Beko WMA 520 stopped working on final spin

[Simon12345]

Hi,

I’m writing to ask if anyone could help me with a problem with my Beko WMA 520.

The machine was on final spin (set at 1000rpm), getting towards the end of the spin period, when it made a strange noise, that’s hard to describe.

It was a kind of high pitched whizzing, screaming noise. Simultaneously, the drum speed decreased a little, as if the motor was struggling. I was at the far end of the flat and I ran to switch it off. I imagined a sock, or something, had got caught between the inner and outer drum. But when I reached the machine, the noise went away and the spin picked up again for a few seconds, then the drum slowed down as normal, as it would at the end of the spin. I thought it was OK but as I stood watching it, I noticed as the spin stopped, the drum didn’t continue to do it’s slow forward and reverse, which it normally does, just before the programme finishes. I waited and after around 20s, the motor very briefly started again, as if it was trying to start another spin (or complete the original spin), but then it died.

The display was showing the usual three lights for the end of the programme: ‘START/PAUSE CANCEL’, ‘READY’, ‘SPIN/END’.

I waited a bit longer but the motor was quiet and the display stayed as it was. I switched the machine off. There was no smell of burning, no sign of distress of any kind, other than the fact the motor wasn’t working and the machine seemed to be stuck.

The above happened last week and I have just had time to look at the machine and attempt a repair. I removed the top cover and couldn’t see or smell anything wrong. The machine has been in a humid area in the past, so I separated, checked and remade all the easily accessible connectors. I expected to find some corrosion on the contacts but they all looked fine.

I tilted the machine up to look at the motor. It looks and smells absolutely fine. There was a fair amount of carbon powder scattered around (flung out from) the brush area, but it’s a relatively ‘high mileage’ machine so I expected this. I have replaced both brush assemblies. I estimate the originals were around 2/3 of the way through their life, but they were still serviceable. I unplugged the wires to the motor to check the contacts and they looked fine.

The belt tension and action seems OK. I suspect the noise I mentioned above was coming from the motor and not a slipping belt. There was no smell of hot belt, or any any other strange smell, after it made the noise in the first place.

After my visual inspection and brush change, I switched the machine on again and I was surprised that it came on at the ‘final spin’ – the same 3 lights on as before: START/PAUSE CANCEL, READY, SPIN/END. I was surprised because I had expected the programmer to have cleared itself. The motor started briefly, as if it wanted to spin the drum, and the drum turned. I might be imagining this, but the motor didn’t sound right, it seemed to be making the same high-pitched whining/whizzing noise I had heard when the fault first appeared. The motor ran for a few seconds then stopped. I wonder if the controller has a way of sensing a bad motor and cutting it off? Some kind of current limit perhaps?

So the new brushes seem to have had no effect and the motor is still not working, the programmer seems to have power but it remains in ‘final spin’ mode.

Does anyone have any ideas? Sorry about the length of this post, but I feel I need to give you a full description, to give you a chance of making a diagnosis.

Many thanks!

Simon, Southampton

[electrofix]

Re: Beko WMA 520 stopped working on final spin

when the motor starts does it seem to go very fast and then slow down and stop ?

Dave

[Simon12345]

Re: Beko WMA 520 stopped working on final spin

Hi Dave,

Thanks for that. I’ll try switching it on again when I get home tonight, then I’ll let you know.

Simon

[electrofix]

Re: Beko WMA 520 stopped working on final spin

am going away for the weekend but what i am thinking is :

there is a magnet at the rear of the motor that generates a voltage to tell the board what speed the motor is doing. if this magnet breaks the motor starts and gain speed very quickly( should be a slow rise). the board then realises that its not getting a signal and shut motor down and wont restart for safety reasons

if magnet has broken it a new motor part not available on its own

Dave

[Simon12345]

Re: Beko WMA 520 stopped working on final spin

Hi Dave,

You’re right 🙂 I’ve just unclipped the plastic cover from the back of the motor and the magnet has cracked into two pieces. I have tried glueing the two pieces back onto the spindle but I don’t think the glue is going to take. I really should get a new motor. I reckon the rest of the machine has some life left in it yet.

Can anyone recommend a new motor, preferably an equivalent with a less brittle magnet? The sticker on the original motor carries the following information:

arcelik 2817080100
220/240V 50/60Hz 850/1800rpm
240/400W 4.5/1.8A
VDE iz0 Snif:F.T.S.E.K.I.M
VDE Reg-Nr.A336
4CA28HK0619
UM546060T250-01

If this isn’t enough, I could put pics up somewhere.

A big ‘thank you’ to everyone – this isn’t the first time the ukwhitegoods forum has come to the rescue of me and my washing machine!

If a new equivalent motor isn’t available, I have a couple of local appliance shops that I think might perhaps be able to source a used one for me, but I’m a bit reluctant to take this route because there is no telling when a used motor might fail in the same way.

Simon, Southampton.

[electrofix]

Re: Beko WMA 520 stopped working on final spin

part number as you have is 2817080100

email site shop and google for prices. cheapest i could see is Amazon but site shop may be able to match or improve on it

no alternative you have to fit the correct motor or the speeds may differ and alter the workings of the machine

Dave

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