It is not difficult to level the washing machine, but this is a prerequisite for its safe operation. Some users do not pay due attention to the installation, so after a while they have to contact a service workshop to repair the unit and replace the bearings.
Level installation of the washing machine is important
Depending on the brand, the SMA has 2 or 4 adjustable legs. To install the washing machine, you must select a location that fully meets the installation requirements. Do not place the unit close to walls or furniture. The surface on which the SMA will be placed must be flat, without depressions or protrusions. It is good if the base is tiled. A rigid base will allow the unit to be leveled without additional shock-absorbing cups, which will simplify the process.
If the SMA will be located in a room with a wooden floor, it is necessary to prepare a sheet of plywood 8-10 mm thick or OSB boards. Due to the fact that the floorboards have different densities and are not rigidly fixed along their entire length, vibration of the base will occur during operation of the unit. This will negatively affect the washing process, especially in the spin mode. An additional platform will allow you to evenly distribute the load over the floor surface.
The concrete base must be smooth and not crumble. If pieces break off when you tap the material, it is better to cover it with tiles or install another rigid stand. A poorly adjusted machine will vibrate and shift during operation, which can lead to the protection tripping or rapid bearing wear and failure.
At high rotation speeds, the drum may touch the surface of the tank and, if the latter is plastic, damage the walls.
A correctly aligned unit will ensure safe and correct operation throughout the entire period of operation.
Washing machine level installation
The washing machine works well only when it is installed correctly. It may be surprising, but very rarely do people get the installation right. Now we will figure out how to install the model correctly.
It is not enough to simply drag the model, place it in the kitchen or bathroom and connect it. A competent installation requires taking specific actions.
First of all, we need to remove the shipping bolts that are located on the back of the case. They are big. Even if you position the washing machine correctly, but do not remove the shipping bolts, the device will jump around the room during the washing process. These bolts are needed to ensure that the drum of the machine is not damaged during transportation - they strongly compress it, and it is almost motionless.
Once the bolts are removed, you can begin to align the machine itself. First of all, you need to understand that you cannot place the device on an inclined surface or a soft surface. It would be better if it were tiles - the ideal surface for the model. When installed on the floor at an angle, the machine will “jump” in the direction of the inclination during the spin process.
Next, the machine needs to be level. The top cover should be parallel to the floor, and the easiest way to do this is to use a simple level. The evenness of the alignment is adjusted thanks to the legs, which can be rotated, reducing or increasing their length. After setting up the machine, you need to “feel” it, because push back and forth, left and right, and make sure that the device does not bend when you push. If you feel even the slightest jolt, you need to tighten the leg again in the place where the machine bends.
After setting the legs, they need to be fixed. The locking mechanism may differ in different models, so please read the instructions. If the legs are not secured to the set value, then during the spin cycle they may become loose and the length you set will simply be lost. Then the car will start jumping again.
In principle, there is nothing difficult about leveling the machine. In most cases, the level is not even used by people; it is installed into the model “by eye”. This is fraught with the fact that the device rattles a lot during the spin cycle, and sometimes even jumps, but no more. Remember: the better the installation, the quieter the washing and spinning process will be due to the absence of additional vibrations.
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How to set it correctly
To install the washing machine level, you need to:
- Remove all transport bolts and check that the drum rotates easily.
- Loosen the locknuts on the legs using the wrench included in the kit.
- Fully tighten the supports.
- By adjusting the legs, achieve a stable position of the unit.
- Install a spirit level on the top cover of the SMA parallel to the control panel. If the air bubble of the device has moved to the right, then you need to adjust the legs on the left side, and vice versa. The machine is installed correctly when the ball is placed between the two middle marks.
- Position the level perpendicular to the previous position. You need to level the machine by twisting the front or rear legs.
Adjust the MCA until the device shows a horizontal position in both directions.
Sometimes, when moving the machine across the floor, you can find a position in which adjustments are not required. This is possible if the base is made as level as possible. After you have finished installing the unit, you need to use a wrench to fix the nuts in the upper position, otherwise if vibration occurs, the adjustment will be disrupted. This can lead to independent movement and damage to the washing machine.
How to adjust a washing machine yourself
The tools we need are the most common building level. The first step is to select the installation location. It is advisable to have a concrete floor that has good stability. In some cases, a separate concrete screed is created under the machine so that it stands on a solid foundation.
