Maytag Washer Update - Fatal Friday for Analog TV

Hi Neptuners,

Well, the time has come to kill the analog tv signal...

Friday, June 12th is the last day for the analog television broadcasting and you can bet that there will be confusion when folks' non-digital tvs won't work anymore. If you remember, we were going to lose the analog signal back in February, 2009 but the government decided to extend the switch off for 4 more months due to folks not being prepared for the switch over.

At least until they purchase the digital tv converter box which will receive the digital transmission and converter it to channel 3 or 4 like the VCRs and DVD players do. You can get a coupon for $40 off which makes the box like $10.00.

Can you remember back when color tv sets were added... At least your black and white set still worked with the new color signal because the engineers made them compatible without upgrading the black and white receivers. With the new digital transition, it was impossible to make an analog tv receive and decode the digital signals without any hardware upgrades. The low-cost converter box was the only solution.

Otherwise, if you have a cable box then you will be good to go and probably are enjoying the digital tv already.

If you own a Maytag washer, specifically the Neptune Front Loader please check out http://www.neptunehelp.com/ before the faulty door latch wax motor kills your washer... If you proactively replace the door latch wax motor, part number 12002535, then you can prevent the failure from happening in the first place. We can't make your Neptune go digital but we can keep it running longer!

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Don't forget to check out the Neptune Help Song at www.neptunehelpsong.com for the cute Neptune song that explains the faulty door latch wax motor issue!

The Neptune Help Song voting is offically closed...

It looks like the new Neptune Help Song at http://www.neptunehelpsong.com/ is a winner!

Here are the results:

(22) folks say the song was awesome
(16) folks say the song was pretty good
(1) folks say the song was average
(0) folks say they were slightly impressed
(4) folks say they were not impressed

Honestly, I was disappointed with the total number of votes (43) as I expected more votes in the 3 week voting period considering that I have sold almost 4,000 12002535 wax motors in the last three years and there are 1,000's more Neptunes that will fail due to the faulty door latch wax motor.

We need to reach these Maytag Neptune owners before their wax motor fails so we can save them a $450 repair bill!

If you can think of anyone to send a link to that may have a Neptune or know someone who has a Neptune please do so... You can send them to http://www.neptunehelpsong.com/ so they can learn about the faulty door latch wax motor.

Thank you!

Another Maytag Neptune Question taken from the blogosphere...

Q: My Maytag Neptune quit mid-cycle. Trips circuit breaker every time plugged in. Is there a bypass to drain tub and open door? This seems like a catastrophic direct short. Should I wait a week for repairman or would it likely be more cost effective to buy new.

A: If you have an earlier MAH3000 Neptune then this more than likely is caused by a faulty wax motor in the soap dispenser. There are (2) 12002535 wax motors in there that control the bleach and softener flows. These wax motors are controlled directly from the timer.

You will need to rotate the timer to a different position, perhaps to a spin cycle, so the contacts to the faulty wax motor will open and the water pump should kick on and drain the water out. The water pump is also controlled by a set of contacts in the Neptune timer.

You can purchase the 12002535 wax motors from www.neptunehelp.com.

They have Maytag Neptunes over the pond?

Hi Neptuners,

I just shipped a STAGE 1 Q6 R11 repair kit + wax motor over the pond to New South Wales, Australia! I would like to welcome Andrew E. to the Neptuner club. We Neptuners all love our Neptunes... Especially, after the faulty door latch wax motor is replaced (hopefully you replaced it before it failed).

Did you know that Australia had Maytag Neptune front load washers? Actually, I was taken by surprise...

Recently, I shipped another STAGE 1 Q6 R11 repair kit + wax motor all the way to Israel.

Maybe I need to put flags on my http://www.neptunehelp.com/ site for countries that I ship the Maytag Neptune STAGE 1 repair kits too. So far, I have shipped STAGE 1 kits to United States, Canada, Israel and Australia.

