>>45972515 #
    2. wiz21c ◴[17 Nov 25 14:13 UTC] No.45953708[source]▶
    ah... https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-universal-washing-mac...
    3. Aurornis ◴[17 Nov 25 14:57 UTC] No.45954131[source]▶
    I’ve been having good luck buying pieces of part-outs on eBay for old appliances.

    Someone will take a machine apart and list all of the pieces individually. It’s a fraction of the price of a new one. It’s a used part so it’s a gamble, but they can be so cheap I just buy two and have a spare.

    replies(1): >>45955251 #
    4. cbm-vic-20 ◴[17 Nov 25 15:22 UTC] No.45954367[source]▶
    I fixed a malfunctioning refrigerator by replacing the control board, which happened to be a PIC16-based device used by many brands. This design is as close to "universal" as you can get, and this generic board was around 20% the price of the official replacement part.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/152763501102

    replies(1): >>45961555 #
    5. Scubabear68 ◴[17 Nov 25 16:00 UTC] No.45954787[source]▶
    It is still worthwhile to try to troubleshoot something like a washing machine these days before calling someone to service it, or buying new.

    We just had a ~8 year old washer start dying with an error code, with digging it turned out it was the hall effect sensor on the drum motor that needed replacing. Cost $12 and change and was over nighted from Amazon.

    What would have been nice if we got a detailed diagnostic code and not just "FE" on the front panel.

    replies(1): >>45960793 #
    6. Towaway69 ◴[17 Nov 25 16:28 UTC] No.45955112[source]▶
    I replaced the heating element - twice - and the control board for the motor on my washing machine.

    Never needed to touch the controller board, so my experience is different.

    7. kjs3 ◴[17 Nov 25 16:39 UTC] No.45955251[source]▶
    If you live in a reasonably large metro area (at least in the US), there is an ecosystem of used appliance places that will often sell you parts from parted out machines. I've saved silly amounts of money this way. Dunno is that's 'better' than eBay, but you can at least inspect the part for obvious defect.
    8. michaelmior ◴[17 Nov 25 17:06 UTC] No.45955555[source]▶
    With a little work, it's sometimes surprising how easy things are to repair. My TV died a few years ago and just refused to power on. I don't really know much about electronics, but I assumed since there were no lights of any kind that it was probably a bad power supply. I opened it up and it turns out the power supply is a separate board with an easily detachable cable. I ordered a new one for less than $40 on eBay by looking at the part number and it only took a few minutes to replace and saved me several hundred dollars.

    I'd imagine someone more familiar with electronics possibly could have figured out what specific component was wrong and replaced only that for an even smaller fraction of the cost.

    replies(6): >>45955651 #>>45956491 #>>45956842 #>>45961507 #>>45962605 #>>45962814 #
    9. VTimofeenko ◴[17 Nov 25 17:15 UTC] No.45955651[source]▶
    Power supplies may fail in a cascading manner. Unless it's something like a fuse that was blown due to a known external event, one broken component can take out a couple of friends with it.

    If you can get a new board for 40$, that's probably the best course of action.

    10. semi-extrinsic ◴[17 Nov 25 18:37 UTC] No.45956491[source]▶
    As long as the small PCB is $40 it's fine. I had a central vacuum fail like that a couple of years ago, and the small PCB would have cost $350.

    The PCB had already been replaced twice during the warranty period. Googled the major components and they were $3 - $5 a piece, just a couple of half bridge rectifiers, resistors and diodes.

    Didn't want to risk a fire from a DIY job, which would have definitely voided my insurance, so I spent $400 on a new central vacuum unit (from a different brand).

    replies(1): >>45963038 #
    11. jahewson ◴[17 Nov 25 19:07 UTC] No.45956842[source]▶
    This would be a $1000 custom part in a Miele appliance though.
    replies(1): >>45960818 #
    12. ◴[17 Nov 25 21:47 UTC] No.45958724[source]▶
    13. mkoubaa ◴[17 Nov 25 22:55 UTC] No.45959380[source]▶
    I'd rather have the machine use compute running open source firmware from my tower in the next room
    14. jojobas ◴[18 Nov 25 02:37 UTC] No.45960793[source]▶
    Yeah, and for service manuals to not have this "DO NOT LEAVE WITH OWNER" notes.
    15. thenthenthen ◴[18 Nov 25 02:41 UTC] No.45960818{3}[source]▶
    This. My miele door closed detector sensor broke. The part was 700 euros
    16. userbinator ◴[18 Nov 25 04:47 UTC] No.45961507[source]▶
    I'd imagine someone more familiar with electronics possibly could have figured out what specific component was wrong and replaced only that for an even smaller fraction of the cost.

    Probably electrolytic capacitors (usually in the tens of cents each, or less.) They are the #1 suspect in any electronics as they have the most well-known and finite lifespan of all parts. They became particularly infamous for failing when this happened: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague

    The term has even created a noun in other languages: https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kondensatorpest

    replies(1): >>45982135 #
    17. userbinator ◴[18 Nov 25 04:59 UTC] No.45961555[source]▶
    That's because many different brands are actually made by Whirlpool. They're like the GM of the appliance industry.
    18. VBprogrammer ◴[18 Nov 25 08:11 UTC] No.45962605[source]▶
    Just replaced a £500 IKEA combi microwave because the main circuit board is just behind the grating at the top of the door which had gotten dirty and had been slightly more enthusiastically cleaned by my partner than it was designed for.

    It would have been a 10 minute job to change the circuit board but I only ever found an old advent on a Polish website. Apparently it's discontinued.

    I refuse to believe every model needs a completely custom main board but there you have it.

    19. XorNot ◴[18 Nov 25 08:44 UTC] No.45962814[source]▶
    Sometimes yes, but I've also got a fair number of appliances with a cooked main CPU which I can replace, but have no hope of ever being able to get the firmware for.
    20. mmastrac ◴[18 Nov 25 09:20 UTC] No.45963038{3}[source]▶
    Not a lawyer but I don't think home repairs void most home insurances in common law countries unless you are working with parts that are particularly dangerous, part of a safety system to protect others, and/or absolutely require a skilled professional.
    replies(1): >>45964086 #
    21. semi-extrinsic ◴[18 Nov 25 11:57 UTC] No.45964086{4}[source]▶
    I'm pretty sure that if a fire starts in my central vacuum unit, and my insurance company does an investigation that finds a DIY swap of power electronics components in that unit, I would at the very least be in a lengthy legal battle to get any money back.
    replies(1): >>45966812 #
    22. bonsai_spool ◴[18 Nov 25 14:44 UTC] No.45966812{5}[source]▶
    That’s not true in the US, which is what the post above yours was trying to explain.
    23. ornornor ◴[18 Nov 25 21:39 UTC] No.45972515[source]▶
    Ive seen these universal boards for sale on AliExpress. Always wondered how they perform.
    24. michaelmior ◴[19 Nov 25 17:20 UTC] No.45982135{3}[source]▶
    This was my assumption that it's a good chance that there was a failed capacitor. But at the time I didn't have a capacitance meter and I still don't have the confidence in soldering to be able to fix if that was the case.