The electric motor of the washing machine rotates its central part - the drum. The first engines to go into mass production were belt-driven motors that drive the drum through a belt drive. This technology is used to this day, but it has not canceled the evolution of washing machines.
Today, manufacturers began to use other types of motors. In total, today there are three main types of ED:
- asynchronous;
- collector;
- brushless (direct drive).
Each of them has its pros and cons, which should be taken into account when choosing a washing machine.
What engines are used in the washing machine
We consider each type of engine separately, evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, so that you can make a balanced choice when choosing equipment.
Asynchronous
In washing machines, both two-phase and three-phase motors are used. But since the 2000s, the first type has gone into oblivion, and today more compact motors for 3 phases and with the possibility of speed regulation are used.
They are arranged in this way: in their design, two parts are provided - a stator (immovable) and a rotor (providing rotation of the drum). Such a motor can rotate up to 2.8 thousand revolutions in 1 minute.
The weak side of the asynchronous type engine: weakening of the torque, which causes the drum to swing and loss of power during rotation. But if your washing machine has an asynchronous type engine, it means that you are waiting for such advantages:
- the design of the element and the entire machine is extremely simple;
- maintenance is relatively easy - it is enough to periodically change the grease or bearings;
- silent work;
- low price.
The minuses include the following points:
- impressive dimensions of the part;
- not too high coefficient of performance (COP);
- sophisticated wiring management.
In powerful SMA of recent years, such motors are no longer used. They can be found only in simple models from a low price category.
Collector
8 out of 10 household appliances in their design provide just such ED. In washing machines, collector motors began to be used from the beginning of the 90s, and a decade later, asynchronous two-phase analogues were almost completely replaced. Their main advantage is versatility and operation from direct and alternating current.
The design of the collector type engine is as follows:
- stator;
- manifold rotor;
- tachogenerator (device that controls rotation speed);
- aluminum case;
- at least a pair of brushes that provide contact between the rotor and the motor.
Important! The brushes rub against the collector, so they wear out over time and require replacement. Erased brushes can be seen by sparks from under the bottom panel of the AGR.
Benefits:
- modest size;
- impressive starting moment;
- lack of reference to frequency;
- the ability to smoothly control the number of revolutions;
- universality;
- scope in management from the electrical circuit;
- high speed.
Minuses:
- modest service life;
- quickly wearing elements - brushes;
- noisy work.
The disadvantages also include the risk of inter-turn short circuit (punching of the winding), which causes a loss of power or sparks.
Direct drive
The so-called inverter motor is used by LG, whose experience was subsequently adopted by other brands. These electric motors entered the market in the mid-2000s and immediately appealed to customers for a number of undeniable advantages. Today, direct-drive engines can be found in washing machines of the following brands: Samsung, Hayer, Virpul, Hotpoint Ariston, Bosch, AEG and others.
The possibility of using brushless technology has made it possible to make the SM less overall and maintain the operability of other parts. As in the motor of the previous type, in the design of the inverter there is a rotor and a stator, but the principle of operation is different. The main difference is in the drive. It is directly connected to the drum, so there is no belt drive in the washers.
Note the pros:
- intuitive design;
- convenient structural placement in the device body;
- modest dimensions of the electric motor itself;
- reduced level of SM vibrations;
- highest efficiency of all three types;
- lack of parts requiring constant maintenance (brushes, belt);
- quiet work.
Of the shortcomings, experts single out only that the control circuit of such an engine is much more complicated than that of analogues. This directly proportionally affects the price of such washers.
Now you know which engine in the washing machine is the most powerful and quiet. It remains only to figure out which is better and what to choose.
Which engine type is better
Understanding what type of engine to buy a car with, determine first of all the requirements for a future washing machine.
If you are ready for more noisy work and constant maintenance of the machine, but want to save a lot, buy an SMA with a collector engine. If the price does not matter to you, but the priority is power, noiselessness and durability, then it is better to give preference to a machine with an inverter engine.
Attention! Warranty from the manufacturer for a brushless motor for at least 10 years! But this does not eliminate the risk that other parts of the machine will deteriorate much earlier than the warranty period for the engine expires.
We wish you a balanced and wise choice.