Don’t forget to vote for the http://www.neptunehelpsong.com/ song. You only have 7 days left!

Jeff

What are they doing to that poor Maytag Neptune Front Loader?

What are they doing?

1. Winding up the spring to get the Neptune started?

2. Freeing the stuck tub?

3. Disecting the Neptune?

4. Adjusting the belt tension?

Actually, they are using the special Neptune Bearing Tool that can be borrowed at www.neptunebearing.com. The tool kit comes with the bearings, 12002022 seal kit and a DVD that shows you how to disassemble the Neptune front loader, replace bearings and install seal kit.

You don't have the use the tool kit... Folks have been changing their Neptune bearings using pipes, large hammer, threaded rod, large washers, patience, etc.

You can make replacing your Neptune bearings kid's play when using the Tony Tool.

Maytag Neptune help... This ain't Ole Lonely?

This is not Ole Lonely working on his Maytag Neptune MAH3000...

Actually, Mark, a Neptuner out in California, decided to take matters into his own hands and replace his door latch wax motor (12002535) and repair his machine control board. The Q6 triac and R11 resistor burnt because of the defective wax motor. By the way the typical Ole Lonely quote is $450 to replace the control board and wax motor!

In addition, every Neptune front loader that shipped with the wax motor will fail. If you know anyone who has a Neptune front loader please tell them.

As for more Neptuners saving money see http://www.neptunehelp.com/index_files/Page327.htm

Maytag Neptune Front Loader Washer Wax Motor Question

Here is another Maytag Neptune question I received today... 

Q: Hi, I have a MAH7500AWQ that the motor stopped working. I need the motor upgrade kit (motor & control board) and as a precaution I wanted to put a fuse in the Wax motor circuit (protect the board) and get a new wax motor for when the one I have dies. What do you suggest? 

 A: Hello, I would suggest that you don't have to worry about the door latch wax motor because your Neptune does not have one... In addition, I don't recommend making any changes to any appliance in the name of safety. If the Engineers felt that the door latch wax motor needed a fuse they would have put one in the circuit. I'm sure that when the Neptune was on the drawing board they did not foresee a design problem with the wax motor. 

The Neptune models affected by the faulty wax motor are the MAH3000, MAH4000, MAH5500A and the 2000 Stackers. If you know anyone with a Neptune front loader please rush them to this blog or the www.neptunehelp.com site so they can replace it before it fails. If your machine won’t spin because the door locked light doesn’t come on and you have one of the affected models listed above then you probably have become a victim of the Maytag Neptune Wax Motor Meltdown. Note: I highly recommend that you don’t keep trying to start your Neptune because you can damage the lower motor control board as well. 

Listen, you have 2 options… 1) Replace the machine control and the wax motor at http://neptunehelp.com/index_files/Page667.htm or, 2) purchase the STAGE 1 repair kit with wax motor and see if your Neptune will come to life. About 45 out of 50 boards work without a problem. 

Occasionally, I get folks whose boards refuse to fill with water which have to be replaced because they suffered more damage… maybe they did not heed my warning about trying to keep starting up machine? 

Look, you would have had to replace the control board anyway… When ordering your control board, it depends on your model and serial number as to which board you need. The simplest replacement is the MAH4000 and the MAH5500A Neptunes as these both use the 22002989 control board. 

The MAH3000 has two different control boards based on the model suffix and 1st two digits of serial number. Here is a breakdown: MAH3000AWW - (10-16) 12001725 or (17 - present) 22002988 MAH3000AWA - (10-16) 12001725 or (17 - present) 22002988 MAH3000AWQ - (10 - present) 22002988 MAH3000AKW - (10 - present) 22002988 MAH3000AAW - (10 - present) 22002917 MAH3000AEW - (10 - present) 22002917 MAH3000AGW - (10 - present) 22002917 MAH3000BGW - (10 - present) 22002917 (50 hertz) Note: I just checked and I don't see any 22002917 control boards in stock... 

