Washing Machine Capacitors
If the drum will not turn and the machine sits there humming, the motor run capacitor is the first thing to check. It is a cheap part and it is the most common reason an otherwise healthy washing machine stops spinning.
Does My Washing Machine Have a Capacitor?
Not every washing machine has a motor run capacitor. Older machines with an induction motor use one. So do most commercial and semi-commercial machines. Most modern domestic machines use a brushed universal motor driven by an electronic module instead and those have no run capacitor at all.
To check, take the back panel off and look for a cylinder about the size of a shotgun cartridge with two or four flat terminals on top. If there is nothing like that in there, your machine is one of the electronic ones. Nothing we sell will fix it.
What Size Capacitor Does My Washing Machine Need?
Fit the same value that came out. The size is printed on the side of the old capacitor as a number followed by uF, MFD or the µF symbol, which all mean the same thing.
A part marked 10uF 450V is a 10uF capacitor. The 10uF is the capacitance and it has to match. The 450V is a maximum rating, so a 450V part will replace a 400V one safely. It does not work the other way round.
Washing machines almost always fall between 7uF and 16uF. Fitting a size either side of the correct one makes the motor run hot or weak, sometimes both.
Washing Machine Capacitor Sizes and Fittings
| Size | Tag spade | Twin lead | White wires |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7uF | Buy | Buy | – |
| 8uF | Buy | – | Buy |
| 10uF | Buy | – | Buy |
| 12.5uF | Buy | Buy | – |
| 14uF | Buy | – | – |
| 15uF | Buy | – | – |
| 16uF | Buy | Buy | – |
All CBB60 fitment. If the size you need shows as unavailable, get in touch and we will tell you when it is due back.
Browse the full range by fitting:
- Washing machine capacitors
- Universal capacitors, tag spade
- Universal capacitors, twin lead
- Motor run capacitors, white wires
- All universal capacitors
What Is the Difference Between Tag Spade, Twin Lead and White Wires?
They are three ways of connecting the same capacitor and you have to order the one that matches what is already fitted.
Tag spade has flat metal blades on the top. Your existing wires have push-on connectors that pull straight off.
Twin lead has two insulated leads already attached, coming out of the top, usually black or grey.
White wires is the same idea with plain white flex. Common on Italian built motors and on a lot of older machines.
You cannot swap one fitting for another without changing the connections. If you are not sure, photograph the top of the old capacitor and send it to us.
What Are the Symptoms of a Failed Washing Machine Capacitor?
The classic sign is a motor that hums without turning the drum. These are the others:
- Drum turns if you give it a push by hand, then keeps going
- Machine trips the electrics partway through a cycle
- Spin much weaker than it used to be, clothes coming out soaking
- Capacitor case bulging at the top
- Oily residue around the capacitor
A bulging or leaking case means it has definitely gone. The others are strong signs but not proof, since a seized bearing or a jammed pump will hum in much the same way.
How Do I Replace a Washing Machine Capacitor Safely?
Unplug the machine at the wall first. Not switched off, unplugged.
Then discharge the capacitor before you handle it. A charged capacitor holds mains voltage for a long time after the power is off and it will bite. Short across both terminals with an insulated screwdriver blade. A resistor is better if you have one. You may hear a small crack, which is normal.
Photograph the wiring before you pull anything off. On a two terminal capacitor it does not matter which way round the wires go. On a four terminal one it does.
What If a New Capacitor Does Not Fix It?
Right value fitted and it still hums without turning? At that point it is not the capacitor. The motor is the usual cause.
Whether it is worth pursuing depends on the machine. Motors can often be repaired or rewound and on a well built washing machine that can be money well spent, so get a quote before writing anything off. On a cheaper machine the quote will often come to more than a new one costs. That decision is yours, not ours. What we would say is do not buy another capacitor, because the fault is not there.
If the drum will not move by hand at all, that is a seized bearing rather than an electrical fault. Same answer, worth having it looked at before you decide.
What Does CBB60 Mean?
CBB60 is a body type, not a brand. It describes the plastic cased cylindrical capacitor used in washing machines, pumps, compressors and dozens of other single phase motors.
If your old part says CBB60 on it, any CBB60 of the same capacitance and equal or higher voltage will replace it, whoever made it.
Common Questions
Can I fit a bigger capacitor than the original?
No. The capacitance must match the value printed on the old part. A larger capacitance makes the motor draw more current and run hot. Only the voltage rating can go up.
How long does a washing machine capacitor last?
Typically eight to twelve years. Heat is what kills them, so a machine in a warm utility room or one that runs several loads a day will get through them faster.
Can I test a capacitor without a meter?
Not reliably. A bulging top or oily residue tells you it has failed, but a capacitor can be well down on value and look perfectly normal. A multimeter with a capacitance range is the only way to be sure.
Is a run capacitor the same as a start capacitor?
No. A run capacitor stays in circuit the whole time the motor is running. A start capacitor only gives the initial kick and then drops out. Washing machines use run capacitors.
Does the voltage rating have to match exactly?
No, it only has to be equal or higher. A 450V capacitor will safely replace a 400V one of the same capacitance. Never fit a lower voltage rating.
Not Sure Which One You Need?
Send us the number printed on your old capacitor and the machine model if you have it. We will tell you which one to order rather than guess.