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Wiring an old washing machine motor

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Tracy Walker

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I have an old 1/2 hp washing machine motor I'd like to use for a small lathe. It's marked as a Camco 111D2273P10 and there's another number--serial number I think-4J718BS6 but I can't find anything on the web for it. It has five connection leads, blue, yellow, black, white and orange. Connecting the blue and yellow leads to the mains allows it to rotate, but it needs a push to get started, either direction. Seems like the capacitor isn't connected, but I don't know which lead to use, or how to connect it. I'd appreciate some help, especially a circuit diagram for the motor.
 
Does everything seems to be connected? It should be fairly easy to spot any soldering spots where a lost wire have being connected to.

Also any images would help.
 
motor img2.JPG
motor img1.jpg
 
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Having a tough time trying to figure out how to add photos to my reply. Hope this does the trick. Can't get into the motor--it's welded shut so can't see where the wires go. As you can see, I've connected the yellow and blue wires to the mains. It runs full power this way, either direction with a push.
 
Why are the yellow and blue wires cut off at the connector? Many washing machine motors are two speed. Slow for agitate and high for the spin cycle.
 
I cut the yellow and blue wires because I don't have the male part of the connector. There's no difference--they're connected as you can see, off the connector.
 
On the first image, it looks like there is a defect to the black wire - is that correct? Looks like a cobber strand is outside the insulation.
 
Probabally be very close to this, the lower resistance winding is the run winding.
The start winding will have the capacitor in series.
Max.
201805motorwash.jpg
 
How do you plan on controlling the motor speed? My lathe has a PWM board, it is able to run at a few RPM up to very high speed. A lathe is worthless without the speed control.
 
Grossel: No defect that I can see with a magnifier. MaxHeadRoom78:I'll try hooking up the other wires as your diagram suggests. Mikebits: I have a pair of step-pulleys that'll give me enough speed control for my purposes.
 
Problem is, there's no red wire on my motor (maybe orange instead?) and the white wire doesn't appear on the diagram. The diagram seems to have 4 wires, while my motor has 5... Feeling stupid here, but appreciate the help.
 
I think so, I'll give it a try... So, connecting the black with either the orange or white shows 3.7 ohms. Orange to white shows no connection. The motor starts and runs with power to either combination--black/white or black orange but sounds noisy and blows the mains fuse after a short time.
 
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Your Orange to White wires may go to a centrifugal switch as some motors have these. Have you connected a capacitor between the phase and one of the spare wires ?
WM motors often have a Run and Start winding.
The Run winding has lower resistance then the Start winding.
To connect. Active to one side and Neutral to other side of Run winding.
then Active via Capacitor to one side of Start winding and other side to Neutral.
that takes care of 4 wires, the 5th wire may go to the centrifugal switch.
For better speed control is to get hold of a brushed motor from an old front loader washing machine.
 
Thanks for the reply. Doesn't seem like I'm gonna be able to hook this up to get a start. May just look for another motor, as you suggest. One thing about running it as is--at least I can give it a push in the right direction, which for me is CW.
 
Been awhile for these old ge motors.
They had two kinds. Single and two speed. Reversible via timer contacts on start winding and start winding is phased shifted with cap.

Yours is probably singe speed due to 5 wires. 2 speed had 6 wires
Low speed and run shared a common connection

Black and White - start winding
Blue and yellow - run winding
Orange and white - thermal bi-metal inside motor

IMG0962cr.JPG
 
Ok. I have power to the Blue and yellow wires right now and it runs fine that way, once I nudge it in the direction I want. This agrees with your statement that those wires are for the run coil. So, how do I connect the other three to get a start?
 
Since you do not need reverse you can eliminate the switches in my 1st diagram.
I believe these motors had run capacitors, and i can't remember the size, maybe 6 to 20 uF.
I'll look around some old junk and see if'n I can find out.
I'm thinking some didn't have caps but can't seem to remmeber.
Run caps are constantly connected and start caps are used for a split second and then drop out through a centrifugal switch.
If there is a switch you should see the mechanism near one end of the motor and you would hear a definite click when it engaged.
If you use a start cap for a run cap it will get hot and get toasted.

Anyway, connect the white to the blue. Black to one side of cap and other side of cap to yellow and L1. Orange to neutral
If it starts the wrong way flip the blk and wh.
With the cap it will want to twist on you so make sure the motor is secured.

IMG_0963.JPG
 
An update.
So i did some scavenging.
My old GE motors are long gone. I have a couple whirlpools left.
but i did manage to find a dusty old GE diagram in a parts box. go figure..

Not sure if it's your motor but the colours are right in the bottom left corner of the first diagram.
This diagram does not show a cap and they are switching the run winding for reverse.
and a start winding relay. It looks like the run is powered first , maybe for direction, and then the relay energises the start winding
IMG_0966.JPG



The next diagram is a two speed motor and shows a run cap and they are switching the start winding.
2.jpg

So, take it from there . If you go with the first and no cap. If your motor needs one it will have a time to start without a load.
 
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