 I hope this helps!

Until next time...

Maytag Neptune Front Loader Washer Mold Question

Here is another blogosphere question that an unhappy Neptune owner had made recently... Q: I have a maytag neptune front loading washer and there is mold on the front seal. I tried to get it off with bleach etc to no avail. Does Maytag have a replacement part I can get (that works better than the old one). The appliance is only 3 years old.... needless to say between the digital display I had to replace on the dryer and this issue. And the new rattling in the 3 year old dryer.. I am done with Whirlpool/maytag/ and product they build. I have a problem with my whirlpool fridge also...Their products are garbage and I would tell ANYONE to STAY AWAY !!!! A: Yes, you can replace the door boot. The part number is 12002533 and a link to purchase these is on my www.NeptuneWasher.com page.  You may also need the hose which can be found with this link https://ebay.us/xrwXtD via Ebay.

In addition, if you have a MAH3000 you can add a drain hose to the new boot. That way the water in the boot pocket can drain after every wash cycle which should help reduce the mold colony potential. Note: Some earlier MAH4000's also were shipped without the drain hose kit. Below is a picture of the door boot with drain. Below is a picture of a door boot drain hose retrofit. You actually drill out the center of the nipple which allows the water to drain back into the outer tub. As for the quality of some manufactures you listed above... I occasionally do searches on the Internet for other front loaders and I see folks who have problems with other manufacturers, too. Let's face it... Our appliances work very hard and there are a lot of environmental factors that play into how long your machine will last that is really beyond the control of any product manufacturer. 

 I know... The grass is always greener on the other side... but the fact is you own a Maytag Neptune and the good news is that the issues are posted on my blog over time and they are what they are. The three main issues of the earlier Neptunes are the door latch wax motor, moldy door boot and the motor/ motor control board combo reliability. 

 I will now add a forth issue to the list and it is a wear issue and that is the bearings. Unfortunately, Maytag does not have part numbers assigned to the bearings so service technicians are going to leave you a $900 quote to fix your Neptune bearings. They will want to transplant the whole outer tub which runs about $450 by itself! Fight back and replace your bearings yourself with the help of http://www.neptunebearing.com/page4.html. If Shirley in the video can do it... so can you! You can even rent the Neptune Bearing Tool Kit which really reduces the time you are replacing the bearings and there is an awesome step by step video that shows you how to take the Neptune apart, replace bearings and install the seal kit. 

The bearing failure victim in the video is the standalone Neptune but the stacker bearing job is not that much different. Once these four issues are taken care of you will be the proud owner of a happier Neptune front loader! Lastly, don't forget to sign up for the Neptuner list so you will be kept up to date with more Neptune information and other valuable tips as they happen.

The New Neptunehelp.com Song is really sounding great!

Hi Neptuners,

I wanted to touch base with you and say the Neptune song I am having created is sounding very good. I received a sample of the first verse today and I was really impressed with it and I think you will love it too. As a matter of fact... it keeps playing in my mind!

Once the songs are complete I will post a link to the songs. Songs you ask? I wanted to have two slightly different versions and let you vote on the one that you prefer. The version that wins will be the official song for www.neptunehelp.com. Tell all of your family and friends about the voting and let's see how many votes we can rack up!

No mail on Monday due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Hi Neptuners,

I just wanted to remind you that there will no mail service on Monday, January 19th, due to Martin Luther King Jr. day.

Unfortunately, this will slow down the Maytag Neptune Tony Tool rental program by one day...

I really appreciate the patience being displayed from the folks in the Tony Tool rental queue! I turn these tools as soon as I can and since I have recently added 5 more tools to my rental fleet the queue should get cleared out much quicker. I realize that when your Maytag Neptune starts sounding like a jet taking off you want to replace the bearings before something major fails. If you would like to replace your bearings goto http://www.neptunebearing.com/ and get in the tony tool rental queue. First come, first served...

