Apologies if this is the wrong group!
I'm wondering if anyone could help me troubleshoot my Maytag Neptune washer:
It is a Maytag Neptune MAH7500AWW (LCD control panel). Note that it DOES NOT use the wax motor on the door lock - our model uses a solenoid. Also, our machine has already had the motor/motor control board upgrade.
We had the spinner seal failure with ruined bearings and I replaced the bearings and seal. It ran fine for about a week, then started leaving wet clothes at end of cycle with a notice on the LCD that the machine did not spin. It seems to be detecting (what I believe is a false) out of balance condition and repeatedly trying to redistribute the clothes. It does this with no clothes in the machine.
I've tested all of the external out-of-balance (OOB) switches for proper operation and connections. I also tested with a wire shunt, taking the switches out of the circuit, to make sure the problem wasn't any of these switches. I happen to have an extra motor control board so I swapped that in...did not fix the problem.
I read that the control board monitors feedback from the motor as an additional check for an OOB condition. If I run a cycle or the quick spin test in service mode and watch the drive monitor numbers (RPM, Torque, Unbalance) I see that the Unbalance number hovers around 20 or
30 from 0 to about 90 RPM. Above that, the Unbalance number suddenly kicks up to around 140/150 and the motor shudders, but still accelerates. At about 400 RPM the Unbalance number drops back down and stays there all the way up to 1000 RPM. I took the motor out and reran the test - it runs smoothly until around 100 RPM then jerks and shudders until around 400.
Since I've replaced the motor control board, I'm thinking there are only two other possibilities: the main control board or the motor itself. I've checked for continuity at the motor terminals - there are three connections going to the windings, with good continuity among them, two leading to the tach windings, likewise good, and one ground to motor chassis. The shaft spins freely with no binding.
I've read that a defective winding could cause motor jerking, but why would it only happen during certain RPM's, and wouldn't I be able to see an open with my ohmmeter?
Could the problem be in the main control board, or do I need a new motor?
Thanks!