Thread: How to diagnose a faulty motor start capacitor?

Sure sounds like a start cap to me.

Try replacing the capacitor - unless it is unusual they are not that expensive.

Just pull it apart and replace the cap. It might be split or swollen or it might not. be aware it might be a run cap rather than a start cap, regardless replace it with one of the same type and you should be good. I hjate dismantling driers though, the drum is usually mounted on the back panel making it a PITA to put back together.

Regards,
Tote

Originally Posted by p38arover

Our clothes dryer won’t start spinning unless we give the drum a hand to start.

As you can imagine, this is a bit inconvenient - put a pencil into the hole where the door catch is, wiggle it around until one hears the microswitch operate, press start, when one can hear the motor buzzing, spin the drum with the other hand to get it spinning. Then, while it’s spinning close the door whilst removing the pencil - and hope the drum continues spinning.

It usually doesn’t, so try again - and again - and again...

Then, when the timer stops it to rotate the drum in the opposite direction, do it all again.

The dryer is long out of warranty but has had very little use so I’m not looking to replace it. My wife is!


I’

Thanks chaps.

Originally Posted by Tote

I hate dismantling driers though, the drum is usually mounted on the back panel making it a PITA to put back together.

Yes, I know what you mean, I had to do that a few times with our old Simpson. My wife doesn't like this Aldi dryer, she thinks the old Simpson was better.

Definitely a faulty capacitor.
I have picked a few driers up, from side of road, and this has been the reason that they were thrown out.
Easy fix. Find a capacitor in an old TV or drier, on the side of the road.
I love to recycle.
I now let the wind dry my clothes.

As others have said,it is probably a run capaciter.
Once you get it out,put a pic up we will be able to tell.

We get them from somewhere like Element 14,but we generally buy 50 or 60 at a time.

The freight for one will be a killer so picking one up locally is the go.

To answer the thread title, I use a capacitance meter or often just the capacitance setting on my multimeter. I'd lay a decent bet it doesn't have a start capacitor, but it's a permanent split-capacitor motor with a run cap that is as dry as a nuns.

Last one I had was a 32uF cap that measured 6uF. I had a 20uF handy so I put that in until I could get the correct cap.

Yes, I was going to put my capacitance meter on it when I get it out of the laundry. I just need a mate who can help me lift it off the wall bracket and lower it to the ground.

Is the capacitance value important? It's been some years since I studied electric motors at tech.