Bosch tumble drier fault: EMPTY CONTAINER indicated wrongly

[davida...@gmail.com]

Hi

We have a Bosch condenser tumbler drier (Exxcel WTL6307GB), which is nearly 10 years old. When it has run for a while the EMPTY CONTAINER lamp lights up and the beeper sounds, but the water container is no where near full (actually it's almost empty).

What could cause this fault please?

Best regards

David

[A.Lee]

davida...@gmail.com wrote:

> We have a Bosch condenser tumbler drier (Exxcel WTL6307GB), which is nearly 10 years old. When it has run for a while the EMPTY CONTAINER lamp lights up and the beeper sounds, but the water container is no where near full (actually it's almost empty).
>
> What could cause this fault please?

Faulty pump or sensor.
--
Alan
To reply by mail, change '+' to 'plus'

[Richard Tobin]

In article <225cfcda-226a-472d...@googlegroups.com>,

<davida...@gmail.com> wrote:

>We have a Bosch condenser tumbler drier (Exxcel WTL6307GB), which is
>nearly 10 years old. When it has run for a while the EMPTY CONTAINER
>lamp lights up and the beeper sounds, but the water container is no
>where near full (actually it's almost empty).

We have a Bosch tumble drier and the EMPTY CONTAINER light has never lit
up, even when the container is full. There's no sensor in the container,
so I assume it is detecting a build up of water elsewhere in the system.
Perhaps you have some kind of blockage?

-- Richard

[F]

Try www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/forumsphpbb3/tumble-dryer-forum

--
F

[terry.sh...@gmail.com]

Easy one, this.

I have a Bosch dryer of similar vintage, probably the same model, that developed this fault a while back. It's fluff and crap in the trough that collects the condensate and/ or in the pick-up end of the pipe that takes the water to the collection container at the top.

Open the condenser unit flap and remove the condenser. On the floor of the now empty condenser bay, there are one or two (I forget) removable plastic covers. It's a bit of a fiddle to get them off, but if you persist, it can be done without breaking. I use a couple of stubby blade screwdrivers to hold the (quite stiff/brittle) retaining lugs in the open position while wiggling the removable bits. You need something short because the height of the bay is only a few inches.

When the cover or covers are off, you ought to be able to see the collection trough, which will be full of a thick, fragrant broth of water and fluff. Use a torch if necessary. Grope around and pull out what you can (a washing up bowl is useful to deposit the crap). When what remains is mostly liquid, use a cloth to soak it up, with repeated wringing out.

The trough should now be clear and depending upon hand size and dexterity, you might be able to grope around and feel the end of the collection pipe to check that it's clear. I think you might be able see it, too, but I can't recall.

At this point, the machine will probably work again. If the collection pipe is blocked, you can reverse flush or poke some high strain (i.e. thick) fishing line down from the top. This is done by removing the machine lid (Torx screws at the top rear, IIRC), whereupon the collection container and the top of the pipe that fills it becomes visible. You can detach the tubing to flush or poke things down it.

If you are OCD, take the machine outside, tilt it forward with the collection trough cover still open, then hose the condenser bay out to get it all squeaky clean. Give a really good final tilt forward (50+ degrees) to drain the last of the water you squirted in.

Another good bit of maintenance to do every 5 years or so is to remove the back of the machine (loads more Torx, so use a drill/driver, otherwise you will get blisters), including the cover for the heating element, and remove the debris. Manually first, then vacuum cleaner with brush attachment. Take care not to bugger the heating element, which looks like a bit of card with wire wrapped round it.
Doing this clean maintains good air flow through the heating element and good heat transfer from it. It also prevents fluff build up acting as insulation on the temperature sensor (a little round device, about an inch diameter, with a couple of wires leading from it).

All the best.

Terry.

[davida...@gmail.com]

Hi Terry

Thanks for your comprehensive reply. I'll give it a go.

Best regards

David

[Di]

replying to terry.shitcrumbs, Di wrote:
We have just had this problem and thanks to your detailed description have
been able to solve it! Many thanks

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for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy/bosch-tumble-drier-fault-empty-container-indicated-wrongly-998642-.htm

[RM]

replying to Di, RM wrote:
Many thanks for the very valuable detailed advice. Today, repaired my Bosch
dryer.

[pheon]

replying to Richard Tobin, pheon wrote:
Usually this is the concealed sump below the channel where the air cooler
sits. It gets blocked with sludge. Two clips to pull forward to remove flap
and get access. Clean out sludge. Put in glass of clean water and splash about
to clean pump and ens or concealed on left. Replace flap and problem is
solved. It is cleaning not detailed in Bosch instructions.