I have been receiving a tony tool question lately and it is basically this: "Is there someone in my area that can replace my Neptune bearings using the Tony Tool?". So I got to thinking, if you have rented the Tony Tool and would like to help other Neptuners, please let me know. This is a way you can show folks how smart you are by using the Tony Tool and earn some cash, too


Another important Maytag Neptune issue is the 'my maytag neptune won't spin' or 'maytag neptune no spin' See http://www.neptunehelp.com/ for information on the famous no spin issue. Did you know that you could replace the door latch wax motor before it fails and prevent the control board R11 & Q6 failure? A service tech will quote you around $450 to fix this failure that Maytag should fix...

New Maytag Neptune Song for you Neptuners

Hi Neptuners!

I wanted to get something off of my chest...

I am creating a new novelty song about the Maytag Neptune no spin due to the defective door latch wax motor issue.

Check back often to see if I posted the link to the song.

Actually, I'm planning on creating two songs and you get to vote on which one you like the best.

Two things I know for sure...

1) They will be funny :>)
2) I won't be singing! (I'll stick to performing my other talents)

It has been a long road but it looks like I will finally get my song. I will tell you the story of the hurdles I had to jump through to get this song created after the winning version is determined by your voting.


Jeff

Customer feedback regarding the Maytag Neptune won't spin door latch wax motor failure and the repair

This customer feedback was sent on January 16th, 2009.


"Hello Jeff,

Greetings from Southern California, where the temperature was 85 degrees yesterday.

I received your Stage 1 Repair Kit at 2pm yesterday, and I had clean underwear before dinner.

Many thanks. Bill N."



That's great Bill. Wow, you have 85 degrees? Right now it is -11 degress in Columbus, Ohio @ 10:47 pm! This alberta clipper is really delivering the cold air... When is spring going to get here?

Will your Maytag Neptune bearing and seal kit fit my MAH55FLBWW Neptune?

Here is a question I received recently...

Q: "Hey there... I have a Maytag Neptune front loader washing machine, with the typical bearing failure. Im interested in buying your repair kit, however I need to know for certain it will fit my model. My model is MAH55FLBWW. Thanks for your time."

A: Hello, yes the bearing and seal kit will fit your Neptune. See www.neptunebearing.com for information on the Neptune bearing and 12002022 seal kit. I also offer the tonytool for rent so you can save time while replacing your bearings.

Will the Maytag bearing and seal kit that you are selling work on all Maytag Neptunes?

Here is another bearing question I received regarding the Maytag Neptune bearing kit...

Q: "Will the Maytag bearing and seal kit that you are selling work on all Maytag Neptunes? I have the MAH6500AWQ that sounds like a jet engine. I have also read that if you change the bearings you should also change the shaft...is that correct? If so do you have the shaft for the Neptune as well?"

A: Yes, the bearing and seal kit will work with all Maytag Neptune front loaders. Presently, the common residential models are the MAH3000, MAH4000, MAH5500, MAH6500 and the 2000 stackers. The reason is that these machines have been in service for at least 4 years.

The shaft is called the spinner support and you don't have to change it if it is not damaged. I have only sold a couple of the spinner supports in the last year. One failed when the tub came to a screeching halt due to the seal and bearing failure and the second spinner support just failed (one arm bolt rusted out causing tub to wobble and trip inertia/balance sensors) but the customer decided to go ahead and replace the bearings and seal since he had to take it apart to replace the spinner. The last time I shipped a spinner support it was $95 including UPS Ground shipping.


The Neptune bearing and Maytag 12002022 seal kit can be purchased from http://www.neptunebearing.com/ and you should look into taking advantage of the tonytool rental program to save you time on the bearing and seal change plus it includes use of the DVD which Tony and Shirley show you how to disassemble your Neptune, replace bearings and install the new seal kit in about 14 minutes.

