Hoover VT814D21-80 Motor Problem - But Motor Tests OK...?
My Hoover washer is displaying E08 error code, indicating a motor problem, so I took out the motor and had a good look and then checked it with a multimeter. The results are puzzling me:
First step: carbon brushes have around 4 cm left on them - plenty - they're only a year or so old.
I cleaned the commutator thinking it might be that - then put it all back
The machine still didn't work: on the spin cycle, after the pump stops, there's the characteristic graunchywhine for a second and then nothing. So I know power is getting to the motor. I tried to help it on its way by moving the drum at the same time the motor was energised and it did start to spin for a while but then stopped again and wouldn't go. So I took the motor off and starting probing it with a multimeter:
Tacho contacts: 40 ohm
Stator windings - all around 2-4 ohms (3 circuits) - so they're OK
Armature - very slowly rotating the spindle through 360 deg, I measured the resistance, which varied from 2 to 4 ohm. No open or short circuit I could see.
So, given the cost of a motor, should I just buy another one anyway (even though I can't detect the issue), or is there something else I should check first?
Thanks :)
Solution Summary
AI-generated from this discussion
This thread was marked as solved. Here's a summary of the problem and the fix, generated from the discussion below.
Hoover VT814D21-80 showing E08 with intermittent motor start
- The problem
- Hoover VT814D21-80 washing machine displayed fault code E08 and would not properly start spinning. The pump stopped, the motor made a brief graunching/whining noise, then did nothing. If the drum was helped by hand as the motor energised, it could spin briefly before stopping again.
- Likely cause
- The discussion supports two possible causes: a faulty motor armature that does not show up on basic continuity checks, or a power/control issue from the PCB. Although E08 was noted by one reply as relating to the speed sensor/tacho, the original poster measured the tacho at 40 ohms, so no clear sensor open-circuit was shown. The exact fault was not confirmed.
- What fixed it
- Accepted advice was that the fault could not be reliably separated between motor and PCB without substitution testing. The original poster decided to try a replacement motor, but the thread does not confirm the result. Further diagnosis should be carried out by a suitably qualified appliance engineer.
- Checks to try
- Carbon brushes checked; about 4 cm remaining
- Commutator cleaned
- Motor behaviour observed during spin attempt
- Tacho contacts measured at 40 ohms
- Stator windings measured around 2-4 ohms across 3 circuits
- Armature resistance checked through rotation; varied 2-4 ohms with no obvious open or short circuit
- Control board visually inspected with no large capacitors or blackened tracks seen
- Parts or tools mentioned
- Multimeter
- Replacement motor ordered
Safety: The thread mentioned direct motor powering, but this is hazardous and was not confirmed as carried out. Further diagnosis should be carried out by a suitably qualified appliance engineer.
11 Answers
You can’t replace the motor because it could be a power issue from the PCB. You can’t replace the PCB because it could be the motor. The problem with a fault like this is that until you’ve tried a new motor you can’t know if it is the motor at fault or something else.
An engineer could just fit a new motor and if it fixes the fault great, but if not they can put the old one back, and try something else.
Need Professional Help or Spare Parts?
in the old days that would more than likely be a great big shiny chrome capacitor that kick started the motor - the fact its doing something to try and revolve when you give the drum a helping hand and pushing it by hand and a graunch whine sounds to me like it could be same kid of thing a motor capacitor. -
These days the capacitor(s) will be on a main board or motor control board, I think they will still be huge capacitors you could look and see if any electrolyte has leaked out of them or have burnt out or wrong OHM's measurements be careful though those big capacitors sure do hold some voltage in them even when the machine's 3 pin plug is plugged out of the wall I have got a jolt a couple of times before off them boards - you need to 'de-energise' the capacitors first before touching the boards really to be safe
Aye it could be a power supply problem to the motor (PCB) but the exact same symptoms can be caused by a faulty armature in the motor.
Need Professional Help or Spare Parts?
Thanks for this - I have had the control board out: it doesn't have any big caps, and no sign of any tracks blackened, so I'm going with the faulty armature theory for now. (Just thinking: don't know how many poles there are in a motor like this, but I guess that if there was a short between the windings of two adjacent poles, you wouldn't necessarily see much with an ohmeter but it might make a difference to the efficiency of the motor which would be most noticeable as it tries to move the drum from stationary. Once the drum is revolving it has momentum so I guess the load on the motor is lower which might explain why it could keep going once I pushed it as it started but couldn't get it moving once it had stopped.) But I'll see if there is a separate capacitor somewhere.
Yes Steve that’s the problem, that particular fault in a motor doesn’t show up with a continuity meter. And you can’t detect a fault with the power supply to the motor unless you can test all the resisters, diodes and capacitors and know all the expected values.
Need Professional Help or Spare Parts?
Andy - would the motor be 230v AC 50hz single phase? , could a patch cable go directly to the motor to test the motor directly or has it got to go through a controller board?
@steverob10 - error E08 though is actual 'speed Sensor' (the tacho coil at the rear of the motor) rather than the actual motor itself isnt it .
So, if the coil at the rear of the motor is working ok and not open circuit , then it wouldgo to the controller board and then through chips / microprocessor and other components I should imagine?
Is this YT video any help?
Usually if you know how to do it supplying the motor directly will cause it to go into a full spin. It’s a bit dicey though.
Need Professional Help or Spare Parts?
Thanks again - I've seen the video which was helpful. I guess I could try powering up the motor - there's another video on YT that shows how to do this, but I didn't fancy doing that without clamping everything down and I don't really have anywhere to do that. The easiest thing is to try it with a new motor which is on order.
Good luck. It’s a big gamble. Let us know how you get on.
Need Professional Help or Spare Parts?
You could have left the motor in situ actually on the washing machine tub itself, just make up a lead with a 3 pin plug on one end then just live, neutral to the right terminals on the motor and earth to the casing of the motor. But that will be the next best thing ordering a new motor I suppose - good luck and i hope it works for you.
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