What is the capacitor for in a washing machine?

Manufacturers of washing machines equip their products with starting capacitors. These barrel-shaped parts are installed inside the housing. What is the purpose of a capacitor in a washing machine and is it possible to operate the equipment without it?

Purpose of this part

A capacitor is installed on washing machines to run an induction motor. This universal device can be used in any devices with this type of motor. The capacitor is connected in series to the starting winding. It is needed to create and maintain a phase-leading current at the time of start-up.

When there is a delay in the magnetization of the starting winding, a rotating magnetic field is created. Its functions are to increase torque and facilitate engine starting. As the rotor picks up speed, the starting capacitor turns off. If for one reason or another there is no starting element in the washing machine, then the working winding is damaged and burns out. A capacitor is a self-healing part that functions normally after a breakdown.

What is the capacitance of the capacitor?

An important characteristic of a starting capacitor is its nominal capacitance. The higher it is, the better the device accumulates and retains charge. Over time, the capacitance of the capacitor in the washing machine decreases. To check this indicator and evaluate the performance of the device, you will need a multimeter.

It is necessary to measure the current capacitance of the capacitor and compare it with the value indicated on the case. Masters warn: measurement has its own characteristics.If you use a regular inexpensive multimeter, you can only check whether the starting element is working. To do this you need:

• move the tester to the dialing position;
• wait for the characteristic sound after the probes touch the legs of the starting capacitor;
• Swap the wires of the measuring device and check again whether a characteristic signal appears. It occurs if the capacitance of the capacitor is above 0.1 μF;

Important! The higher the capacitance, the longer the signal produced by the multimeter lasts during dialing.

To measure the working capacitance of a capacitor more accurately, you need a professional multimeter. It is equipped with special connectors. When measuring, you can adjust the fork. Before starting work, the tester is adjusted to the indicator indicated on the capacitor body. Then proceed as follows:

• discharge the capacitor with metal;
• the legs of the trigger element are inserted into special “sockets” of the multimeter;
• when the tester screen shows the operating capacity indicator, compare it with the nominal one.

If the deviation from the norm is significant, it means the capacitor is damaged. It needs to be replaced. If the difference between the working and nominal capacity is insignificant, the starting element is in good condition.

Let's measure the voltage of the capacitor

To check the operation of a capacitor, you can measure its voltage. To do this, you need a power source whose voltage is less than that of the element. For example, if the capacitor voltage is 25 V, then it is enough to take a 9 V power source. The principle of testing is similar to the previous one: it is necessary to measure the voltage of the working capacitor and compare it with the standard one.

Using the tester control knob, select the ohmmeter mode and attach the probes to the legs of the capacitor. Check that the polarity is correct. After a few seconds, the measurement result will appear on the tester display. If it corresponds to the standard, the starting device is working properly. If the indicator deviates significantly from the nominal value, the capacitor must be replaced.

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