What washing machines cope in alternative energy situations? Normal household washing machines don’t appear robust enough for our off grid system. Np problems with other electronics, other than toasters. The electronic control panel stops functioning within 18 months of purchase. We are not subject to brown outs, live in the tropics, our machine is on verandah like most machines in Top End but have had 5 washing machines over last 20 years.
Greetings Viki, welcome to the forum.
What is the problem with your off grid system, is the voltage not within prescribed limits or something else?
You may be interested in another thread Washing Machine for low water pressure depending on what sort of water supply you have.
Welcome to the Community @viki.kane
Were all your washers the same manufacturer or different? Some products/manufacturers use less robust electronics and power supplies than others.
To the electrical design, off-grid power, and that your problem is unique to washing machines and your toaster, it suggests spikes rather than brownouts are causing the failures so you want to discuss a product to filter power spikes as a possible treatment.
50 years ago we had a shop next to a F&C and one product line (demo models used on the floor) had a lot of premature failures. After ‘too long’ we realised it was the electrical spikes from the F&C fryers and the industrial exhaust hoods. The solution was a power filter. There are numerous types and the type you might check out is roughly in the $300-4000(!) range. While expensive one might solve your problem? Power filter boards to protect against lightening strikes on the poles/wires might help but may not be sensitive enough to filter an off-grid power supply. Furthermore many of those boards are designed to self destruct to save the appliance and even a lesser spike repeated over a long time could cause them to fail. They usually have ‘service’ lights to denote when they fail.
Ask a sparky or the manufacturer(s) for an opinion. This one is a random hit on the internet, but since it targets audio-visual systems it might solve your problem and is on the more affordable end of the cost spectrum.
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Washing machines are a particular device with an electric motor that can vary frequently in power demand. From not at all with water fill, to not much in water pump out, to continuous in wash or high demand to speed up for spin.
Maybe your inverter is just not able to cope and condition the power supply properly and voltage spikes are frying the control board.
As mentioned, maybe a power conditioner unit would be good to put between the power supply from the inverter and the washer. There are also ‘soft start’ units that can smooth out the power demands from electric motors. So an instantaneous demand for power by the motor is eased in instead.
Having lived off-grid for over 30 years, I’ve never had a problem with electronics failing due to the quality of the power delivered by my inverters.
The current Bosch washing machine has been operating 14 years without issue (I purchased it 14 years ago to the day!). I also use TIG and MIG welders, induction cooktops, various power tools, numerous pumps, kitchen appliances etc.
What are your inverter and system specifications?
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Good point, but even if a good brand, it is obviously possible @viki.kane might have a faulty one.
A power analysis with a power line recorder or recording multi-meter would be useful analysis tools. If nothing it would exonerate or point at the power system. OTOH replacing a washing machine every 4 years could be relatively economical? Depending on the washing machine 4 years could be its reasonable life but repetitious failures of the control board (and toasters) suggest it is not that simple.
A tutorial from Fluke, that makes high end equipment for the industry.
Recorders appear to start from about $800 and go up quickly. Perhaps @viki.kane can find a local sparky/electrical contractor who would be willing to put one in for a contracted time at a reasonable price if they want to follow it up.
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