Burnt motor wire
Hi all. New here so bare with me.
Two days ago I put a wash on as normal and whilst I was in the shower I heard a loud pop come from the washing machine. When I went into the kitchen the washing machine was completely off and I’m unable to get it back on at all. There was an electrical burn smell in the air. I decided to have a look in the back of the machine and found that the connector wire to the motor has been burnt, also there’s a lot of what may be like scale or rust on the male connector. I’ll attach photos for you to see. Anyway my question is, will I be able to repair this? And if so do you know how? If you have any questions feel free to ask.
P.s the connector is disconnected in the pictures. I done this myself and I did not find t like that, it was connected when I opened up the machine.
Many thanks
Jax
1 Answer
Hi Jax. A burnt motor connector usually means a high-resistance connection has overheated, but the important point is that the underlying cause is not always just the plug itself. The motor, wiring loom, control board, or even water ingress can all be involved.
Before doing anything, isolate the washing machine from the mains completely.
1. Check the motor plug and motor terminals closely If the plastic plug is burnt or the spade terminals on the motor are blackened, pitted, loose or corroded, simply pushing it back on is not a safe repair. Heat damage often ruins the spring tension of the terminal.
2. Look for signs of a leak The “scale/rust” you mention could be corrosion from moisture getting onto the motor area. Check above the motor for leaks from the tub hose, sump hose, dispenser hose, bearings area, or heater seal.
3. Inspect the wiring loom Follow the motor wires back as far as you can. If insulation has gone hard, brittle, or burnt back into the loom, the damaged section needs proper repair or replacement, not tape.
4. Check the motor itself If the motor terminal has overheated badly, the motor may have a poor internal connection or partial short. Also inspect the carbon brushes if it has a brushed motor. Worn brushes can cause arcing, though they do not usually burn the plug on their own.
5. Check the control board A loud pop and machine going completely dead can also mean the PCB or mains filter has failed. If the motor plug burnt because of excessive current, the board may have been damaged too.
6. Can it be repaired? Often yes, but normally by replacing the burnt connector/loom end and possibly the motor if its terminals are damaged. If there is any doubt about the motor, PCB, or mains wiring, it’s best left to a qualified appliance engineer.
If you can add the make/model and clear photos of the motor plug, motor terminals, and surrounding area, that would help narrow it down. For any mains electrical testing or internal live diagnostics, use a qualified engineer.
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