[Bob]

replying to pheon, Bob wrote:
You are answering a question that is over three years old. However, since it
may be of interest to others, I can add something. On some models the sump is
accessed by removing the right hand side cover, then removing the drive belt
you will see. Behind that is the horizontal white cover of the sump - two or
three screws depending on model. Use a wet and dry cleaner to clean the sump,
flushing it with clean water and repeating. Also clean the wires on the sensor
in the pump lid.

[andy.t...@gmail.com]

I also ran into this problem with the newer self-cleaning condenser model. On the newer model, the sump (and pump) is located at the rear of the drier with an accessible panel in the bottom right-hand corner. Two triangular click tabs at the top of the panel have to be pushed down to release it.

This exposes the pump. The pump can be released by a large flat click panel behind the pump being pulled forward and this allows the pump to be pulled out of the sump (taking care not to damage attached wires). Once the pump is free, the sump can be drained with a shop vac or using absorbent cloths. MY specific problem was that the drain pump couldn't run due to it being clogged and thus not draining the sump. I resolved this by rotating the blades of the pump manually until they rotated freely.

Once this was done and all the parts replaced. The pump successfully drained the sump into the removable container and no warning light.

Hope this helps someone...

[Bob Eager]

I had the same problem, and confirm the same solution!


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[Brian Gaff (Sofa)]

You would think in those intervening years the design might have been
improved with some kind of simple to get out filter!

Brian

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<andy.t...@gmail.com> wrote in message
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[Steven]

replying to terry.shitcrumbs, Steven wrote:
Brilliant post thank you for taking the time. Sorted me right out

[dmac...@gmail.com]

I'm wondering if this may be the problem with our Bosch WTYH6790GB 9kg Heat Pump Condenser Dryer too. It was working fine till yesterday then we got the "Condensate container is full, Drying was aborted. Please empty container." message. There was nothing in the container. We have booked a call out £99 but not till 5th August. I may have a look myself. What model was yours? We have had ours 3 years 4 months, its interesting that this issue is coming up now. I wonder if it could be described as a design fault and get compensation from Bosch?

[Ivan Balaz]

Dňa utorok 21. júla 2020 o 17:18:59 UTC+2 používateľ dmac...@gmail.com napísal:

Helped me, you are the boss. Thank you.

[Alex S]

It helped me. Thank you so much for taking the time to post this. I really couln't afford the call out charge at the moment, but will donate a little bit to the WWF. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[Tahlia]

Just wanted to say that after trying everything - this worked! I have the recent self cleaning model also. Thank you so much for the effort in explaining this clearly as it was easy to follow and a lot cheaper than getting a service guy out!

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[Brian Gaff (Sofa)]

The thing is when you post from Home owners club all the external threading
goes for a Burton and we have no idea what you in fact did and quite often
no idea how many years ago the post was originally made either.
Brian

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"Tahlia" <1e367c81a9ece640...@example.com> wrote in message
news:16a08c18b6a181e7$1$1377474$4266...@news.newsgroupdirect.com...

[Scott]

I am boycotting Bosch after the kettle failed after 2.5 years and they
told me this was okay as the warranty is only for two years.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa)]

Now you see, that has not been my experience with vacuum cleaner bits. The
problem is, and this is universal, that if you were to make a whole unit
with spares a kettle would cost the best part of 200 quid and a vacuum
probably as much as a Meale or Dysan. grin.
In the end to get over the broken plastic spring on the back filter I used
two self tapping screws instead, having first checked the clearance and that
they would go nowhere near any electrical parts of course.
With Kettles though, often the makers name is just a badge. Kettles cannot
be repaired and are considered expendable, just like Toasters, where I'll
never buy another Tefal as they kept on breaking or bits fell off like
knobs.

Brian

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"Scott" <newsg...@gefion.myzen.co.uk> wrote in message
news:ipcuigl84ae9a61r4...@4ax.com...

[Vir Campestris]

On 01/09/2021 07:33, Brian Gaff (Sofa) wrote:
> The thing is when you post from Home owners club all the external threading
> goes for a Burton and we have no idea what you in fact did and quite often
> no idea how many years ago the post was originally made either.

Original thread started 6 years ago, latest update 1 year ago.

That's recent for Home Owner's Hub.

