Here We Go Again Folks! Miele Needs New Brushes

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Another Look

This video features a German Miele W736 which is from the same series as my 1070 (German version 770), and while electronically controlled much of the insides are otherwise same.

When the front is opened and service panel removed you can see the internal layout of the washer. The motor is behind it's shield under the tub.

 
I don't own a Miele, so take this advice for what it's worth...

Generally speaking, an AC induction motor with bad brushes will be not be able to deliver its nameplate power rating. It may well be able to develop full design RPM with little or no load, but it won't be able to perform its design function when actually turning a load.

If you hear funny noises like whining or growling, it's probably not the brushes, it's more likely the motor bearings.

Unless the funny noises are the drum not getting up to speed as it should and you're used to hearing.

Some motors with more open frame structures will demonstrate bad brushes by visible blue sparks/glow, but it seems unlikely that you could get that kind of visual from the picture of the Miele motor you posted.
 
Well It Is My Last Hope

That it's only the brushes or nothing as Miele has just informed us the motor is NLA. At nearly $2000 USD didn't think many out there would spring for the few remaining ones as of last year, but apparently one was wrong.

If the motor windings and or bearings are going there's nothing left to do but run the machine until they give up, or try and find a used but still in good condition motor.

Will know more next week as scheduled a service call anyway. Did several loads of wash over the weekend the this perceived *noise* is getting to me.
 
Launderess, I frankly find that reply quite insulting to the various people who have offered advice. I don't know why you even started this thread if you believe the only people capable of doing anything with your machine are Miele.
 
I'm Sorry?

What exactly was it you found so offensive?

Comment was not meant to cause offence but state a simple fact. If the motor is indeed dying (and as of yet there is only my untrained ear and random comments to suggest so), then there are only a few options open.

The comment from Lowegian actually echos what one has heard from freinds in Germany and the nice man from Miele who set up my appointment. After speaking at length on the matter it was determined that while worn motor brushes could be causing a "whine" noise, the likely cause is usually motor bearings starting to go. If that is indeed the case then swapping out the brushes even if they are worn will only stave off the terminal diagnosis.

While one can continue using the machine if the motor bearings are *starting* to go the noise likely will only increase which is not something that will endear one to one's neighbors in a multi-family building. Suppose one could limit one's washing to daylight hours, but still.

The fact the motor is now NLA from Miele also tells me to now keep an eye out for another source and grab it should it present itself. Being nearly or over a twenty year model it is safe to assume the numbers out there in decent enough shape to harvest a motor from are finite.

Your suggestions about swapping out the bearings, rear pulley etc are all vaild but *not* something MieleUSA will do, that falls under rebuilding a motor and Miele's North American service does only repairs from parts in stock. Even if they take the machine to New Jersey headquarters for "rebuilding" and or to replace say rear tub bearings they are using stock parts from Germany. Now it is possible there might be an American repair appliance person familiar enough with this German built Miele motor to do the work you suggested, but I've not come across one to date. At least when Miele does the work it comes with a warranty on parts and labour.
 
Miele USA

Near as we can figure out the 10XX series was sold in the United States from about 1982 through 1994. The latter year would have been the end of production/import but there probably were NOS units sold until supply ran out.

Our machine though second hand is from around the 1992 to 1994 era according to those whom have been out for various service calls. They make this assumption based on dates of various internal parts and of all things the owner's manual which was printed in late 1991. Using 1992 as a "guess-timate" date makes the machine 22 years old.
 
I'm sorry, but that can't be true. The last year the 10xx series was manufactured was 1987. That was the year a newer series was introduced, including the W698, about which model another thread runs. Also in 1987 Miele introduced new motors with electronic controlled motor speeds. All models manufactured from then had these motors. Your machine must at least be 25 years old.
 
As one can only go by what MieleUSA states and have to assume they do not have a reason to lie.

The first machines sold by Miele in the United States were the W770 and W765 which were replaced in the line up by the W1065 and W1070.

A quick "Google Books" search shows several magazines posting consumer reviews and or adverts for the Miele 1070 from the early 1990's. The link below is from New York Magazine dated 6 May 1991 and has an advert from the now closed Bloom and Krup appliance store. They had the Miele W1070 offered at a bit over $1500 USD along with the matching dryer.

books.google.com

New York Magazine

New York magazine was born in 1968 after a run as an insert of the New York Herald Tribune and quickly made a place for itself as the trusted resource for readers across the country. With award-winning writing and photography covering everything from politics and food to theater and fashion, the...
books.google.com
 
Well, perhaps they aren't lying, but simply don't know what they are talking about. That appliance store might have sold old stock. That may be the reason they are selling for the lowest price.

In Europe the W10xx series were never sold, but is almost similar to the W700 series (above W751 and higher). These series were manufactured from 1983 - 1987

In 1987 a newer series was introduced with W6xx and W7xx models (W709-W733). Later some more models were introduced including the new Novotronic models.

In 1992 even a newer series was introduced. Miele introduced a basic line W8xx and a more deluxe line W9xx.

It is simply unthinkable that Miele in 1994 would still have a production line where they still would manufacture a line of machines for the American market that they didn't make anymore for the rest of the world since 1987 and that was more expensive to make than the newer models.
 
interesting picture

Hi Launderess,
Never seen that cast iron miele motor, worked on loads of miele washers, is it from a very old machine with a induction motor?
 
