3 Phase WM Induction Motor Connections - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: Lrv209
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2022, 08:07:19 am
content: Hello,I have a 3 Phase induction motor from a washing machine and also have the complete wiring harness and all the boards for the motor. I would like to use the motor to build a mixer for my Daughter's ceramics shop. I have the motor connected to what I believe is the converter board (converting 220v single phase to 3 Phase 185v) and can certainly hear the relay clicking in and the start capacitor is also charging. This leads me to believe the connections to the mains power are correct (they are in fact very simple and with only one option). Unfortunately the motor is not turning and I suspect the converter board is waiting for a signal from the control board that would normally be in the system and delivering a signal to start. I have bypassed this control board so no signal coming from it. On the converetr board there is a 3 pin connection directly to the control board and the 3 connections on the converter board are shown as 5v+ Data Gnd. As this is the only connection other than the 220v feed to the converter board I think it is waiting on a signal from the control as I have said, but what signal???I am hoping someone reading this may be able to help with some thoughts on my assumptions and also may be able to offer some idea on how to bypass or send the required data signal to the data pin. I am unable to determine if the data pin is analog or digital but am assuming analog as referenced in my motor speed comments following. I have attached a couple of photos showing the data pin front and back and have other photos but done want to overload the question I am asking but very happy to provide anything anyone would suggest as helpful.It is also possible (likely??) that the data pin is used by the contoller to vary motor speed and if so it would be very helpful for my purposes as at full speed the motor label says it will run at 17,500 rpm. A great deal more than I need. I have see a video where a similar motor was controlled by a Variable Frequency Drive and this may be my best option but I am assuming the converter board is a type of VFD anyway so hoping to use that as it comes with all the housings and connections-and I have it!!!Hope someone can offer some ideas and comments.Cheers

author: Alex_Baker
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2022, 07:36:31 pm
content: Not an expert, but I would guess that the data interface is one of two things. 1) some kind of constant variable signal that the main control board produces, like with variable duty cycle or something, or 2) actual "data" that only the control board knows how to produce and only the proprietary VFD knows how to interpret.option one would be easy enough to do with a microcontroller or something, but option 2 would likely be far more difficult.You might be able to gain some information by figuring out what the data line goes to, presumably an IC, and then figuring out what type of signal the IC is looking for from its datasheet.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2022, 08:56:23 pm
content: Do you have the rest of the washing machine? It would be fairly simple to scope the data line and see what it does in the original application. Beware that some of these appliances use a hot chassis design where the electronics are not isolated.

author: Ground_Loop
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2022, 03:20:46 am
content: Are you sure it's an induction motor and not a BLDC motor.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2022, 04:18:37 am
content: My guess would be switched reluctance, but it doesn't really matter what kind of motor it is when you have the original control board for it.