Bosch MAXX washing machine

jogdial · 14 Aug 2010

Good people:

I have the aforementioned Bosch MAXX washing machine and the drum has ceased to spin. I read another thread about replacing brushes in the motor. I don't have spare brushes but took the motor apart anyway out of curiosity. The brushes were intact and springing and touching the ?commutator? not sure about that term as my experience of electric motors was largely as a child cleaning and replacing bits of the motors on my HO scale electric race cars... that aside, I put it all back together and tried it again.... still would not spin, but it is making a bit of a struggling noise, so, I took my hammer and pushed at the flywheel with the rubber end of it on the drum a bit and lo and behold it started to spin! And finished the cycle. Now, obviously something is not right, but what. Do the brushes need replacing if the motor will not start on its own and needs a little help? Or is there something more seriously wrong with the motor. I'd like to avoid spending the money on brushes only to find that then I need to replace the motor. As always, advance thanks for any help that anyone may be able to provide!

zipper · 14 Aug 2010

What do you mean "the brushes were intact"???
How long are they?...does the commutator (or tips of the brushes) look like they suffered heat/arcing damage?...are the brushes sticking in the holders?
Brushes wear & when they do they have to be changed out. The don't cost much either.

jogdial · 14 Aug 2010

The brushes looked ok... they were extruding from the bit they slide in and out of and making contact with the bit of the motor that spins and they sprung in and out. I pulled the whole motor apart, didn't realise you could just remove the brushes from the outside.. but it all went back together fine... then I remounted it and put the belt back on.. the motor made noise when I ran a cycle but didn't turn, so I helped it a little and then it finished the cycle and is still working, starting on it's own and has done 3 full cycles today without needing any help to start. This first happened about 2 weeks ago or so and I did not take the motor out or anything, I did turn it upside down to check the pump and drain pipes for blockages and then it just started working again. Seems like something is intermittently wrong... others have said they paid £32 s for brushes which seems a lot, but I found them for £3 on ebay, so obviously don't mind shelling out £3, but if the motor is going to need replacement, then don't want to spend £32 and then find out I need a new motor. Thanks for your input.

zipper · 14 Aug 2010

zipper said:
How long are they?...does the commutator (or tips of the brushes) look like they suffered heat/arcing damage?

You didn't answer my questions. Take the brushes out of the holders & look.

zipper · 14 Aug 2010

Oh...by the way, it is not a good idea to turn a washing machine upside down.

jogdial · 14 Aug 2010

well, it's all back together now and doing the wash, so not really tempted to pull it all apart again tonight. As far as I could tell they were about an 3/4 inch in length... as I didn't take them out of their holders, I couldn't see if there was any arcing damage they were very black and had a lot of carbon on them as my hands got very dirty.

I don't see how you could get at the motor and change brushes without turning it upside down. There is an access panel at the back but it only allows access to the back of the drum and the belt, not the motor. I have had this one upside down no less than a dozen times over the last 6 years or so as I have had to clean debris out of the drainage rotor, and replace the drain motor at one point as one of the fins on the drainage rotor had broken.

Maybe not good idea for some, but I fail to see how you could get at the drum motor otherwise and certainly hasn't done my any harm so far... well, unless that's why my motor is working intermittently, but I doubt it.

Any idea why the brushes on ebay are only £3 and the bosch ones are £32? For £3, I'll order the up and replace just on the chance it fixes the problem... but, I obviously turned the motor quite a few time in taking it apart, and putting it back together, turned it while I was putting the belt back on, and it wouldn't go... just made a noise like it was trying to start. Gave it a push and it started, now it's done 6 loads of clothes today and still going strong, very curious.

zipper · 14 Aug 2010

Dirty hands are a hazard you'll just have to live with if you want to perform DIY. Your problem will reoccur because you are not prepared to listen. Good luck

jogdial · 15 Aug 2010

Yes not listening is almost as irritating as not reading.

if the problem reoccurs, I will replace the brushes, it would be nice if someone with some knowledge could tell me what the difference, if any, between the brushes on ebay for £3 and the bosch £32 are... If I pull the brushes out, I am most likely going to replace them and want them on hand, not have to wait for new ones to arrive with machine in bits. I'm not afraid of getting my hands dirty, I've been doing it for 50 years.