As soon as the site for the machine is ready, we install it - we simply place it on the selected base and connect it to the water supply, sewerage and electrical networks. Make sure that the body of the device does not pinch the hoses going to the communications. By adjusting the height of the legs, we bring the car into such a state that it does not swing - we achieve a visually correct position. Accordingly, the leg is twisted in which direction the body falls when it swings.
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Rotating clockwise, the legs screw in and become shorter. If you start twisting the legs in the opposite direction, they will become longer. What do we need to do with these legs in the end?
Level check
The correct installation of the SMA is checked during washing with a full load and maximum spin speed. An incorrectly aligned machine will manifest itself immediately after the drum begins to rotate, and maximum - in the centrifuge operating mode. To prevent strong vibration and movement on the floor, you need to adjust the unit at the moment the defect begins to appear. The adjustment is carried out on a de-energized SMA. There is no need to drain the water.
It is recommended to remove minor vibration by installing rubber pads under the supports. In addition, they will prevent the machine from moving on the tiles. During operation, it is necessary to periodically check the horizontal installation and the tightness of the locknuts. If any comments are found, they should be corrected.
How to adjust a washing machine?
To regulate and level the machine, its creators provided special twist-out legs. In order to increase or decrease the height of a particular leg, you can screw it into the body, or vice versa, unscrew it. With these steps you can level the washing machine.
To make sure it is stable, you can shake it slightly. If it falls in any direction, then you need to adjust the leg on that side. That is, increase its height. If it falls in both directions, then you need to unscrew the two legs alternately. Do this until the washing machine reaches its normal, stable position.
There is no need to immediately twist all the legs to the maximum. This approach will prevent you from installing the machine correctly.
Important nuances of correct adjustment
In addition to simply adjusting the legs for a washing machine by eye, special adjustment is also highly desirable. In addition to stability, for the machine to work well, it needs to be level. Therefore, you should also take into account whether the machine is tilted in one direction or another.
To check this, we recommend using a building level. This tool is perfect for measuring deviations. Place it on the top of the machine body. First, parallel to the front and back walls of the machine. Then parallel to the side walls. And pay attention to the position of the bubble in the cell with water. It should be within the lines in the center of the glass cell. This means that the machine is level. If the bubble deviates to the left or to the right, then the legs need to be adjusted.
Adjusting the washing machine legs with a building level will ensure the correct position of your household appliances. And this, in turn, guarantees you that during operation the internal parts of the machine will not touch each other again and the body. And accordingly, they will remain operational longer.
If you follow the rules for installing your washing machine, its use will be long and enjoyable.
Mistakes to Avoid
Speaking about the vibration of a washing machine on a wooden floor, it should be mentioned that this is powerful destructive energy directed at a front-loaded unit. The stability of this state gradually shortens the service life of the most important parts and leads to inevitable breakdown.
Built-in washing machine
When the base of the washing machine rests on a hard surface and vibrations are dampened, the life of the washing machine is automatically extended without failures in the system. If the unit is placed incorrectly on a shaky floor, it “jumps” and sways from side to side.
Car on the floor
To prevent users from making mistakes in the future, you should carefully consider several examples of incorrect placement:
- According to the calculations of some skilled users, a thick anti-vibration mat spread over a shaky wooden floor should save the situation. However, it turns out exactly the opposite; vibration, of course, is dampened, but again to the detriment of the equipment used. The car in this position suffers no less than usual.
Anti-vibration mat
- If you don’t mind the time, there is another no less original way to install a washing machine on a raised wooden floor. It's quite easy to make. Four holes are cut into the wooden floor into which metal tubes are inserted. Then place thick sheets of plywood on top of the simple structure. The result is the same: the supports quickly become unusable and have to be replaced. The car continues to briskly jump around the country house.
Tray for the machine
- There are also folk craftsmen who are ready to put a massive concrete slab on top of the wooden covering. The machine, of course, does not vibrate, but this does not make the floor any newer. Moreover, the effectiveness of this method is clearly in doubt, since the required area for high-quality extinguishing must be at least 2 square meters. m.
- There are craftsmen who are trying to fix a washing machine on a wooden floor. This method does not bode well for the owner, since in centrifuge mode the machine vibrates and jumps with such force that it is quite capable of tearing out wooden boards. The noise is no less.
Having examined several common eccentricities of skilled craftsmen, we conclude that the proven methods recommended by the manufacturer, which allow for fastening, are much more reliable than the invented ones.
