3phase modern washing machine motors.

[Gareth J]

Modern washing machines are spun by 3phase motors that have convertor/programming boards that generate and output varying 3phase. Different speeds for different durations as part of different washing cycles as you might imagine. Lots of volts and lots of rpm possible. Not talking about older universal motors.

So the last time we had a machine die, I pulled out the motor and brains and hooked it all up with the vague idea I might be able to get it running somehow.

I could get it to run a programme but that wasn't much use as even a spin cycle has stops and starts all over the place. Before I got very far, I let some smoke out by accidentally shorting something on the brain and that was it. What I did learn was that there is potential for huge rpm variation and surprisingly high torque at low rpms. Potentially useful.

Fast forward to now and the next machine looks like it's died so I'm wondering if it's worth having another go. Or, if someone who knows more about these things than me can tell me not to waste my time.

I don't think it will be simple as if it was someone else would've done it before but googling about doesn't throw up much. Be nice if it was though as could be a cheap source of variable speed.

 

[Spark plug]

I would imagine you could use the motor with a VFD but I would think the drive in the machine will be integrated with the program control cercuritry. So unless you could reprogram or identity the I/O for the drive I think it will be a looser.

But if you don't try you'll never know, what's the worst that could happen? You'll blow up a knakard washer.

 

[Seadog]

Quite a bit of info on the tube -

 

[WorkshopChris]

Its a while since i dived into an old washing machine, do you have any info on the winding's or what voltages are around when running. That would be a starting point to see what would power them without the control board.
Do they still have sense winding's or any encoders on or is it all done with volt/current calculations with the embedded software.

Sound like it could be interesting, goes off to search eBay for a modern local washing machine with a 99p starting bid.

 

[Gareth J]

I would imagine you could use the motor with a VFD but I would think the drive in the machine will be integrated with the program control cercuritry. So unless you could reprogram or identity the I/O for the drive I think it will be a looser.

But if you don't try you'll never know, what's the worst that could happen? You'll blow up a knakard washer.

Yea, this is kinda the conclusion I came to last time. And yes, I blew something up on the board. The ultimate goal would be to fool the on board VFD to operate manually... But I don't know where I'd start with that.

Quite a bit of info on the tube -

That's a different breed of motor. A universal one and as you say is well covered about the internet. Talking more modern, three phase ones.

Its a while since i dived into an old washing machine, do you have any info on the winding's or what voltages are around when running. That would be a starting point to see what would power them without the control board.
Do they still have sense winding's or any encoders on or is it all done with volt/current calculations with the embedded software.

Sound like it could be interesting, goes off to search eBay for a modern local washing machine with a 99p starting bid.

It'll be one like this:
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=361727820080&alt=web

195v, 3 phase, up to 11750rpm.

I don't know how exactly they're controlled but playing with the spinning motor on the last one, it appeared to try to maintain a constant rpm, presumably set by whatever the program tells it to

 

[Spark plug]

The speed will be controlled by the frequency probably in the region of 30-200 Hz