Andy

[Ann]

My dryer it keeps saying container and beeps what is it goes on for about ten minutes and say container

[Bob Eager]

On Sat, 02 Oct 2021 16:01:24 +0000, Ann wrote:

> My dryer it keeps saying container and beeps what is it goes on for
> about ten minutes and say container

Look back up the thread. I answered this three years ago (and the
question is even older).

[Rod Speed]

Ann <2ca6ed0cc8e54137...@example.com> wrote

> My dryer it keeps saying container and beeps what is it goes on for about
> ten minutes and say container

Try that again in english, even google translate doesn’t do gobbledegook
yet.

[Peeler]

On Sun, 3 Oct 2021 04:13:19 +1100, cantankerous trolling geezer Rodent
Speed, the auto-contradicting senile sociopath, blabbered, again:

<FLUSH the abnormal trolling senile cretin's latest trollshit unread>

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cretin's pathological trolling:
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[Bromptonaut]

Thanks for all this. Got up this morning to find my Serie 6 condenser dryer showing a spurious reservoir full message - it should drain directly to waste water pipe. Dismantled per instructions above. Pump runs freely but sensor covered in gunk. Cleaned up and mopped out the sump, re assembled and I think now all OK - water audibly draining.

[jjoki]

This helped a lot - googled widely to figure out where the damn pump/sensor is and actually took the machine quite a bit apart. Was slightly humbled to find that you can access the pump/sensor without having to open a single screw :)

My issue was not the pump, just that there was gunk in the sensor so it was always trigger the water full event.

[Davey]

On Fri, 10 Feb 2023 18:02:10 +0000
jjoki <447edd3861305f2a...@example.com> wrote:

> This helped a lot - googled widely to figure out where the damn
> pump/sensor is and actually took the machine quite a bit apart. Was
> slightly humbled to find that you can access the pump/sensor without
> having to open a single screw :)
>
> My issue was not the pump, just that there was gunk in the sensor so
> it was always trigger the water full event.
>

Ah, you mean that 'Empty Container' was an instruction instead of
descriptive information?
But after 8 years, does it really matter any more?
--
Davey.

[Animal]

On Wednesday, 1 September 2021 at 12:44:53 UTC+1, Brian Gaff (Sofa) wrote:
> Now you see, that has not been my experience with vacuum cleaner bits. The
> problem is, and this is universal, that if you were to make a whole unit
> with spares a kettle would cost the best part of 200 quid and a vacuum
> probably as much as a Meale or Dysan. grin.
> In the end to get over the broken plastic spring on the back filter I used
> two self tapping screws instead, having first checked the clearance and that
> they would go nowhere near any electrical parts of course.
> With Kettles though, often the makers name is just a badge. Kettles cannot
> be repaired and are considered expendable, just like Toasters, where I'll
> never buy another Tefal as they kept on breaking or bits fell off like
> knobs.
> Brian

An old post, but probably more relevant now than it was then. I find many kettles can be repaired with nothing more than a bit of furious waggling!

[Brian Gaff]

Well that probably depends on how they are designed these days I suppose. I
had heard so many stories about tumble driers that I never bothered to get
one. Its actually cheaper to dry cloths in a spare box room with a
dehumidifier in it.
Brian
Its a bit like Dishwashers, You have to clean a lot of the crud off first so
why bother?
Brian

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"Davey" <da...@example.invalid> wrote in message
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[SteveW]

On 11/02/2023 09:18, Brian Gaff wrote:
> Well that probably depends on how they are designed these days I suppose. I
> had heard so many stories about tumble driers that I never bothered to get
> one. Its actually cheaper to dry cloths in a spare box room with a
> dehumidifier in it.

Although if you have a heat pump tumble dryer and run it on the slower
eco programs, it is effectively a dehumidifier, with included tumbling
action.

[John Rumm]

On 11/02/2023 09:18, Brian Gaff wrote:

> Well that probably depends on how they are designed these days I suppose. I
> had heard so many stories about tumble driers that I never bothered to get
> one. Its actually cheaper to dry cloths in a spare box room with a
> dehumidifier in it.
> Brian

> Its a bit like Dishwashers, You have to clean a lot of the crud off first

old wives tale...

> so
> why bother?

You stick them in, push the button, they come out cleaner than if washed
by hand using less energy, water, and detergent. Why would you not bother?


