How to Add Capacitors to a Washing Machine

Disconnect your washer from the electrical outlet. Turn off the hot and cold water supply lines on the wall behind the washer.

Rotate the washer’s control console off the top of the cabinet. There are two screws at each end of the console, and depending on your model, they are located at the front of the console, back of the console or beneath plastic end caps. If your model has the plastic end caps, simply snap the end caps off the console ends. Remove the two screws, slide the console forward, and then lift it up.

Unplug the lid switch connector located beneath the console. Release the two clips holding the washing machine cabinet to the back panel by inserting a flat-head screwdriver into the clips where they connect to the top of the cabinet. Push down and out on the clips to pop them from the cabinet.

Stand facing the washer. Grab the washer cabinet and tilt it towards you at a 45 degree angle. Lift the cabinet up and off the washer frame.

Look for the capacitor on the washer. It is about 3 inches long, black in color, 1- to 1 1/2-inches in diameter, connects to the washer motor with two wires, and secures to the washer’s back panel with a plastic or metal bracket. Some capacitors could attach to the side of the washer motor.

Remove the capacitor from the bracket. Some brackets connect to the washer with screws while others simply clip to the back panel.

Pull the two wires off the two connectors on the bottom of the capacitor. Peel the foam covering from the exterior of the capacitor if your capacitor has this covering on it. Throw away the old capacitor.

Wrap the new capacitor in the foam covering if you removed the covering from your old capacitor. