Widl126 Motor Weak At Low Speed

[fruittool]

Hi, i can hold the spindle of the motor still with my fingers when its on a wash or rinse. The machine is about five years old but has been treated well. So far ive checked the brushes which are so new the face still hasn't worn completely in and cleaned the commutator but it made no difference.

Online reading suggests the motor is generally worn but i can't understand how a motor can go just go weak at low speed. While spinning i can hear it back off as it reaches full speed.

Im sure it would go at low speed if there was slightly more energy from the speed controller.

Thanks if you can help.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

It could be a fault in the motor but a faulty control module (or PCB) can cause the same. I wouldn't guess, could work out expensive if wrong.

[fruittool]

Thanks Andy. Armed with a multimeter, is there any way i can determine whether it be motor or controller?

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Not normally unfortunately.

[edhorwood]

I spent months trying to get my motor to perform properly. I was changing brushes regularly. There are separate windings for the normal speed and spin. In the end, I just bought a new motor which made me see the difference. Incredible is the word. I had to modify the wiring as stated in the box, because it was a universal motor for old/new machines. However thank goodness I noticed they showed the wires back to front. If I wired it as the instructions stated, it would have probably burned out the motor and the control board.

[fruittool]

Yes, i have seen while doing my research that there is two versions of the powerboard. Mine has circuitry for the extra wire but no components, the motor plug has the extra wire from the powerboard but, the motor hasn't got the extra wire.

Anyhoo, i took another look at the motor erlier, where i had cleaned the commutator all but two of the segments had gone dark from heat during testing. Testing between one of the clean segments and the one next to it, with a multimeter set to resistance, showed about 9 ohm but all the others were around 1 ohm. Obviously its gone open circuit. With nothing to loose i've picked off the varnish below the segment and there was the wire, broken. I've soldered the ends together and it's working. I think it might be a bit dangerous like this though so now im off to source another motor having located the problem.

Thanks

[edhorwood]

I don't like doing that job because where the wires have to be soldered to the commutator, the solder often runs onto the segments which will wear the brushes in no time. I usually wrap selotape around the commutator before soldering, then clean off any glue residue. Did you also get a sharp implement and gently scrape between the segments? sometimes a lot of carbon build up in those can cause a short.

[fruittool]

Woah, that was quick, thanks. Yes, when i cleaned the commutator i used the broken end of a thin hacksaw blade to clean the gaps.

Would it be ok to use solder here as a permanent fix?

See, I work with computer hardware so i have good soldering skills and a steady hand but, as the voltage a washing machine runs on is is a different beast. Well, with computer stuff you only need to worry about a bit of smoke or maybe a burned finger.

[edhorwood]

yes the solder is fine as long as it hasn't spread over the commutator segments.