If you dont' want to, or can't answer my question about the £32 vs £3 brushes fine... perhaps someone else knows?

Thanks

zipper · 15 Aug 2010

Genuine Bosch carbon brushes are laminated which helps dissipate heat, prevent arcing, & prolong commutator/brush life. Brush grades vary according to specific motor characteristics. Correct grade, current density & spring tension is specified by the manufacturer based on motor application. Your motor will function with just about any type of cheap replacement you will find on ebay. But that doesn't mean they have they are laminated or have the correct grade/current density/spring tension. Non genuine brushes also wear faster. Some have springs that are far too strong & this increases brush/commutator wear even further. It also generates excessive carbon dust which inevitably ends up in the motor & in the worst event cause a flashover.
In short you get what you pay for.

jogdial · 15 Aug 2010

thank you, that's what I wanted to know... if the cheap ones work, I will get a set to try if the fault reoccurs to see it it remedies the problem and if it does, I can then spring for the real thing. If it still occurs, then I will have to think there is something wrong with the motor itself and look to replace it I would guess..

Thanks again

zipper · 15 Aug 2010

Make sure they are a sliding fit, sometimes they need a light sandpapering on the sides. It is also possible to fit them the wrong way round, they need to follow the commutator profile (obviously). If in doubt pull the motor out & sweet-talk your friendly neighborhood domestic appliance workshop into bench testing the motor on a variac.

Leccy758 · 15 Aug 2010

Easiest and quickest way to do the brushes is to remove the motor from the rear.

A few reasons for not upturning your machine

1. The drum supports and springs are designed to work with a downwards pressure you can damage them turning the machine upside down.
2. The PCB on most machines is at the top away from those darn heavy concrete weights turn the machine upside down and guess where those weights are waving around.
3. Lots of delicate plastic to get holed at the top of the machine as the drum rests on the lid 'fill valves, pipework, soap dispenser to name but a few'
4. Water or air lock getting into the pressure switch causing it to fail and the machine either not filling or flooding.

You may have been lucky but many I have worked on have not been

jogdial · 16 Aug 2010

yeah, got a little mixed up.... don't need to turn the machine upside down for the drum motor... it was the drain motor and mech that I had to replace ad THAT requires the machine upside down as it's under the drum. I guess if you had room and laid on your stomach you might be able to do it on it's side, but room is tight in my util area. I just make sure it is TOTALLY drained using the drain release at the front to get the last of the standing water out of it. The put down a towl to tip it on to... it doesn't actually press on aything save the two plastic hooks that hold the top sliding into place which is why I put a think towel down. Anyway, it's working fine for two days now, but am ordering up some cheap brushes to test in it and then will get bosch ones if that seems to fix it. Apparently you don't even need to take the motor out to replace the brushes, going to try that next time!

wottalot · 14 Jan 2011

Hi

Very interesting - BUT .... I have the WFL2000 MAXX model and there's no obvious way to get at the motor. The outer casing isn't removable (that I can see anyway) and I was just about to turn it upside down before I read this !!

Please advise on how to access the motor - I've got the same problem .... water fills OK, then humming from machine, but no motor action .... won't drain, won't wash, & won't spin.

Worked perfectly until now.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

jogdial · 14 Jan 2011

i have replaced brushes now and it works perfectly. I have to tip it on it's side... but saying that, I've tipped it upside down more than 20 times in it's life for various things and I have never had a problem, it is working perfectly after new brushes. I don't know how you could do it with out at least tipping it on it's side, but maybe someone else knows better, I don't want to get the blame if you tip yours upside down and then it doesn't work. Drain all the water using the drain plug at the front first or it will drip on your floor, if you do decide to try tipping it upside down is my only advice and don't everyone flame me, I'm only saying what my experience is and if anyone knows a way to get the brushing out without getting at the bottom of the machine then I'd like to know as well!

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Bosch MAXX washing machine

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