testing a washing machine pump motor

[andy765gtr]

hi

first post

how would one test the electric motor from a hotpoint washing machine drain pump. ive removed it already, and need to know if it spins or if theres another problem stopping the water draining from the machine ie pipe blockage or something.

i have some electrical testing equipment of my dads (he was an electrical engineer). no idea how to set up the test though (ie im useless). he showed me once but ive forgotten.

cheers.

 

[mikely]

Check first that the outlet pipe is not blocked. If the pump 'humms' but the machine does not drain, then it's probably a blockage.

 

[andy765gtr]

cheers

dont think thers a blockage, all the water quickly emptied out of the out let pipe by gravity when i lowered it into a bucket. that was before i took the pump off.

if i test it installed will i be able to tell if its really faulty or its merely turned off at some point in its cycle. if i knew it ran constantly it would help. also i dont think i could hear it with all the other noises. i'll hav a go tomorrow. probably get electrocuted lol

 

[andy765gtr]

well it might be a blockage afterall! i found the 'filter' (not much of a 'filter', it has 1cm holes in!). well, filter or not there was a stone in there. may or not have been blocking one of those holes, difficult to say, but anyway i tested the machine without clothes and it emptied and went into the fast spin it couldnt do before cos it was full of water. whether its an intermittent fault time will tell.

 

[mikely]

I went and bought a new pump before finding that the blockage was in the connection to the sink waste pipe!!

 

[andy765gtr]

i nearly bought a pump of ebay, (and looking at washing machines too) but thought id better check that filter first. good job i did. wot i wanna know is how did a biggish stone get in there from the drum anyway, the drum holes are too small and the gap round the edge is too small. and i would of noticed a stone like that in my clothes. im suspecting the washing machine repair man put it there the last time he was here. ive got a dead suspicious mind me - trust no one with vested interests !! lol

 

[foxhole]

Normally a pin, needle or bra wire can get past the filter to jam pump, also coins can block the entry to the filter which requires removing the black[normally] rubber trap under the drum.

 

[andy765gtr]

edit: i got the 'stone' out of the bin to show someone and it crumbled. it was a lump of hardened washing powder! so much for my slander of repair persons everywhere. pls accept my apologies !