A Speed Queen TC5 top-load washer that keeps filling with water when it is switched off, or fills slowly without being asked, has a water inlet valve that is not closing fully, and it is worth acting on because the water can overflow. The TC5 is a commercial-style washer with a simple, durable design, and its fill valve is a solenoid that opens when the control tells it to and closes under spring pressure. When grit, scale or a worn seat stops the valve closing, water seeps through, filling the tub even when the machine is off, and in some cases the washer will run a drain when it senses too much water.
The checks in more detail
To check, turn the washer off, turn off the water supply at the taps behind the machine and see whether the water stops; if the tub stops filling, the valve is leaking by. There are simple steps. Turn off the water and unplug the washer. Pull the washer forward and unscrew the hoses at the back, and check the little mesh screens in the inlet ports for grit and scale, which stop the valve seating. Clean them with a soft brush and flush the valve lightly with the hose off.
Check that the fill hoses are not kinked. If the valve is clean and still leaks, the valve itself must be replaced, a modest part that fits behind the cabinet, which a technician or a confident owner can fit, following the manual. Replacing both screens with the new valve helps. When you turn the water back on, check for drips at the hose connections. Keep the taps off when the washer is not in use if the valve has a history of leaking, or fit a flood protection hose.
Water pressure that is very high can cause valves to leak by, so measure it at a tap, and fit a pressure regulator if it is above the limit in the manual. Watch for signs of overflow, such as a wet floor, and dry any spills quickly. If the tub keeps filling after the water is off, a drain hose siphon may be the cause, so check the hose height and loop. Contact Speed Queen or a service company with the model and serial number if you are not sure. Do not leave the washer running with a valve that does not close.
Differential
Likely causes of “Speed Queen TC5 classic-clean top-load washer fills with water while turned off”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A fill valve that does not close fully
What separates it Water seeps in when off
How to confirm Clean the inlet screens, then replace the valve if it leaks
- 2
Grit or scale in the inlet screens
What separates it The valve cannot seat
How to confirm Clean the screens
- 3
High water pressure
What separates it The valve leaks by
How to confirm Fit a pressure regulator
- 4
A drain hose that siphons
What separates it The tub empties and refills
How to confirm Set the hose height and loop
- 5
A worn valve seat
What separates it Slow filling at all times
How to confirm Replace the valve
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether the water stops with the taps off
- The water pressure
- The state of the screens
- Whether the hose siphons
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedTurn off the taps
ReversibleAnd see if filling stops.
Unplug and pull the washer out
ReversibleCarefully.
Clean the inlet screens
ReversibleOf grit and scale.
Check the hoses
ReversibleFor kinks and leaks.
Replace the valve
ReversibleIf it still leaks.
Check the water pressure
ReversibleAnd the drain hose.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Solenoid valve
- It opens on command and closes by spring.
- Taps
- Turn them off if the valve leaks.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the valve leaks after cleaning, replace it or call a technician
- !Turn the taps off when the washer is unused
- !Contact Speed Queen with the model number
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does my TC5 fill when off?+
The fill valve does not close fully.
Can I clean it?+
Start with the inlet screens.
Is it urgent?+
Yes, it can overflow.
Who replaces the valve?+
A technician or a confident owner.