Testing washing machine motor

[Gustav Fenk]

My 7-year-old Hoover washer-dryer's drum won't turn and I suspect it's either the type-P55 motor or it's control circuit-board at fault. I've taken the brushes out of the motor and they are quite worn and short but are still touching the commutator (3 Ohms resistance between the brushes) so I suspect that they are OK. The commutator has about 36 segments. Am I right in thinking that all 36 should not be in electrical continuity with each other? Just opposite pairs I thought? Well they are (again about 3 Ohms) - does this mean that the armature windings insulation has broken down and the motor is scrap? Thanks.

[Andy Dingley]

Test it with a "growler", which motor shops have, or you can make yourself. You're looking for loops, not comparing resistance.

[Peter Andrews]

I would definitely change the brushes first, they are only about £5, and solve 70% of Hoover WM problems in my experience.

Peter

[Andrew Gabriel]

BTW, don't try running the motor from the control board with no load. Don't know that machine specifically, but some washing machine motors will run fast enough to fly into pieces if run with no load.