Siemens washer dryer - spinning causes electricity to trip

[volkist]

Hi folks,
Siemens washer dryer (model wk14d541gb) caused electricity to trip for the first time yesterday. Everything was okay during the last wash cycle and towards the end of spinning the problem occured. Now, when the machine tries to spin, a strange noise comes and the electricity trips. Please see the video I uploaded to YouTube:

You can hear the noise. The noise is there even when I manually spin it when the machine is off. Could you please let me know what the issue may be and how I may sort it out? Many thanks in advance!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The two issues, may not be connected....

The noise, might be drum bearings, or something (bra-wire?) trapped between inner and outer drums.

The tripping, might be due to carbon, from wear of the motor brushes. Try brushing it out and/or blowing it out with compressed air.

 

[volkist]

Hi Harry, many thanks for your reply. Looks like the cause of the problem is the carbon brushes. They both came out as broken. Please see the picture. I ordered new ones and will fit them and try when they arrive. Is it normal that the brushes are broken after a while, or does broken brushes point to another problem?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Is it normal that the brushes are broken after a while, or does broken brushes point to another problem?

I have never seen anything other than black, carbon brushes, so really I have no idea on that. Normally, brushes simply wear down, until they fail to make proper contact with the comm, and the motor stops working. Sometimes, the carbon released from the brushes, causes a short to the body of the motor, causing the RCD to trip.

Your photo appears to suggest a blue brush, which is a double brush in each brush holder. Perhaps someone else might have come across that type of brush, and could comment?

 

[volkist]

Many thanks, Harry. I ordered the exact same part with the broken carbons. The brand new ones look like they have longer pieces of carbon brushes. I am considering to have a go installing the new set and running the machine. Meanwhile, if experienced people with broken carbon brushes are around, please let me know what your experience was for diagnosing and sorting out the issue.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I am considering to have a go installing the new set and running the machine.

While you are in there, worthwhile seeing if you can blow the carbon dust out.

 

[pto]

don,t bother as the motor has had it you will be throwing your new carbons away if you try them

 

[volkist]

I have just installed the new brushes and wanted to give a slow turn to the motor by hand. It turned fine and silent until it reached to one of the small plates the carbon brushes touch. Please see the picture, it looks like the metal piece came towards outside which explains why the old brushes were broken. In this case, I think my option is to buy a new motor. Please let me know your opinions, thanks in advance!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I think my option is to buy a new motor. Please let me know your opinions, thanks in advance!

Yep, time for a new motor, that one has flung a segment of the comm..

 

[securespark]

This is very common with rotary machines.

The spinning makes the electricity dizzy and it confuses the RCD or RCBO and it consequently trips.











(Joke)

 

[assuhors]

Those carbon brushes are laminated and have been taken apart by the raised segment of the faulty armature.

 

[volkist]

I replaced the motor with a new one, and the machine works OK again. Thanks a lot everyone for your insights.