Is This Normal Or Have I Been Mis Sold?

[Redmbristol]

I have a beko washing machine which refused to spin. I looked it up on the Internet and decided the brushes were worn so I ordered new and my husband replaced them. That was about 6 weeks ago. The machine was only about 2 and a half years old. It had been well looked after and not abused washing wise.

I did a wash last week and I heard several loud bangs from the utility room, I went to see right away and there was burning and black smoke coming from the machine. I turned everything off and took the back off. The smoke was coming from the motor area. My husband looked and one of the new brushes was all burnt. He is confident he replaced them correctly and they were good replacements. He says they were arcing.

We brought more brushes, cleaned everything up but within 10 seconds of the machine starting smoke began to appear again. I guess the motor was damaged but it was worth a try before we ditched the machine.

My main querie is the machine , a beko wme 7267 was sold to me as a 7kg 1600 spin model, but when we took the back off it has 1400 rpm on the parts. I previously had a 1000 spin so I wouldn't have known if it was 1400 or 1600 by use as it was better than what I was used to.

Have I been mis sold or are 1600 machines just 'geared up' but use 1400 parts? I think I got it from the shop which is no longer trading anyway so if so wont be able to claim, not that they would have known unless they took the back off anyway. Or are beko at fault for supplying it wrongly badged, if it is?

Any help please would be appreciated. I have already got another machine on order. I am unhappy at ditching an otherwise immaculate machine but accept this, but if I have paid for a premium of having a 1600 and it is not what it seems surely that's fraud?

Thank you

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

In all cases I've known of, the same parts are used for washing machines of all spin speeds, which is something I've criticised in the past. A faster spinning model is subject to a lot more stress and strain, but the suspension and motor are usually just the same. The speed is usually set electronically. In the older days it used to be set by cutting a link on the module, these days it's more likely to be in the software. Hoover washing machines used to have a universal module which fitted 800, 1000 and 1200 RPM machines and when I needed to replace one I sometimes made it spin faster by cutting a different link.

[Redmbristol]

Thanks for the reply, I guess it's almost impossible to prove anything then, only that 1600 appeared in the LED display! Having recently had the expense of replacing a fridge/freezer and oven (why do all the appilances seem to die within months of eachother!) I opted for another cheapie Beko. i hope it's not complete madness and that i just had a rougue machine. i am happy with the range of options and the fact it has so many quick wash options, I can't wait 3 hours! However i have gone for only a 1200 spin this time and 8kg, intending to spin less in the summer and dry on the line and not fill to 8kg very often, i'd rather do 2 smaller washes for less strain.

Another question; I've never seen anything written in any manual but would doing a wash and then again another straight away do any harm? Do the parts (motor etc)get hot and need cooling down or 'resting' between washes, that's the only thing I can think of that I might have put extra strain on it this way, but like i said I've never read to leave 30 mins or so before using again.

Thoughts?

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

I always used to advise customers to give the washing machine a rest between washes but based purely on it making sense not to overwork something. I'm pretty sure they should stand 2 consecutive washes but it wouldn't be a bad idea to rest it in between if not inconvenient.