Electrical appliance experts: motor or capacitor?
 

Sitting with my gal as she recuperates from surgery, I discovered a dead washer: motor just hums.

Took it all apart and found if the motor is powered by the washer it'll hum but not spin. If I give it a little twist with my hand, the motor will take off spinning but otherwise will just sit there and him. This is with the motor uninstalled on the ground next to the washer, still powered by the washer's harness, downstream from the capacitor.

The capacitor Ohms out so its not "dead" but have no way to know if it's spitting out enough juice to turn the motor: appears not OR the motor's too worn to start up. Opinions?

Don't want to throw unreturnable parts at it just hoping....

She loves this washer but no repairmen available any time soon. Thoughts?

My old school washer has a centrifugal switch that turns off the start winding when it is up to speed. Does this one start that way?

Sounds like a suspect cap. Cheap enough to replace and see.

No this is a newer direct-drive washer with a multi-speed motor, starts with a capacitor

Fick, this is my inclination: $45

Our washer did the same thing, except that along with the humming sound the tub would rock ever so slightly. Twenty-bucks, fifteen minutes and one rotor position sensor later and it was up and running.
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Pictures would help.

FWIW, I've had a similar washer motor problem that was a bad (burnt) power connector. --just one of the multi-pins goes, and there will not be enough juice.

Are you sure there is no centrifugal switch? When you spin it and it comes up to speed do you hear a click?

Don't know that much about them but it seems like a Permanent-split capacitor motor would not develop enough starting torque.

Crap, $50 and a new Capacitor later, it works worse than before, although an electrician at the supply store "verified" that my old capacitor was bad with his special meter. Nice.

Google ' eappliancerepair' enter your washer model/info - then there is a frequent parts fail category or enter your symptoms. The results are based on % likely things to fail with that model, then you can purchase directly from them. I've used it several times with great results.

go online and get the schematic for your washer and look to see if it has a start relay. check that to see if the relay works with power.

Sorry to hear that! Wish I could buy you a beer, as I feel I cost you $50 now!

no worries Fick, the electrician at the parts places "tested" it with his more elaborate hand-held meter: he too said it was bad, though for some reason it starts even worse than before: Here's the video I took with the original capacitor:

https://youtu.be/SFe4Fydc054

Mark

Over a dozen posts in and, unless I missed it, we still don't know a make and model.
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Sorry, 2007 Whirlpool WTW5540SQ0 Washer.

Hear that click as it starts?

How about this? Direct Drive Washer Motor Help | Appliance Aid

that click could have been the motor jumping off the ground on a tile floor: unsure.

I'll run those motor continuity tests tonight if time allows. thanks Rick :)

Mark

wiring dia
http://www.pwslaundry.com/files/docs/maytag-whirlpool/Service-and-Wiring-8578911-Rev-B.pdf

I bought a new motor: another electrician there explained that if the cap was replaced yet is still bad, then the motors "starter windings" had been compromised & the motor was bad. Since I couldn't return the $80 in parts I had already tested, I opted for the $195 new motor (from Whirlpool). Sigh.

Probably a good idea since the centrifical switch by itself is $60

Now hope it is not the timer that routes the current through the start winding to determine direction.