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[Tim Lamb]

In message <ts8843$1e67v$2...@dont-email.me>, John Rumm
<see.my.s...@nowhere.null> writes

>On 11/02/2023 09:18, Brian Gaff wrote:
>> Well that probably depends on how they are designed these days I suppose. I
>> had heard so many stories about tumble driers that I never bothered to get
>> one. Its actually cheaper to dry cloths in a spare box room with a
>> dehumidifier in it.
>> Brian
>
>> Its a bit like Dishwashers, You have to clean a lot of the crud off
>>first
>
>old wives tale...
>
>> so
>> why bother?
>
>You stick them in, push the button, they come out cleaner than if
>washed by hand using less energy, water, and detergent. Why would you
>not bother?

My view. However, perhaps you would like to take this up with my wife
who is a rinser!

Very occasionally our Bosch dishwasher produces plates which have tiny
bits of crud baked to the surface. I have a vague theory this might be
caused by rapid re-use where the dishwasher is still hot from the
previous cycle.

Also I am banned from using the machine for glasses. To be fair, we have
had glasses go *milky* after a number of washes.
>
>

--
Tim Lamb

[Rod Speed]

Brian Gaff <brian...@gmail.com> wrote

> Well that probably depends on how they are designed these days I
> suppose. I
> had heard so many stories about tumble driers that I never bothered to
> get
> one.

I inherited one from my dad but have never used it.

> Its actually cheaper to dry cloths in a spare box room with a
> dehumidifier in it.

I dry clothes on the line outside, but then I'm not in a
soggy little frigid island off the west coast of europe.

> Its a bit like Dishwashers,

Nope, nothing like.

> You have to clean a lot of the crud off first

Bullshit you do.

> so
> why bother?

Because you don't.

[Peeler]

On Sun, 12 Feb 2023 03:50:18 +1100, cantankerous trolling geezer Rodent

Speed, the auto-contradicting senile sociopath, blabbered, again:

<FLUSH the abnormal trolling senile cretin's latest trollshit unread>

--

Tim+ about trolling Rodent Speed:
He is by far the most persistent troll who seems to be able to get under the
skin of folk who really should know better. Since when did arguing with a
troll ever achieve anything (beyond giving the troll pleasure)?
MID: <1421057667.659518815.743...@news.individual.net>

[Tim+]

Seems to happen with some very cheap glass and expensive lead crystal. Our
cheap wine glasses go through all the time with no issues.

Tim

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[farter]

On Sun, 12 Feb 2023 01:43:48 +1100, Tim Lamb <t...@marfordfarm.demon.co.uk>
wrote:

> In message <ts8843$1e67v$2...@dont-email.me>, John Rumm
> <see.my.s...@nowhere.null> writes
>> On 11/02/2023 09:18, Brian Gaff wrote:
>>> Well that probably depends on how they are designed these days I
>>> suppose. I
>>> had heard so many stories about tumble driers that I never bothered to
>>> get
>>> one. Its actually cheaper to dry cloths in a spare box room with a
>>> dehumidifier in it.
>>> Brian
>>
>>> Its a bit like Dishwashers, You have to clean a lot of the crud off
>>> first
>>
>> old wives tale...
>>
>>> so
>>> why bother?
>>
>> You stick them in, push the button, they come out cleaner than if
>> washed by hand using less energy, water, and detergent. Why would you
>> not bother?
>
> My view. However, perhaps you would like to take this up with my wife
> who is a rinser!
>
> Very occasionally our Bosch dishwasher produces plates which have tiny
> bits of crud baked to the surface. I have a vague theory this might be
> caused by rapid re-use where the dishwasher is still hot from the
> previous cycle.

Never get that with my Bosch.

> Also I am banned from using the machine for glasses. To be fair, we have
> had glasses go *milky* after a number of washes.

Never get that with any of my dishwashers except with one
particular detergent pellet. When I complained, got a full
refund and a year or two later got a free box of pellets after
they had fixed the problem with their formulation.

[SteveW]

I'm allowed to wash glasses in it, but she does object to car parts!

You actually have to be careful with car parts - we cleaned up parts of
a friend's SU carburettor in mine (before I was married) and it actually
stripped the chrome plating off the needle.

[Peeler]

On Sun, 12 Feb 2023 06:19:39 +1100, farter, better known as cantankerous
trolling senile geezer Rodent Speed, wrote:

<FLUSH the abnormal trolling senile cretin's latest trollshit unread>

--

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Rod Speed is an entirely modern phenomenon. Essentially, Rod Speed
is an insecure and worthless individual who has discovered he can
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https://www.pcreview.co.uk/threads/rod-speed-faq.2973853/