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Thread Number: 74416
/ Tag: Vintage Automatic Washers
Capacitor question -55 Frigidaire Pulsamatic washer |
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Post# 982157 2/10/2018 at 13:20 (2,256 days old) by turquoisedude  (.) |
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 I am striving to clear up a wee backlog of washer repairs before spring so that I can devote some time to the 57 GE. No, really...
Anyway, I wanted to investigate an issue I am having with the WV-35 Frigidaire Pulsamatic. It does not always kick into spin by itself - in this case I can hear the motor buzzing and if I give the tub a spin by hand or if I click the timer switch on and off again a couple of times, the washer will spin. The washer starts up in agitation just fine.
A buzzing motor could be due to a couple of things that I've run across before: a bad capacitor or a bad starting switch. I thought I'd be smart and check the capacitor first (it is accessible without having to do too much disassembly). The capacitor looks fairly new - certainly not the original! One of y'all who had this machine before it fled North must have changed it.
However, when I checked my Frigidaire doctrine, the original capacitor was rated at 210-260 MFD. The one in the machine is rated at 189-227 MFD. Could this cause the inconsistent spin startup issue I have observed?
If not, I will take out the motor and clean the start switch. That did wonders for the 57 GE and getting the Pulsamatic motor out does not appear to be as big a pain as the GE was!
However, I thought it might be prudent to ask first. Geez, that's so unlike me... LOL
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This post was last edited 02/10/2018 at 14:00 | ||
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Post# 982173 , Reply# 1 2/10/2018 at 15:33 (2,256 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains) |
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That is at the low end, but OK to provide the phase shift Still, after you clean the starter contacts, I'd (cautiously, it's going to pack a wham even after being unplugged) put in one closer to factory spec's. After the last two times the North American grid collapse started in your *ahem* neck of the woods, I think I speak for all but the Imperial Queens when I say: Thank You for asking! | ||
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Post# 982327 , Reply# 2 2/11/2018 at 15:06 (2,255 days old) by turquoisedude (.) |
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Right then, I'll get the motor out and clean the start switch contacts...hopefully next weekend. And as for power outages...nobody ever proved I had anything to do with the 2003 blackout. I still maintain it was simply a coincidence that I was in Ontario (where the blackout originated) that day/moment.... LOL | ||
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Post# 982473 , Reply# 3 2/12/2018 at 13:02 (2,254 days old) by turquoisedude (.) |
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Replacement capacitor I haven't gotten the motor out yet however I've started hunting for replacement capacitors. I haven't found an exact match yet - the closest I can get is a Dayton capacitor rated at 216-259 MFD (110-125V).
Would that be a better match for the this motor? I will freely admit that I do not understand how the capacitor's capacity can affect a motor's performance; I just don't want to make the motor go *poof* with an incorrect one! | ||
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Post# 982480 , Reply# 4 2/12/2018 at 13:45 (2,254 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA) |
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Interesting! I cannot claim to be the one who installed the capacitor but I can suggest to get one higher up in the scale. The OEM capacitor had quite the swing compared to what is available today. Normally it's pretty easy to find a replacement made today where the required range falls within the new capacitors specs, but that is not the case with this little guy! The 216-259 is much closer to 210-260 than anything else I've seen. And, if a new cap doesn't seem to cure the issue the start switch probably needs some help.
For reference, this guy was looking for a replacement 210-260 MFD for his Sears branded grinder, and the Sears Parts Direct website had the replacement as the 216-259. www.garagejournal.com/for... And, here's the shorter in length 110v Grainger/Dayton branded capacitor - CLICK HERE TO GO TO swestoyz's LINK | ||
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Post# 982597 , Reply# 6 2/13/2018 at 07:52 (2,253 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
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Poor starting FD washer Hi Paul, as others have suggested it sounds more like a motor switch, A quick way to find out is to simply put a second similar motor start capacitor in parallel and see if the motor starts consistently, if so you need a new or slightly larger capacitor.
On WP DD washers that have starting problems in spin we often add a 2nd capacitor, it works every time.
John L. | ||
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Post# 986073 , Reply# 7 3/10/2018 at 14:02 (2,228 days old) by turquoisedude (.) |
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Update on the 55 Pulsamatic As fate would have it, the new capacitor was delivered the day we left for Mexico. We got back last Sunday but I spent the week in St-Lib (rescuing a 1963ish Flair wall oven among other things). Today I made darn sure I could mess with the Frigidaire. Bottom line: the beefier capacitor seems to have resolved the sluggish spin start-up! I shot some video one my phone and will try to upload to YouTube at some point. I tried the washer in agitate and spin, then I tried a couple of cycle simulations letting the machine progress from pulsate to pause to spin. In all cases the motor started right up! My next dilemma will be how to mount the capacitor... it is a wee bit bigger than the casing. I thought about a cable clamp but I am afraid it may not be secure. Would it be ok if the capacitor was mounted away from the motor? The 1950 Westy I once owned had a setup like that.
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| Post# 986100 , Reply# 8 3/10/2018 at 17:16 (2,228 days old) by sfh074 ( ) | ||
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Away from motor is perfectly fine. At least you didn't have to mess with the start switch! But still a good idea to inspect and clean contacts. | ||
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Post# 986132 , Reply# 9 3/10/2018 at 22:03 (2,228 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains) |
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You can mount the capacitor | ||
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Post# 986253 , Reply# 10 3/12/2018 at 09:18 (2,226 days old) by turquoisedude (.) |
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Panthera, thanks for the advice about the capacitor - the phrase goes 'live better electrically' not 'die better electrically'! I managed to not fry myself in my quest to find a suitable spot for the new one. My solution is ugly but it seems to work - I used pipe strapping to hold the new capacitor in place.
And here's proof that it works. At least so far!
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Post# 986254 , Reply# 11 3/12/2018 at 09:34 (2,226 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains) |
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Yay! Who cares what the holder looks like as long as it works? One of the things which always make me cringe is seeing people short big electrolytics with a screwdriver across the contacts. Not good for the life-expectancy of the capacitors. A simple resistance load will do just as well. Glad you got her up and running again! Just out of curiousity, what were the specs. on the capacitor you ended up using? | ||
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Post# 986255 , Reply# 12 3/12/2018 at 09:39 (2,226 days old) by turquoisedude (.) |
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Post# 986278 , Reply# 13 3/12/2018 at 12:02 (2,226 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains) |
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Thanks. | ||
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Post# 986280 , Reply# 14 3/12/2018 at 12:27 (2,226 days old) by turquoisedude (.) |
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