How to replace the capacitor in a washing machine with your own hands?

If the washing machine motor does not want to start or is difficult to start, the problem may lie in the capacitor. However, due to the fact that the part is located on the control board, its inspection and, if necessary, replacement will not be possible without first disassembling the entire panel of the washing machine. Let's look at how to diagnose and replace the capacitor in a washing machine.

Why is the capacitor suspect?

Everything is quite simple here. You clearly hear that the machine starts the engine, but the drum barely turns, or even stands still. If everything is really bad, the washing machine does not even respond to the start button, and the indicator lights on the control panel flicker chaotically and asynchronously, indicating a problem. Another sign of a broken capacitor is unidirectional movement of the drum (only in one direction).

Attention! Capacitors cannot be repaired; if they break, they can only be replaced.

If one of the above signs coincides with the behavior of your SM or you have even the slightest suspicion of a problem with the capacitor, you must first inspect it, and then, if a problem is detected, replace the part.

Let's get to the details

Even when dismantling the washing machine only involves removing the dashboard, careful preparation for the process has not been canceled. Something needs to be tweaked here, something needs to be replaced there, so you can’t do without a comfortable workplace. Most importantly, do not forget about safety precautions during repairs! And even a novice “master” can handle the preparatory steps.

Find a spacious room.There is no room to turn around in a 1.5 square meter bathroom or storage room. It is better to move the unit to the hallway or kitchen, or even better - to a garage or something like a workshop. Even 4 square meters is already much more convenient for working with a washing machine.
Cover the floor of the room with newspapers or old rags.
Now disconnect the SM from all networks and transport it in a convenient way to a prepared place.
Pull out the powder compartment and disconnect it from the housing.
Open the technical hatch and drain waste water from the lower pipes through the emergency drain.

At this point the preparation can be considered complete. Now feel free to begin your inspection. Removing the dashboard requires removing the top cover of the washing machine. To do this, unscrew the bolts holding it from behind, and then lift the cover and move it slightly away from you. The control panel bolts are located in the niche area from the dispenser. Loosen the screws, and then look at the latch on the left in the upper corner of the CM case, do the same with it. Next, we remove the bolts holding the panel on top, then you just need to lift the part and remove it. remove the control panel

However, there are certain difficulties. Under no circumstances should you make sudden movements, otherwise you risk breaking the wiring or damaging something else. Also, remember that the intake valve has a wire connection that needs to be loosened. Finally, mark the wires so that you don't mix up the connectors during subsequent assembly, or take a photo.

The control board is attached to the module body with small self-tapping screws. By unscrewing them, you can remove the board itself. Now all that remains is to find the “hero of the occasion” - the capacitor and inspect it for damage and replace it if necessary.

Checking the part and replacing it

To objectively evaluate the performance of the part with your own hands and for greater convenience, it is better to separate the capacitor from the board. This way the indicators will be more accurate. Now you can proceed directly to the verification.

Have a multimeter and make sure that the capacitor capacitance is not lower than 0.25 µF.
Discharge the element by grasping it by the legs and using a metal object (a screwdriver or tweezers will do). The success of the action will be indicated by the appearance of a spark.
Set the multimeter control to measure the resistance of the device.
Find the negative terminal of the capacitor and connect the red probe to it, and connect the black probe to the positive terminal.

While the probes are connected to the legs of the capacitor, its resistance increases until it reaches a maximum.

Now let's decipher the results. If, when connecting the multimeter probes to the terminals of the part, it starts to squeak, it means that a short circuit has occurred, which caused the breakdown. If the multimeter needle immediately pointed to “1,” then a break occurred inside.

Attention! For working capacitors, the number 1 on the dial appears after a while.

Replacing a faulty capacitor is easy. Since the old one was unsoldered from the board, you just need to solder the purchased analogue in its place. People who have minimal soldering iron skills will not find this task difficult.