For coin Laundromats, you can purchase multiple bearing & seal kits along with the tonytool at http://www.neptunekits.com/. We find that Laundromats can have a large number of Neptune front loaders and they can save considerable amount of money replacing their bearings instead of replacing the large expensive outer tub. We recommend replacing the bearings and seal as a preventative measure to prevent washer down time.

Lastly, for all of your Neptune needs, see http://www.neptunehelp.com/.

I have a 4 year old Neptune MAH55FLBWQ Washer and the bearing is shot. Will this kit fit this model?

This was a valid question I received today regarding the Maytag Neptune bearing kit... 

Yes, the Maytag Neptune bearing and seal kit will fit your Neptune. See www.neptunebearing.com for more info on the tonytool rental program that helps you change your bearings in about an hour and a half and includes access to a video that shows you how to take your Neptune apart, replace bearings and install the seal kit.

Until next time...

Customer feedback regarding the Maytag Neptune door latch wax motor failure - repair

Jeff, I recently purchased your Maytag Neptune Repair Kit. I just installed the new wax motor and the control board with the new R11 and Q6. The machine now spins out the water but the door will not unlock at the end of the cycle. In fact it seems like it just kind of slowly spins one way and then the other at random once the final spin cycle is complete. 

The only way I can get the door to open is to unplug the machine! After two loads I took a look at the control board and R11 and Q6 look to be in great shape. Any thoughts? (I have the MAH4000) Thanks, Andy Here is my response: 

Hi Andy, I would verify that R11 is in fact connected to the Q6 triac pins #1 and #2. Use an ohmmeter if you can. If the R11 is not completely connected to Q6 then the wax motor will stay on all of the time and keep tumbling at the end of cycle. Jeff

Until next time...

Did you know that NASCAR was founded back in 1947

Wow, today is the anniversary of the NASCAR founding. 

After 61 years NASCAR seems to be doing well as I see lots of collectibles available. Auto racing has a deep rooted history in the USA. NASCAR is an acronym for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing and their website is www.nascar.com. 

On this site, you can check out news, the schedules, driver and team information, statistics, etc. Imagine the cost of rebuilding the engines, all of the tire replacements and the traveling. That must be why the teams are sponsored. 

To keep your Maytag Neptune Washer running in peak performance race on over to www.neptunewaxmotor.com . In addition, discover if your Neptune front loader has the defective door latch wax motor, part # 12002535. When this fails, your high speed spin operation will stop and your clothes will be soaking wet.

Until next time...

Clowning around with your Maytag Neptune front loader?

Today is Emmett Kelly's birthday... Perhaps America's best known Clown. Emmett was born way back in 1898. 

Here is a link to the Emmett Kelly Museum in Kansas http://www.emmettkellymuseum.com/ 

 To see folks clowning around with their Maytag Neptune's see http://www.neptunewaxmotor.com/index_files/Page327.htm Well, I should not say 'clowning' around but actually they are serious do-it-yourselfers saving a bunch of cash by fixing their Neptunes!

Until next time...

I sold my first Maytag Neptune R11 Q6 repair kit + wax motor to Israel

On November 10th, 2008 I received an order from my www.neptunewaxmotor.com website from Ilana from Cochav Yair, Israel for the STAGE 1 Kit. 

Wow! I thought... I did not know they had Maytag Neptunes in Israel? 

Does anyone know how many Neptunes are in Israel? 

Please tell everyone you know about the Maytag Neptune 12002535 door latch wax motor failure that will happen and cost $450 to have repaired. You can replace the door latch wax motor with the redesigned component. 

Besides saving money... you will be preventing washer downtime. Thank You! Don't forget about the tonytool rental program. I have had a pick up in the bearing and seal kit orders and the tony tool rental recently. 

Presently, I am running 2 weeks before I can get the tool kit out to you, I have asked Tony for two more tool kits but I have to wait for his next batch to be produced. He said it would be a week or so before he receives the tool kit order.

Until next time...