Leaking washing machine pipe

Merlin5 · 12 May 2019 at 18:55

I put the washing machine on today, went out and came home to a flooded floor. I discovered that there's a connecting pipe that's come away, it's in a cupboard under my sink, next to the washing machine. This pipe takes the water out during the final rinse cycle. After removing everything from the soaked cupboard, cleaning it up and mopping the floor, I did a quick video.

Apologies, the video orientation is portrait, should have been landscape. Anyway, there is what seems to be a black seal/gasket, which might be worn as I noticed slivers of it came away, but I have no clue how to fix it, I can't seem to tighten it up and keep the pipe in place. Can anyone guide me? I think I've got some of that white plumbers binding tape somewhere, will I need that?

Merlin5 · 12 May 2019 at 19:27

ratface said:
Put the nut on the loose pipe, then the black O ring, push into the sink waste and do up the nut. If its still loose then it's missing a plastic ring that goes between the nut and the black O ring (not all have this but most do)

See pic below "Assembling a Plastic Waste Compression Unit"

https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/compressionwaste.htm

I'm assuming the right diameter pipe has been used

Thanks so much, I'm getting somewhere!

Yes, a white plastic ring just appeared, it dropped out of the nut and is intact, nothing broken. I've screwed it down and it's all tight and holding. I'll need to do it again though as I guess the black seal shouldn't be showing on one side like this.

Should the order be nut, then white plastic, then black seal?

Merlin5 · 12 May 2019 at 19:42

Done. Thanks ratface.

I'll have to do a test wash tomorrow, make sure it's sealed.

Merlin5 · 13 May 2019 at 14:27

Yep, it's fine. I did another wash today and not a single drip anywhere. Well, apart from me of course.

I can now put all my bottles, rags and sponges back in the cupboard.

jpaul · 13 May 2019 at 17:26

... but do you know why it failed ? .. if there is inadequate slack/flexibility in the washing machine waste pipe, and it has been torquing the joint during spin , say. ?
you may need to put an extension in.

Merlin5 · 13 May 2019 at 18:46

jpaul said:
... but do you know why it failed ? .. if there is inadequate slack/flexibility in the washing machine waste pipe, and it has been torquing the joint during spin , say. ?
you may need to put an extension in.

Yes, good point. It's a very old hotpoint washer/dryer, well over 20 years old I reckon and still going strong, apart from the dryer which works but doesn't heat up anymore.

On the final spin cycles it shakes quite violently punctuated with a couple of loud jolts. I was going to suggest it might have shaken the nut loose. Although I had my hands lightly on the pipe and waste component during those cycles and it didn't make them shake.

Nevertheless, the plumbing was done back in 2012 when I had a new kitchen fitted, so over that time I suppose it's possible it slowly loosened itself, particularly as the nut is intended as handtight according to the article ratface linked.