"selling for the lowest price"

One thousand and five hundred and twenty something United States dollars was allot of money for washing machine in 1991 and 1992. Adusted for inflation it comes to 2484.75 in 2011 money.

By contractual agreement Miele dealers then and now are not permitted to differ from the MSRP MieleUSA sets without permission. If they do and Miele finds out about it the offending dealer can be removed from the program period.

The information given about various models is brought up upon request via computer. Each time one has spoken to MieleUSA's technical service, parts and or other areas including the litany of servicemen who have come to our home have all given the same production/offered for sale in the United States dates. If none of them know what they are talking about it is a remarkably well planned and executed conspiracy.

Miele never sent anything after the 10XX series to the USA market, but went straight to the 19XX series, again as stated above introduced to replace the 1070/1065 around 1994. This could explain the long (to you) sales run here as there was nothing else on offer.

If the concept of Miele continuing to sell and or produce the 10XX series when it's cousins long ceased production in Europe rattles your tea cup, then hang on; all Miele washers sold before the 19XX series were dual voltage. The W1070, W1065 and IIRC the W770 and W765 all could be run on either 120v or 220v power depending upon how the power cord was connected.
 
@bertrum

Those cast iron behemoths are AC single phase motors. Miele switched to the more commonly seen smaller grey and sliver models starting with the 19XX series.

If one understands correctly the thing is actually two motors in one housing. One part handles the spin the other for tumbling. Though don't quote me on that bit.

Strange thing is using the price quoted above for a new Miele W1070 in 1991, Miele USA was selling new motors for these machines for $1600 USD in 2012.
 
That motor looks completely serviceable to me. Pluck it out and take it to your local electric motor repair shop. They should be able to fix it at a small fraction of the $1600 price.
 
Thanks For The Tip

Am already on the prowl for a used motor to have "serviced" if need be to have on hand as a back-up. Can find lots of similar motors in Europe but this motor was designed for the United States 120v/220v common connection for Miele washers, that is until they switched totally over to 120v.

In such instances certain parts run on one current and others the other. In the case of the motor for the 1065 and 1070 it appears the motor ran off 120v, so the 220v units in Europe don't do me any good.

Again may just be making up the whole thing in my mind. Repairman may come out and say the "noise" is a figment of my imagination and to leave well enough alone. *LOL*

Soon as one can figure out how and where it could go, am leaning towards getting either a Miele 4842 or Speend Queen washer for the larger capacity anyway. So that should take some of the work off the smaller unit.
 
@launderess:

One option would be to dig around and find a machine that you can harvest a servicable motor from. I do that for old Chevy and Ford parts - might be a whole different story trying to find a Miele junkyard in the U.S., though.

Another option might be to find a motor shop that could do a rebuild. The work would probably just be disassembly, cleaning, replacing the bearings and brushes, and reassembly/testing, but sourcing the parts might be difficult. That said, you might be able to find a source in Germany for the parts. I would think it unlikely that Miele made/makes their own motors - but even if they did make their own motors, they probably used an off-the-shelf bearing and brush. You'd need the skills to R&R the motor in this scenario, though - which isn't rocket surgery. Hand tools and common sense could get the R&R done.

I guess it depends on how badly you want to keep the old machine working and what financial sense it makes. I just rebuilt the generator (for the 2nd time) on my better half's 1962 T-Bird. It needs an alternator conversion, but she doesn't want anything changed from original - as if she would know the difference...and it wouldn't take away from the sport tonneau kit, or the swivel seat or the swing-away steering column. But when she turns the key and nothing happens, I sure hear about it!

I need to send her off for a girls' weekend and put a modern charging and ignition system on it - it still has breaker points/condensor ignition. And setting the dwell angle on old Fords is a trial-and-error PITA. At least GM put a little window in their distributors so you can adjust the dwell angle with an allen key with the engine running. All of which would become moot with an electronic ignition...hmmm
 
Thanks

Yes, Miele makes it's own motors or at least did for this model so it is either them or nothing. There are tons of similar motors all over Germany/Europe hanging around spare, only problem is they are 230v/50hz not 120/230/60hz for American electic grid.

Am just going to sit tight until the Miele tech takes a peep next week. Used the machine again yesterday and there most certainly is some sort of noise coming from the motor area and one should find out if is one's ears playing tricks or something more sinister.

Appartently others out there love their older Miele washers as well. According to a conversation one had with Miele parts the remaining motors for this series went to customers whom shipped their units to New Jersey for motor replacement and back. At just $1600 alone for the motor one assumes after labour and shipping total costs ran nearly $3K or close.

Miele has a policy of not using "open box" parts for repairs done by them. That is if a boxed part has been opened they won't install it. Therefore it can be assumed the same applies to swapping out motors.
 
That's why I like my Skilsaw 77. For 30 years and counting.

Brushes go bad? - go to the local dealer. Problem solved for $1.99 plus tax. The only tool needed to change the brushes is a nickel or a quarter.

Framing something 10 feet in the air, and have to decide to drop your saw so you don't fall off a truss? Go to the local dealer. But you don't need parts to fix what happened when your Skilsaw dropped. It's what happened when you picked it up by the cord. And the replacement cords are cheap.

I dig a lot of the Bosch power tools - German designed, Chinese made nowadays. Why Bosch discontinued their barrel-grip jigsaws, I'll never know, but their drills, impact drivers and sanders make up for it. But Bosch circular saws are to put it kindly, worthless.

No one has has ever come up with as good a general purpose circular saw as the Skil 77. And Makita tried really hard...
 

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