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Per earlier posts the washer fills with water but when its time to agitate or spin it just buzzes or humms. I pulled the motor and it looks fine and measured ohms per the specs and all good. Everything on washer is free spinning so I'm trying to locate a start capacitor with no luck. There are a set of points under the motor plug cover or actually sets of point and a centrifugal switch? At least I think and when its moves it opens points and closes some. The first set of points is burnt and looks like it is closed all the time? Also a white wire from switch on motor goes to a flat rectangular part or something. That's where I'm at now.
Banjomaniac
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The one set of contacts that connects to the outer plug terminals is the start winding switch. It stays closed until the motor has started, then the start winding is disconnected. It is only used for starting. Make sure you have good continuity across this switch. The other set of contacts changes the motor speed if low speed has been selected. The part that the white wire goes to is the motor thermal overload switch. The white wire is neutral and there should be another white wire coming off the other side of the overload switch. That wire goes into the motor housing and connects to the two run windings and the white/black wire which comes back out to the connector.
Eric
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OK, the one that is burnt and closed must be the start set so I will check to see how the connection is. I tried to find that plug with all the contacts online but no luck but it might be fine. I might try to clean up that one set of points and see if it marked any difference. I guess if that is the start point set then I can trace the wire from there and figure out where the capacitor is located. I only had about 5 minutes yesterday between work and leaving to look at it, I pulled the back off the dryer section trying to trace wires running from that plug but at a glance didn't see the capacitor. According to the schematic, the red wire comes off the capacitor so I don't know. I will be back Sunday evening and look it over.
Thanks, banjomaniac
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I pulled all covers off the washer dryer unit and there is no Start capacitor to be found for the washer BUT there is on under the dryer and that wiring from the washer leads that direction, I'm wondering if the same capacitor is for washer and dryer? If it is then it's fine cause the dryer starts up every time. I'm going to power it up tonight and see if it works, I cleaned up the contacts in that switch and put it all back in so maybe the motor will start, I hope. Banjomaniac Originally Posted by: banjomaniac  OK, the one that is burnt and closed must be the start set so I will check to see how the connection is. I tried to find that plug with all the contacts online but no luck but it might be fine. I might try to clean up that one set of points and see if it marked any difference. I guess if that is the start point set then I can trace the wire from there and figure out where the capacitor is located. I only had about 5 minutes yesterday between work and leaving to look at it, I pulled the back off the dryer section trying to trace wires running from that plug but at a glance didn't see the capacitor. According to the schematic, the red wire comes off the capacitor so I don't know. I will be back Sunday evening and look it over.
Thanks, banjomaniac
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That's the capacitor for the washer motor, the dryer motor does not use any capacitor for starting.
Eric
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OK, I pulled the capacitor and it is toast. no voltage and looks like it oozed black crud. Put the ohm meter on it and it is open. I will get a capacitor and try it and let you know and I'll attach a pic. Also, I had the motor switch apart and I couldn't see how the start set of contact points separate, I moved that centrifugal lever and the contact set never separates, I wonder if that might burn up the capacitor? One other question, on the bottom of the washer motor was a piece of cardboard that kind of had flaps that fit into the outer edges and is sort of a shield I guess but it was pretty loose so when I pulled the motor it came of and I didn't put it back on and I'm wondering if it is really necessary. Thanks for the help, banjomaniac Originally Posted by: fairbank56 That's the capacitor for the washer motor, the dryer motor does not use any capacitor for starting.
Eric banjomaniac attached the following image(s):
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You have to pull the switch away from the motor in order for the lever to release at which point the contacts should separate. The lever goes up against a disc which is part of the centrifugal mechanism in the motor. The contacts are closed with motor not running. When motor comes up to speed, the centrifugal mechanism pulls the disc in moving the lever and the contacts should separate. If they don't, it will damage the capacitor and can damage the motor start winding as well.
The switch is replaceable but the switch and motor for this model are very expensive. This GE washer/dryer is made by Whirlpool. I don't know if a standard Whirlpool motor will fit this machine or if the standard motor switch will work with your motor. I suspect that either is possible. The replacement switch for your motor is $162 while the typical Whirlpool switch is $58. The replacement motor is $493 while a standard 2 speed Whirlpool motor is $161.
You should be able to start the motor by hand. With motor sitting on floor and capacitor disconnected, place washer in spin. Motor should hum, quickly start spinning the shaft by hand and it should start.
Eric
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