Roper Washing Machine Stuck on Sensing Fill? (All you Need Know)
If your Roper washing machine gets stuck on sensing fill, you know how frustrating it can get.
You put your clothes in the drum, start the cycle, the lid locks, and the sensing mode starts.
Several minutes later, nothing happens and your washer doesn’t fill with water.
Well, that is exactly what this post is going to explain and help you fix.
Here’s why your Roper washing machine is stuck on sensing fill:
Roper washing machine stays in the sensing mode for a maximum of 3-5 minutes to detect the optimum water level for your clothes. However, if you find that your Roper washer is stuck on sensing fill there’s a likelihood that there is a fault with a component of your washer. That could be the motor Shift actuator, water inlet valve, drive motor, or control panel.
If you want to learn exactly how to troubleshoot this sensing fill problem and get it fixed before attempting to call an appliance technician, then continue reading.
Table of Contents
What is auto-sensing on Roper washing machine?
When your Roper washing machine is turned on, it automatically goes into sensing mode.
This is a feature that is designed to detect how much water is needed for a load of clothes.
The washer will take up to a few minutes to fill the tub with water before it starts washing the clothes.
If you have a load of clothes that is small or large, the Roper washing machine will automatically adjust the water level to ensure that your clothes are cleaned properly.
This is a great feature because it can save you money on your water bills and helps you put a great part of your laundry into automation.
How does the Sensing fill option work?
When you press the Start/Stop/Pause/unlock button and set the water level knob to Auto-sensing, your washing machine will fill and start sensing to determine the size of load and balance.
When the sensing is completed, your washing machine will fill to the level that is appropriate for the load size and the wash cycle.
The sensing mode will be paused when the unlocked lid is opened.
Once the lid is closed. the cycle resumes.
Note: If the lid is left open for more than 10 minutes, your washing machine will cancel the cycle and pump the water out.
The lid will lock after the wash cycle for the spin cycle to begin and will remain locked for the rest of the cycles.
The sensing fill on a Roper washing machine takes 2 to 5 minutes.
Roper Washing machine stuck on sensing fill (General Troubleshooting Tips)
When your roper washing machine is stuck on sensing fill, you need to try these troubleshooting tips and see if your washer will start the wash cycle.
You need to do these before you proceed to further troubleshoot the other reasons we have explained in this article about why your washer is stuck on sensing fill.
Summary (troubleshooting your Roper washer stuck on sensing fill)
- Turn the washer off and back on
- Recheck wash settings
- Run a diagnostic
- Recalibrate your washer
1. Turn Washer off and back on
The first fix you should try when your roper washing machine is stuck on sensing fill is to turn off the power supply from your washer for a while and turn it back on.
This is how to reset a Roper washing machine.
Turn off the power supply to your washer for about 5-20 minutes and turn on the power supply again.
The longer time you leave it off, the better chances you have to get your washer working again.
After turning it back on follow your usual method of starting your wash.
If your Roper washer is still stuck on sensing, try the next troubleshooting below.
2. Recheck wash settings
You know, sometimes the problem could be as simple as making a mistake in setting your washer.
It could be that you haven’t properly set your washer to start a wash cycle. And because of that, your washer will keep acting the way it is, stuck in sensing fill.
If you are unsure exactly how to set your washer properly, you should refer to your user guide and you should be fine.
If this doesn’t work, you may need to run a diagnostic to identify the problem on your washer as detailed below in the next outline.
3. Run a diagnostic on your Roper washing machine
Some Roper washing machine models (VMW-vertical modular washer) have a self-diagnostic system in the electronic control that can detect what has gone wrong with your washer.
When there is a problem with any component in your washer, the washer will not start and the ”lid locked” light flashes red.
Until the problem is fixed your washer will remain in the same place.
You will need to run a diagnostic for your washer.
How to run a diagnostic on your Roper washer
- Turn off the power supply to the washing machine and all indicator lights should go off.
- Turn the control dial one complete rotation (360 degrees) counterclockwise
- Pause for a quick 6 seconds and turn the dial again three clicks clockwise, One-click back, and one additional click clockwise.
- You will notice all 5 sensor lights flash in green indicating the diagnostic mode has been activated
- If the indicator lights don’t blink, turn the dial one complete rotation counterclockwise to reset the control and repeat the process above.
- Turn the dial faster in this second attempt
- In the diagnostic mode, turn the dial one click clockwise and press the start button
- Turn the dial one click clockwise to display the 1st error code detected by your washer
- Only the sensing light will flash if no error was detected by your washer
- Turn the dial one click clockwise to go to the next error code
- Depending on the error code read, refer to the image below for the diagnostic and repair
Each error code has 2 parts. The first is the letter F accompanied by a number and the second is the letter E, also accompanied by a number.
