Washing Machine Motors

Posted by Ulysses on November 25, 2008, 7:07 pm

> > Anyone have any links showing how washing machine motors work? =A0I hav=

e a

> > Kenmore that's perhaps 10 years old and the motor will sometimes run,
> > sometimes just buzz. =A0There is some kind of switch thingy attached to=

the

> > wiring harness that looks sorta like a micro switch. =A0There is a mech=

anism

> > with two springs attached that I think has something to do with getting
> > the
> > motor started. =A0I can't find a model number on the washer and the par=

> > number on the motor doesn't work on Sear's website.
> > I've searched but so far have not found any general descriptions of was=

her

> > motors. =A0The mechanism appears to be similar to my swimming pool pump
> > motor
> > which just need to be cleaned and lubed when it got stuck.
> > Thanks.

> From the language of your post, you're over your head here dude, call in =

> repair guy....how do you know the problem is the motor?- Hide quoted text=

> - Show quoted text -

The problem seems to be either the motor itself or the switch that is
attached to the motor. If I detach the switch and push it while power
is applied to the motor the motor runs just fine. It pulses and makes
noise if the switch is not pushed in. It seems like there must be
some kind of cam that the lever on the switch rides on but I can't see
or feel one and the motor looks like it was designed to not be taken
apart. I now have the gearbox detached from the motor and the problem
is still the same so that kinda narrows it down. The lever on the
switch does not appear to be worn but I'm not sure what it used to
look like so it's likely it is worn judging from it's behaviour.

BTW I'm using Google cause my NG Server has not updated this group
since 5/07! Gotta get a new server...

Posted by Bob on November 25, 2008, 10:06 pm

Ulysses wrote:

> Anyone have any links showing how washing machine motors work? I have a
> Kenmore that's perhaps 10 years old and the motor will sometimes run,
> sometimes just buzz. There is some kind of switch thingy attached to the
> wiring harness that looks sorta like a micro switch. There is a mechanism
> with two springs attached that I think has something to do with getting the
> motor started.

The mechanism with two springs is a centrifugal switch. The motor has
two sets of windings. One is energized when the motor starts. Once
it's spinning fast enough to activate the centrifugal mechanism, it in
turn activates the microswitch to energize the "run" windings. A common
problem with these motors is the centrifugal mechanism getting clogged
with lint. Clean out the dust and lint with compressed air to see if
that fixes the motor.

Posted by on November 25, 2008, 10:21 pm

>Ulysses wrote:

>> Anyone have any links showing how washing machine motors work? I have a
>> Kenmore that's perhaps 10 years old and the motor will sometimes run,
>> sometimes just buzz. There is some kind of switch thingy attached to the
>> wiring harness that looks sorta like a micro switch. There is a mechanism
>> with two springs attached that I think has something to do with getting the
>> motor started.

>The mechanism with two springs is a centrifugal switch. The motor has
>two sets of windings. One is energized when the motor starts. Once
>it's spinning fast enough to activate the centrifugal mechanism, it in
>turn activates the microswitch to energize the "run" windings. A common
>problem with these motors is the centrifugal mechanism getting clogged
>with lint. Clean out the dust and lint with compressed air to see if
>that fixes the motor.

The "run" winding is permanently connected. The "start" switch
connects the start winding untill the motor comes up to latching speed
- then it disconnects. If the start switch does not make contact only
the run winding is energized, and the poor motor does not know which
way to turn and is incapable of producing any starting torque - so it
just buzzes.

Posted by Mark on November 26, 2008, 10:30 am

On Nov 25, 10:21=A0pm, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:

> >Ulysses wrote:

> >> Anyone have any links showing how washing machine motors work? =A0I ha=

ve a

> >> Kenmore that's perhaps 10 years old and the motor will sometimes run,
> >> sometimes just buzz. =A0There is some kind of switch thingy attached t=

o the

> >> wiring harness that looks sorta like a micro switch. =A0There is a mec=

hanism

> >> with two springs attached that I think has something to do with gettin=

g the

> >> motor started.

