hotpoint aquarius wm 31

[bigfoot2]

hi
my washing machine keeps tripping out the electrics to the house.
i have disconnected the power socket to the motor and everything seems fine. as soon as i plug it back in it trips the electrics, so i assume it is the motor. i have done a ohms test from the armature where the carbon brushes connect and to earth and i am getting a reading, i dont think this should happen do you?.
any way i have tested the inner windings with an ohms tester they seem fine as i am getting a continuity reading, i have also tested the windings to earth and get no reading so i assume that is in order.
so it seems to be the armature at fault. i even stripped the motor down, connected my ohm tester to the armature rod near the bearings and to the carbon brush end and im still getting a reading.
could this be fault. also the machine works perfectly when i disconnect the earth to the motor althogh the motor comes live. so it has to be the armature?????.
any help please
regards

 

[breezer]

its quite common, its actually caused by the carbon brushes.
as the armature rotates it gets its electricity through the carbon bruhes (sorry if you knew that) as it rottes it also wears away the brushes, the little "filings" accunilate every where causing a short as you have.

you can try taking out the brushes in turn and cleaning with fine emery cloth,(then poking in a vacuum cleaner) if that doesn't work new m/c as the motors are very expensive

 

[bigfoot2]

thanks for reply breezer
the armature itself is about 13 months old and there is hardly any wear to the brass segments were the brushes make contact, the brushes themselves are not to bad either. so your saying the gaps between the segments accumulate the carbon dust.
i will give them a clean and see what happens.
i have also found in the motor windings a little metal unit which is attached to one of the carbon brush leads, is this a cut out switch and if so does it reset when cool.
if cleaning the armature dont work , i will buy a new one there about £65
sorry for. going on
cheers mate

 

[breezer]

£65 cheaper than i thought,(make sure it has the same coloured label as the one you take out, label colour denoted speed) but yes give it a good clean