The lights that flash indicate the numbers.
4. Recalibrate your Roper washing machine
Once in a while, it is recommended that you recalibrate your Roper washing machine especially if you experience that it is not working correctly as usual.
This is because it happens sometimes that your setting goes out of sync with the system.
So it’s possible that your settings are simply out of sync, hence your Roper washing machine is stuck on sensing fill.
Even when you replace some parts of your Roper washing machine such as the main control board or any other electrical or mechanical part, you should calibrate your washer.
Follow the steps below to recalibrate your Roper washing machine:
- Turn your Roper washer on.
- Turn the dial knob completely 360 degrees counterclockwise.
- Wait 2 seconds and turn the knob one click clockwise
- Wait 2 seconds and turn the knob another one click clockwise
- Repeat step 4
- Pause one-second turn the knob counterclockwise one click.
- Wait another one second and turn the knob one click clockwise
- All indicator lights will turn one at once, indicating that you have recalibrated your Roper washing machine.
Why is my Roper washing machine stuck on sensing fill? (Easy fixes)
After you have tried the general troubleshooting guidance detailed earlier in this article, if your washer still didn’t proceed to the wash phase, there may be other possible problems to look at.
While you may be able to troubleshoot and fix some of the issues, you may need to call for the services of an appliance technician to assist you on the others.
Summary of the 8 possible reasons why your Roper washing machine is stuck on sensing fill:
- Problem with the water inlet valve
- Pressure switch issues
- Faulty shift actuator
- Faulty lid switch
- Faulty drive motor
- Overloading the washer
- Clogged Inlet screen
- Main control board failure
1. Problem with the water inlet valve
The water inlet valve is the component of your Roper washer that connects your washing machine to both cold and hot water supply.
The valve is controlled electrically by your washer and signals it to open or cut off the water supply when needed in your drum.
If the water inlet valve is faulty, there will be no appropriate amount of water entering your washer when it is turned on.
As a result, your roper washer will not start the wash cycle and will remain stuck on sensing fill mode.
The water inlet valve may be clogged or corroded to the extent that it can no more work normally.
It could also be that there is a problem with power transmission from your washer to the valve.
Troubleshooting
To determine if this is the problem with your washer, check if there are any leaks around the water inlet valve.
And check for any visible signs of corrosion.
How to fix a faulty water inlet valve
Unfortunately, if you discover that the problem is with the water inlet valve, there is nothing you can do about it than to replace it. Water inlet valves cannot be replaced in the majority of cases.
You can locate the water inlet valve by locating it at the back of the washer.
Remove the water hoses attached to the valve and unscrew it whiles disconnecting the ring attached to it.
Install the new inlet valve using the same configuration the faulty one had.
2. Pressure switch issues
The pressure switch is a safety device that signals the control board if there is enough water in the tub or not for a wash cycle.
It is also the component that signals the control board when water completely drains from the drum so that the spin cycle can begin.
A malfunctioning pressure switch can be caused when the pressure switch hose develops holes or gets damaged as they rub against other parts of the washer over a long time.
If the pressure switch is not working properly, it will not signal the control board that there is enough water in the tub and as a result, your washer will remain stuck on sensing fill mode.
How to fix a faulty pressure switch
Sometimes you need to reset your washing machine pressure switch after you have changed its location.
Follow these simple steps to reset the pressure switch:
- Pour 2 liters of water into the empty drum
- Run a drain cycle to drain the water out
- The pressure switch will be rest
3. Faulty shift actuator
The shift actuator is located near the bottom of the washing machine, on the side of the agitator.
It is a small motor that is responsible for moving the washing machine drum or agitator.
The shift actuator is a component in your Roper washing machine that signals the control board to change between different cycles.
In other words, the shift actuator is responsible for your Roper washer to progress from one cycle to the next; wash cycle to spin cycle.
If the shift actuator is not working properly, it can cause the washing machine to get stuck on sensing fill since the shift actuator is not performing its work of progressing to the next cycle.
The actuator will not send the correct signal to the control board and as a result, your washer will remain stuck on sensing fill mode.
One of the most common problems with the shift actuator is that it can become stripped.
This can happen if the machine is overloaded or if something gets caught in the agitator and stops it from spinning.
When this happens, the shift actuator will continue to try to turn the agitator, but the spline will just slip in the groove and not engage it.
How to fix a faulty shift actuator
If you discover that the problem with your Roper washing machine is the shift actuator, then replacing it should do the trick.
Locate the actuator at the back of your machine near the bottom. Unscrew it and disconnect it from the washer.
Screw in the new actuator using the same configuration as the old one.
4. Faulty lid switch
The lid switch is a safety device that signals the control board to start a cycle only when the washing machine lid is closed.