> >The mechanism with two springs is a centrifugal switch. =A0The motor has
> >two sets of windings. =A0One is energized when the motor starts. =A0Once
> >it's spinning fast enough to activate the centrifugal mechanism, it in
> >turn activates the microswitch to energize the "run" windings. =A0A comm=

> >problem with these motors is the centrifugal mechanism getting clogged
> >with lint. =A0Clean out the dust and lint with compressed air to see if
> >that fixes the motor.

> The "run" winding is permanently connected. The "start" switch
> connects the start winding untill the motor comes up to latching speed
> - then it disconnects. If the start switch does not make contact only
> the run winding is energized, and the poor motor does not know which
> way to turn and is incapable of producing any starting torque - so it
> just buzzes.- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -

yes, the start switch should be ON when the motor is stopped.. this
connects the start winding... when you apply power, power flows
through the start switch contacts to the start winding... when the
motor starts spinning, some weights should move the start switch to
OFF and disconnect the start winding.

without the start winding the motor will hum but will not start and
will probably overheat in a short time... or you can start it by
hand as a test....

with the start winding temporarily connected, the motor will start.

if you do not disconnect the start winding once the motor starts, it
will overheat in a short time.

the start winding pulls a lot of power to get the motor started but is
not designed to be on full time

(this is a simplifed explination leaving out the part about the phase
offset)

Mark

Posted by Ulysses on November 28, 2008, 2:49 pm

> On Nov 25, 10:21=A0pm, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:

> > >Ulysses wrote:
> > >> Anyone have any links showing howwashingmachinemotors work? =A0I hav=

e a

> > >> Kenmore that's perhaps 10 years old and themotorwill sometimes run,
> > >> sometimes just buzz. =A0There is some kind of switch thingy attached=

to the

> > >> wiring harness that looks sorta like a micro switch. =A0There is a m=

echanism

> > >> with two springs attached that I think has something to do with gett=

ing the

> > >>motorstarted.
> > >The mechanism with two springs is a centrifugal switch. =A0Themotorhas
> > >two sets of windings. =A0One is energized when themotorstarts. =A0Once
> > >it's spinning fast enough to activate the centrifugal mechanism, it in
> > >turn activates the microswitch to energize the "run" windings. =A0A co=

mmon

> > >problem with these motors is the centrifugal mechanism getting clogged
> > >with lint. =A0Clean out the dust and lint with compressed air to see i=

> > >that fixes themotor.

> > The "run" winding is permanently connected. The "start" switch
> > connects the start winding untill themotorcomes up to latching speed
> > - then it disconnects. If the start switch does not make contact only
> > the run winding is energized, and the poormotordoes not know which
> > way to turn and is incapable of producing any starting torque - so it
> > just buzzes.- Hide quoted text -
> > - Show quoted text -

> yes, the start switch should be ON when themotoris stopped.. this
> connects the start winding... =A0 when you apply power, power flows
> through the start switch contacts to the start winding... =A0when themoto=

rstarts spinning, some weights should move the start switch to

> OFF and =A0disconnect the start winding.
> without the start winding themotorwill hum but will not start and
> will probably overheat in a short time... =A0 or you can start it by
> hand as a test....
> with the start winding temporarily connected, themotorwill start.
> if you do not disconnect the start winding once themotorstarts, it
> will overheat in a short time.
> the start winding pulls a lot of power to get themotorstarted but is
> not designed to be on full time
> (this is a simplifed explination leaving out the part about the phase
> offset)
> Mark- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -

From what you are saying these problems could be caused by a bad
switch or stuck centrifugal weights. It also sounds like I need to
understand "phase offset" in order to really understand what's wrong
here. I know a little about phases when applied to 240VAC and
generators but my mind is a blank when it comes to 120VAC.

Meanwhile, back to my search for a switch....

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Washing Machine Motors - Page 4