Inverter motor washing machines

[Col_T]

So far as I understand it, inverter motor washing machines use the inverter function to control the speed at which the drum rotates and helps iron out voltage spikes. Does this imply that an inverter motor machine will be more tolerant of a ‘dirty’ input current, and therefore less picky about what DC to AC inverter in supplying the AC current??

[blackrose]

Can you give us an example of an inverter motor washing machine please? I'd never heard of them before.

[Col_T]

Sorry, should have thought to include an example!

 

https://www.zanussi.co.uk/laundry/laundry/washing-machines/front-loader-washing-machine/zwf824b3pw/

[Stilllearning]

Is it possible that the op is thinking of an induction motor?

[nicknorman]

11 hours ago, Col_T said:

So far as I understand it, inverter motor washing machines use the inverter function to control the speed at which the drum rotates and helps iron out voltage spikes. Does this imply that an inverter motor machine will be more tolerant of a ‘dirty’ input current, and therefore less picky about what DC to AC inverter in supplying the AC current??

No I don’t think this is implied or likely. The inverter washing machine is probably more “electronics heavy” than a standard one and so the devil will be in the detail of what the electronics has been designed to cope with. As usual I’m afraid it will be a matter of “suck it and see”.

[Tony Brooks]

11 minutes ago, Stilllearning said:

Is it possible that the op is thinking of an induction motor?

 

I very much doubt it, the Zanusi add states "inverter motor", that I suspect is marketing speak for one of the modern permanent magnet rotor with switched stator fields, that control speed and rotation by the order and speed at which the fields are pulsed - note suspect.

 

I have a feeling that the electronics may be more susceptible to poor wave form than earlier motor types.

Edited March 22 by Tony Brooks

[PeterF]

Inverter motor washing machine, also called direct drive use a brushless motor to drive the drum directly without belts and the inverter function appears to mean a variable speed motor controller. If it will work depends more on the electronics in the speed controller.

[Stilllearning]

47 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

I very much doubt it, the Zanusi add states "inverter motor", that I suspect is marketing speak for one of the modern permanent magnet rotor with switched stator fields, that control speed and rotation by the order and speed at which the fields are pulsed - note suspect.

 

I have a feeling that the electronics may be more susceptible to poor wave form than earlier motor types.

Ok, thanks. I mentioned induction motor, because our new machine says that is what it has.

[Tractor]

A traditional motor for a washing machine has been a 'universal' motor with carbon brushes, speed control provided by a Thyristor Voltage controller. The result is reliable apart from brush replacement after some years and black dust inside the enclosure. The 'Inverter Motor' is a 3 phase device using a combination of permanent magnets an bars within the rotor, with no carbon brushes or commutator. Speed control provided by an 'Inverter', converting a single phase supply into a variable 3 phase supply frequency, for the 'speed' control and reverse.

Assuming this machine is for a boat with supply derived from an inverter, then it all gets a bit 'nebulous' as installations are created from a variety of line side components, making the single phase ac from a 12 DC, to be 'mashed about' by the drive system in the washing machine??

The are some success stories here which are useful, but there is a measure of luck getting a working combination; not much help I am afraid but I hope useful?

[blackrose]

12 hours ago, Col_T said:

Does this imply that an inverter motor machine will be more tolerant of a ‘dirty’ input current, and therefore less picky about what DC to AC inverter in supplying the AC current??

 

As far as I know any automatic washing machine will require a pure sine wave, so you won't get away with trying to run it from a semi or pseudo sine wave inverter. Having said that of course, I assume the purity of "pure" sine waves will vary according to brand, price, etc.

 

I run an older Zanussi compact washing machine (ZWC1300W) either direct from my Honda EU 3.0is generator or from my Sterling pure sine wave inverter. It runs fine from the inverter but it doesn't like the generator and hesitates for up to 20 mins before deciding it will run the washing cycle. Once it starts it's fine but I've never really understood what the issue is as the generator is meant to have a purer sine wave than the mains.

 

Anyway, all of this may be irrelevant as I don't know whether my washing machine has an inverter motor or not? However, if not and you think running an inverter motor washing machine could an issue then I'd avoid them and go for a standard motor type.

Edited March 22 by blackrose

[Tracy D'arth]

The problems with the Zanussi ZWC1300 washers is not the brush motor but is the electronic timing in the programmer. Some power sources it will happily accept, some it will not. Often you need a small constant load on the inverter to stop the program halting especially on the last spin.

 

I would be very concerned about trying to run a direct drive motor on most inverters and generators, there  is a lot of complicated power switching electronics to get messed up.

 

Older lower spin speed washers can have plain induction motors usually with capacitor start/run and fairly simple stepped speed control.

To get the higher spin speeds manufacturers used brush motors with infinite speed control electronics.

[Col_T]

Thanks for all the responses - very helpful. The answer seems to be likely to more picky than less, which is probably what I guessed / expected.

 

Many thanks.

[Alway Swilby]

 Our Beko washing machine doesn't have just any old inverter. No, it has a Pro Smart Inverter.

Anyway, it works fine on our Victron 3kw.