Maytag washer electrical problem

Hi, Our Maytag Performa washer has developed a problem that seems to be getting worse. Everything works fine except for right after it fills the tub for the rinse cycle and normally, would spin the tub to eject the water, there is a humming coming from the washer, nothing moves, and after a few seconds, it shuts off. If you wait a few seconds, manually stop the cycle with the control button and start it again, it will them kick in and continue the cycle, and the rest of the other cycles. It has done this 3 times and each time, there is a electrical burning smell. I removed the front panel of the washer and the motor was pretty hot to the touch. I thought it might be the starter windings in the motor, so I replaced the motor, but that didn't make any difference and it still makes the humming and will not continue the cycle unless you do the steps outlined above. Is there some sort of relay or switch that could be causing this? I have a voltmeter and know how to use it, so if someone could help me troubleshoot it, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

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Sounds like the belt is slipping.

Reply to
PoCambo

Update: It is not the belt. I removed the belt and tested it and it still does it. While watching the motor and operating the control knob, when you turn it on, the motor will quickly rotate just a touch, them stop and hum. If you repeatedly turn off/on the control knob, sometimes there's a click, then the motor starts up. No click = the motor hums. The humming and the click are both coming from the motor and not from the control knobs area up on top. It sounds to me like some sort of relay or switch is sticking or not operating. Like I posted before, I tried a new motor (as in brand new, not rebuilt) and it did exactly the same thing. Any ideas? Thanks again

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Sounds like it's just not starting. I bet if you try to move it manually, keeping your hands out of danger, it will start and run just fine until the power shuts it off again.

If there's an external motor starting capacitor, that's probably bad. If there isn't, and the motor uses an additional winding inside, then either the winding has gone bad or the centrifugal switch on the motor shaft is not working properly. It should be closed when the motor is stopped, and then will open when the motor spins up to speed.

There could also be a motor starting relay somewhere, at or near the motor starting capacitor. These are certainly cheaper than the motor, and probably easier to change. While there are ways to check these components, replacement is probably faster and cheaper.

off/on the control

motor hums. The

or not operating.

Reply to
Bob M.

Thanks for the reply. I replaced the motor with a new one and it didn't make a difference. I haven't tried to manually move it while it hums since there's no safe spot to put my hands to give it a push. When I replaced the motor, all I had to do was unplug and unbolt it. There were no external capacitors or relays in the vicinity of the motor. If something internally is wrong with the old motor, it's a helluva long shot that the exact thing would be wrong with the new motor, I would think. Any other ideas? Thanks again.

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didn't make a difference.

the motor. If something

A problem in the washer's timer *might* cause such a condition but it would depend on the design of actual Maytag model you have. Can you determine that from the washer's electrical schematic?

Dan O.

- Appliance411.com

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manually,

shaft is not

click = the

humming

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Dan O.

Well, I've been tinkering with it and it ONLY 'stalls' and hums right after filling the tub for the rinse cycle and then going into the drain cycle. All other cycles operate normally. With my wife operating the control knob, I took a small piece of wood and 'helped' the motor turn the belt while it was humming, as Bob suggested earlier.. As soon as I started pushing on the belt, the motor started. This is starting to really aggravate me since it does this with a new motor as well as the old one. Is there anyway of checking the control knob for proper operation? Thanks again in advance.

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The control (aka timer) can be checked for proper operation by looking at the wiring diagram and 'timing chart' on that diagram and checking to make sure each timer contact is opening and closing when they should.

Dan O.

- Appliance411.com

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repeatedly

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Dan O.

removed the

it might be

Have you eliminated "transmission" or other mechanical problems? Sounds almost like something is "catching" or binding up and increasing the torque required to rotate the tub. Might even be a shattered or "dry" bearing.

Can you pull the power cord out of the wall at the point of the stall and try turning the motor pulley by hand to see if you get high resistance to turning, followed by something "snapping "loose and letting it turn freely.

There might be something hanging up in the "shifter" mechanism which directs the motor power to the agitator or the tub spin.

Good luck,

Jeff

-- Jeff Wisnia (W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"If you can keep smiling when things go wrong, you've thought of someone to place the blame on."

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Jeff Wisnia

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