My bet is that the timer is OK. The washer has a quick wash feature
button and further is supposed to be energy efficient. I bet the timer
is turned on and off by a separate master timer, the interval of which
is determined by demand. I think the technology is fooling the original
poster.
Joe
Sam Goldwasser wrote:
"Ron(UK)" writes:
Sam Goldwasser wrote:
I now have the timer mechanism in my possesion.
There is a synchronous motor which drives 4 gears as follows:
Driven Drive
Shaft Teeth Teeth Gear:Gear Ratio Period (60Hz)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Motor 12 Motor:G1 12:50 1:4.17 15 Hz
G1 50 16 G1:G2 16:40 1:2.5 3.6 Hz
G2 40 10 G2:G3 10:45 1:4.5 1.44 Hz
G3 45 12 G3:G4 12:48 1:4 0.32 Hz
G4 48 0.08 Hz (12.5 s)
Gear G4 engages the inside of a funny large ring gear - it has teath
missing
every 12th position. Every 12.5 s, the cam switch moves one position.
However, there is a lever in the middle of the mechanism which seems to
be wanting to engage something that isn't there. When that lever is
prevented from moving a certain way, the main cam doesn't step. However,
I can't quite see what it's really doing without further disassembly.
So, is it possible there is some escapement that is missing
on this unit? There are at least two posts that look like they may be
for additional gears or something but that's not conclusive.
Perhaps the original theory that something is missing deserves more
consideration.
One thing I'm quite sure of is that the 50/60 Hz thing is irrelevant
as
far as this mechanism is concerned. The motor feels like it has around
the 8 poles required to account for the 15 rps speed at which it is running
(at 60 Hz).
--- sam
Sam, there`s usually a kind of 'rocking lever' a bit like a clock
escapement. It`s dificult to see where any parts could go missing to
unless it`s been 'got at' previously.
Here's a photo. Sorry about the quality:
http://repairfaq.cis.upenn.edu/Misc/tmp/gears.jpg
Just above the center hub, there is a white nylon tab sticking out, which
is part of a lever that's mostly hidden behind the black plate.
That's the lever I'm talking about. Now, it could just be sn indicator
to show what's going on but it could also be part of some type of escapement.
There are also a post visible on either side of the white tab which are
different than the other posts used to just key the top. They could be
for missing parts (or optional parts).
The blue ring gear just visible through the window is moved by
the final white gear - there is a mating gear on the other side of the
black plate. The blue ring gear rotates freely inside the cam cylinder,
but also cycles the position of the lever. When the lever moves into a
certain position, it engages the cam cylinder and causes it to move
by one click. Limiting the travel of the lever prevents this movement.
What would make the most sense is that there is something missing that's
supposed to do every 4th rotation of the final white gear to move the cam.
That would be one minute at 50 Hz.
Isn't there anyone at the French company who can answer the simple
question as to whether just powering the timer should cause the cam to
move in 1 minute increments? Don't confuse them with 50/60 Hz! 
Thanks.
--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html
Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name is included in the subject line. Or, you can
contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.
--
Joe Leikhim K4SAT
"The RFI-EMI-GUY"
"Follow The Money"