what can cause a motor to blow?

[Anonymous]

I have a speedqueen SC27 FL with a fried winding (the high speed one) on the motor. What can cause this? I just purchased this mat and I'm a bit leery of putting the rebuilt motor back in, without knowing why the windings got charred.

Any likely causes other than water getting in the motor or the motor just plain getting old and failing?

Should I be replacing the contactors or the overload protector at the same time?

Thanks for any advice,

John

[MSKLAUNDRY.]

Many possible causes for a single phase motor to fail.

Among them are...

water damage
sticking centrifuge switch
bad caps
running the washer with a clogged drain.
having it spin in the wrong direction (for certain types of machine)
A bad contactor.
A sticking wash/spin contactor without a mechanical interlock and/or electrical interlock.

Just to name a few.

Whenever you replace or rebuild a motor you should replace the contactors as well, most people do not.

BTW: When you had the motor rewound did you also bring the motor caps to the motor place so they could check them to see if they are ok.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I'll go ahead and replace the contactors.

How do I test the caps? Do I assume that if they don't show a short with an ohmmeter that they are ok?

Thanks again,

John

[Anonymous]

Duh, ok I just read the last line of your post about the caps.

I haven't taken the motor in for rebuilding yet, I guess I'll take the caps with me and ask them to test them out as well.

- John

[Ken]

most place will put a set of new bearing after they rebuild but some don't.ASK THEM PUT NEW BEARINGS IN!

[pete f]

I spent 1k on the same machine last year, same problem. I am not sure of what might have caused it, but the repairman fixed it. I do almost everything myself, but when it comes to serious money and the big iron, I hire it out. I hope you do ok with your repair.

[Anonymous]

I was quoted about $380 for a motor rebuild, $780 for a new motor. I figure I can do a rebuild twice for the price of the new one, so I'll give it a shot.

Getting the beast out was actually pretty easy after taking the side panel off the machine.
Good thing it wasn't the machine sandwiched in between two others - that job would really suck.

I'll keep you posted after I get the motor rebuilt/reinstalled.

I'll be very nervous the first time I fire it up again :)

[TTLES]

ALWAYS Replace : contactors, sinpac switch. Check capacitors, conectors, and wiring. Check extract direction and wash pick up direction(MUST be the same as extract direction.) Beleive it or not, this motor comes out from the back of the washer. We have seen a lot of bad capacitors on these. AGAIN....ALWAYS replace the simpac.

[Anonymous]

Is the sinpac the 'solid state switch'? I'd never heard of a 'sinpac' before.

Thanks again for the advice,

John

[MSKLAUNDRY.]

Yes it is but I doubt your washer has it.

[Anonymous]

Actually it does have it. Last night I pulled the tray of caps, later this week will take in the motor to be rebuilt and the caps to be tested.

I can't stand having a machine down !

- John

[KJD]

I can't stand having a machine down !

- John

Better get used to it, it is part of the business.
Just start stockpiling some common parts so when something breaks you can fix a machine quickly without waiting for parts to arrive.