How To Replace The Carbon Brushes Of The Washing Machine Motor ?

How To Replace The Carbon Brushes Of The Washing Machine Motor? Carbon brushes play an important role in keeping your washing machine drum moving. Over time carbon brushes can become worn down which can stop the washing machine from turning, this is due to them being in continuous contact with the moving parts of the motor.

Washing Machine Motor Brushes Replacement

Washing machine carbon brushes transfer electricity to the armature of the motor.  The armature will then spin and the drum will turn via the drive belt.  Washing machine carbon brushes are spring loaded in order that they are always touching the motor armature.  Once they are worn to the point where contact is no longer possible the washing machine motor will not turn.

Of course there are other components including electronics that are also responsible for motor rotation but worn carbon brushes are one of the most common reason for your washing machine drum to stop turning and spinning.

How to tell if your carbon brushes are worn?

All carbon brushes will wear out eventually because they are in constant contact with the motors armature which turns many revolutions during even just one wash cycle.  Depending on how often the washing machine is used will obviously depend how long the carbon brushes will last.  When it comes to replacing your carbon brushes it is always a good idea to replace both, even if one isn’t completely worn.

In the below you can see the right hand carbon brush protruding from the black holder is worn to the point where electricity would be unable to pass to the armature, and therefore the motor wouldn’t turn.  The washing machine drum would simply stand idle throughout the wash cycle.  In contrast a perfectly good brush is pictured on the left side and has plenty of carbon protruding.

How To Replace The Carbon Brushes Of The Washing Machine Motor ?

1. It is necessary to disconnect the SM from the mains by pulling the plug out of the socket. The master removes the back or side cover. Questions about where the brushes are in the washing machine should not arise. They are located on the engine. The latter is usually installed under the drum, regardless of the brand and model of the device.

2. Next, you need to remove the drive belt. Unscrew all fasteners, disconnect the control board cable. The next step is to remove the engine. Be careful, as the engine may have additional clamps and fasteners.

3. It is recommended to check the motor with a multimeter for current leakage and short circuit. Especially if CMA is shockedduring operation. It is necessary to remove the carbon brushes, after disconnecting the power terminal.

4. Now the brushes of the electric motor of the washing machine are being replaced, the of which rarely reaches. We are talking about the original brushes, as it is not recommended to use cheaper “station wagons”.

5. There is a cheaper option – buy graphite rods and insert them into the clip yourself. To do this, you will need to remove the worn brushes, after remembering their position – the angle of inclination. When putting new brushes into the cartridge, a spring is first inserted, the brush wire is threaded through it, and then the graphite rod itself is inserted. The wiring must be soldered to the contact plate.

6. It does not hurt to wipe the contact plates of the armature, which are called lamellas.

ATTENTION! Never use coarse sandpaper. The copper plates of the armature will become covered with burrs, which will increase the consumption of brushes. Also, chips will get between the lamellas, which can lead to a short circuit.

7. Replacement of washing machine brushes is almost complete. It is enough to insert the clip into the holder and screw it onto the engine without confusing their position. Next, the engine is mounted and the brushes are lapped on the washing machine. For this, a strip of sandpaper is used, which is wrapped around the collector. The working side should look towards the brushes. The armature scrolls back and forth until the graphite rods take the optimal angle. Lapping the motor brushes will avoid unnecessary noise and sparking. After installing the engine, the drive belt tension is adjusted and the back cover is screwed on.

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