drive belt in my Hotpoint “WMBF-944 washing machine disintegrated

[Bizzo]

The drive belt in my Hotpoint “WMBF-944 washing machine disintegrated while operating.  The flailing bits of belt broke all of the wires going to the heater element.  While attempting to repair the broken wires I noted there seemed to be an unused earth spade on the (3-phase induction) motor casing.  The wiring loom has only a single green-yellow earth wire and this is connected to the earth terminal of the heater element. There is NO other earth wire in the loom or anywhere else for attaching to the motor casing earth spade.  However, the wiring loom contains two brown wires – one of which is attached to the heater element.  The second brown wire was broken and has a female terminal end.  There are two thin blue wires for the heater element thermal sensor.  That leaves one terminal post of the heater element with no wire to attach to it – except for a second brown wire!  I cannot believe the washing machine was produced (2 years ago) with two brown wires attached to the heater element – OR – alternatively a brown wire attached to the earth spade of the motor casing, which of course I have no intention of doing.  What am I not seeing here?  Help!

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Hello there. Components with metal casings usually have an earth connection. However, if such a part is connected to a plastic part or is otherwise isolated from the plastic part by plastic fixings there is usually no need for an earth wire. In the past washing machine motors were always earthed because they were fixed to metal outer tubs. But these days almost all of the outer tubs are made of plastic and therefore the motor is totally isolated and not needing earthing.

I have never heard of heating element with two brown wires. Brown is obviously live. So there is normally a brown wire on one heating element connector, and a blue wire on the opposite and because the heating element is metal and submerged in the water it must be earthed so there is a yellow and green earth wire. A photo might be useful. You should be able to easily attach a photo.