My washer / dryer has suddenly started tripping a 45amp circuit breaker midway through its spin cycle!

I recently replaced the carbon brushes to try and fix this because I saw them arcing one day (with the room lights off) and that has stopped the arcing on the motor, but it still persists in cutting out my houses breaker.

It doesn't trip the RCD, just the 45amp over-current breaker. Any ideas? I'm thinking maybe a shorted motor winding, but it's an expensive fix so any other theories before I invest in a new motor?

Thanks all!

Chris, September 2006

Ha!

New motor sorted this! Best £24 ever spent on ebay! :-D

Chris, October 2006

Guess what?

The machine is TICKING now when the motor runs... I'm thinking the commutator has a short which has thrown one of the copper plates out - 'ticking' off the brushes.

Either way, a new motor is on order!

Chris, October 2006

That's a whizzing idea!

I checked the drum and there doesn't seem to be any play on it at all... Also I'm thinking the chewed through element is unlikely given the problem occurs only on spin (when the element's not energised) and also doesn't trip the RCD on wash.

Removing the motor connection's a great idea though, that should tell me if it's switch / control related or the motor itself.

I'll let you know how I get on!

Chris, September 2006

hi try running through program with motor plug removed you will get no drum movement but it would tell you if its the motor or not another question is there any up or down movement on the drum if so bearings may have gone and the drum may have worn through the element

phil grimshaw, September 2006