If the lid switch is faulty, your washer will not start a cycle because it will not receive the signal that the lid is closed.
A faulty lid switch can be caused by many things such as a broken hinge or a problem with the connection between the lid and the control board.
Troubleshooting
The first thing you need to do is check if the lid is properly closed.
If it is, then proceed to check if there are any visible signs of damage to the lid switch.
Use a multimeter to check if the lid switch is getting power.
If not, then the problem is most likely with the connection between the lid switch and the control board.
If the lid switch is getting power, then the problem is most likely with the lid itself.
Check to see if the hinge is broken or if there is any damage to the lid that is preventing it from making a good connection with the control board.
If the lid switch is faulty, then it will need to be replaced.
5. Faulty drive motor
The drive motor is the part of your Roper washing machine that powers the movement of the drum using electricity.
If this part is faulty, then the whole washing machine will not operate correctly.
In the sensing fill stage, the drum turns around occasionally to help your washer sense the load in the drum and adjust the cycle for an efficient wash.
When the drive motor is faulty or damaged, it cannot power the drum to turn. Hence, your Roper washing machine will be left stuck on the sensing fill.
There are a few ways to tell if the drive motor is faulty.
One way is to listen for any strange noises coming from the washing machine while it is running.
Another way is to see if the drum or agitator is moving at all.
If it is not, then the drive motor may be faulty.
Washing machine drive motors usually last about 10 years.
If you think that the drive motor is faulty, then you will need to replace it.
This is a fairly easy repair that can be done at home.
You can purchase a new drive motor from most hardware stores or online.
Be sure to get the correct model for your washing machine.
Once you have the new drive motor, remove the old one and replace it with the new one.
Be sure to follow all of the instructions that come with the new motor.
6. Overloading of the washer
Overloading of the drum is one of the most common reasons why your washing machine may be stuck in sensing mode.
Your washing machine has a specific capacity for how much laundry it can wash in one cycle.
If you try to wash more than this amount, then it will cause the washing machine to become overloaded.
Overloading the drum can cause several problems for your washing machine.
The best way to avoid overloading your washing machine is to only wash the amount of laundry that it can handle in one cycle.
You can usually find this information in the owner’s manual for your washing machine.
If you are unsure about how much laundry your washing machine can handle, then start with a smaller load and increase the amount as needed.
It is better to err on the side of caution to avoid damaging your washing machine.
7. Washing machine inlet screen clogged
If you notice that your washing machine is stuck on sensing fill, it could be that your washer is taking longer than usual to fill up with water, which could be because the inlet screen is clogged.
The inlet screen is located where the water hose attaches to the washing machine and its purpose is to keep dirt and debris out of the machine.
Over time, though, the inlet screen can become clogged with dirt and lint, which can then restrict the flow of water into the machine.
This can cause the washing machine to get stuck on sensing mode and not start the cycle.
Troubleshooting
To clean the inlet screen, first shut off the water supply to the washing machine.
Then, remove the hose from the back of the machine and use a brush or your fingers to remove any dirt or debris from the screen.
Rinse the screen off with water and then reattach the hose.
Turn on the water supply and run a cycle to see if your Roper washer will go past the sensing fill.
8. Main control board failure
The Main control board likely may be the final possible cause of your washing machine being stuck on sensing mode.
In a washing machine, the main control board is responsible for managing all of the machine’s operations. It is essentially the “brain” of the machine, and if it is faulty, the machine will not operate correctly.
It is a Printed Circuit Board composed of many other small parts each having the function of controlling a part of your Roper washing machine.
The main control board can become faulty for a number of reasons, including electrical shorts, power surges, and physical damage.
If the main control board is faulty, the washing machine will not be able to start, or it may start and then stop abruptly during the cycle.
Or as you may guess right, be stuck on sensing fill!
A faulty control board most likely means that one of its components that is responsible for a particular part of the washer is faulty.
Troubleshooting
If you suspect that the main control board is faulty, you should first check for any obvious signs of damage, such as burned or melted components.
If there is no visible damage, you can try resetting the board by unplugging the washing machine and then plugging it back in.
If found the problem, you will need to replace the main control board or call an appliance technician to further assess the situation for you.
Conclusion
There are several possible reasons why your washing machine may be stuck on sensing fill.
The most common reasons include overloading of the drum, a clogged inlet screen, a faulty inlet valve, or a failure of the main control board.
To fix the problem, you will need to determine which of these is the cause and then take the appropriate action.
But you need to first try the general troubleshooting and solutions tips we have shared in this article
If your washing machine is still under warranty, you may want to contact the manufacturer for assistance.
Otherwise, you can follow the troubleshooting steps outlined in this article.
You can always call a qualified technician if you feel the problem might be bigger than you.
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