Washing Machine Main Motor Infos Required

You might be able to glean some info from the the following site: www.repairclinic.com. They sell OEM & aftermarket repair parts for all sorts of household appliances. It doesn't give a lot of technical specs for the parts, but for example I looked up washers -> motor -> Frigidaire (for example) and clicked on a motor for a model in the list. When I clicked to enlarge the photo of the replacement motor, you could read the voltage and current, and at least see how many wires went to the connecting plug:

http://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/Motor/134156400/958670

You'd have to spend some time exploring various categories and models, but you could at least get some info. You should explore the rest of the site too - there is a "Get Repair Help" tab that was too slow to open for me right now, but may have additional info. Other than that, you would need to get service manuals.

Yes , this IS a great Hobby!

Aside:

[It is also something I was very interested in as to how washing machines (top loaders) manage forward and backward oscillation/agitation during wash and rinse cycle given that they are cheap single direction single speed AC motors!

The trick was in the transmission. A service manual for washing machine showed vertical "orbital" gears and a yoke mounted off center in the vertical orbital gear which in effect ignored the up and down portion of the gear's motion and only transmitted the forward and backward component of rotating motion through the yoke spindle, forward and backward to the agitator!]

I have the manuals if you can be emailed? Don't know what specs they put on how to drive the motor though? there is a motor shcematic.

Can you post a link to your yahoo group?

I will send you my email address via the CR4 email system.

You need to join Yahoo blogs, then look for "PICAXE_DIY_CONTROLLERS", I will post a link but it will only work properly if you are a member I believe. Try it:-

http://tech.dir.groups.yahoo.com/dir/Computers___Internet

Type in "picaxe" in the box and all blogs with the word PICAXE in the name will be shown. As I am already a member, it works slightly different for me maybe. But then look down the list for mine. You will need to join at some point, think up a good name and a password, its all free!!! Lots of great stuff for DIYers like us!

Thanks for your interest. Keep in touch for any queries that I may help with.....not that I am fully up to speed yet myself!!

Here's a sequence chart and schematic from a 30 year old Kenmore, manufactured by Whirlpool, I think. It had the belt drive, but the one I replaced it with last year (yep, bad timer!) is direct drive. 110v/60Hz/?A

My 1987 model belt and gearbox driven Simpson (Oz) still "works". Needs a new solenoid valve is all...have the bits can't be bothered to fix it coz I was given a very nice modern PIC controlled machine by a mate about a year ago that is quieter and uses a lot less juice to run.

The new one is gravity draining which means it needs a floor drain to work. The old one pumped out which made it easier to salvage the waste water if required.

A hobby you reckon? A business in custom chipping (performance tuned washer) could be on the cards....where's the OBD2 port on my new washer??

Andy, have you gone mad ? It's not even the weekend.

I have several chums in the DAPS game, but you'll have to give more info before I ask them.

How do I identify one motor type from another?

How do I identify the leads?

It's indecent to laugh this bad on Friday

Giving new life to stuff is great, but this will end up costing more than a new one. When you move this to the skip, tilt it toward the soap tray (circuit board is usually on the other side), so some 'crazy German' has half a chance of playing with it.

I'll check the link, but I have to stop laughing first. "Vorsprung durch Tecnik"

Although it would be great to have an extra working washing machine at the end of the day (my present one is still working fine!), my main aim is to:-

1) Learn more about interfacing PICs to everyday objects, broken or not

2) I have seen washing machines "repaired" in this way several times by friends, one used a Nascom 2 in 1980, one used an old PC around 1985 and several have done it more recently with Atmegs and other controllers, but I have never seen it done with a PICAXE - yet!

A washing machine needs more "know-how" than any other machine generally found in homes I feel (I am fully prepared to be wrong on that point if you know better!), but I am also planning to make digital clocks, alarm clocks with atomic clock input and several other simpler things as well......

HEY, cut the man some slack.

One can never have too many functioning washing machines. It seems like I am replacing the washer every time I use it to clean any auto parts. I wish I could get the grease rinsed out after a cleaning a set of control arms. And the smell stays forever after using carburetor cleaner in them. Does anyone make a basket that will not chip to death with cylinder heads in them?

I am all for the repairing of machines. How about using the exhaust from the cloths dryer to dry the dishes, or the dog(after a bath). Hell why not use the dryer exhaust to dry myself off after a shower? ...... The ideas seem endless.

LOL!

Now there are some new ideas!!!

Hey, he may reside in sausage-land, but I know he still has a sense of humour, and probably even eats tomato ketchup (and baked beans when he can get them)!

When my washing machines go bust, I keep the glass bowl things. Don't ask why, it's a fetish. If you have a goldfish pond, you can invert the things and 'goldy' can come up above water level for a peek. If this works, please tell me. The theory is good, but the look on my MIL's face won't be. SCORE !