Motor Making Clicking Sound And Smells Of Burning
Hi our bosch maxx 5 has developed an odd clicking/knocking noise and a faint burning smell almost like a cars clutch. It started yesterday at nearly the end of the last cycle with a light load inside it (6 dish towels) . I stopped the machine right away and called out a technician who after popping it up on its end and looking inside declared the motor was "knackered" however this was without even switching it on ( He didnt seem keen even to come out when i said it was a bosch) . After he left i switched it on and popped it on spin which it did no problems to full speed and no nocking/clicking sound. I googled the symptoms and it came back with everything from the suspension going to the weight breaking up to the bearings going or the carbon needing replaced in the motor. Having had a look myself under it there was a thin film of black dust under the machine and round the motor itself (see pics) however the motor looks clean and still new looking. To say iam confused is an understatement any ideas what it could be?
Solution Summary
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Bosch Maxx 5 clicking motor noise with burning smell
- The problem
- A Bosch Maxx 5 washing machine developed a clicking or knocking noise and a faint burning smell near the end of a cycle. The machine was then tested on spin and reached full speed without the noise.
- Likely cause
- The accepted diagnosis was a failed motor armature/commutator segment. A raised copper segment on the armature can cause a clicking noise once per revolution, a burning smell, and loss of power under load. Black dust around the motor was also reported, but no exact failed part was physically confirmed in the thread.
- What fixed it
- Recommended action was to remove the belt and turn the motor by hand to check for a clicking noise on each revolution. For stronger confirmation, the motor should be removed and the brushes taken out so the commutator can be felt while turning the armature; a bump would indicate a raised segment. If this fault is present, the motor needs replacing.
- Checks to try
- Machine completed a spin test to full speed without the knocking/clicking noise
- Black dust was seen under the machine and around the motor
- Remove the belt and turn the motor by hand to check for a click each revolution
- Remove the motor and brushes and feel the commutator for a bump while turning the armature
- Parts or tools mentioned
- motor
- belt
- brushes
Safety: Further diagnosis should be carried out by a suitably qualified appliance engineer.
1 Answer
Motors usually have an armature with small segments of copper. Sometimes one of these segments comes loose and becomes raised. When this happens there is a clicking noise as the motor is turned and a smell of burning with loss of power under load. The motor would need replacing if this has happened.
Take off the belt and turn the motor by hand, if you get a clicking noise every revolution it may mean the armature has failed. The only true way to know 100% is to take the motor off and remove the brushes, place a finger on the copper commutator that they run on and turn the armature. You should feel a bump each time the dodgy segment passes over your finger.
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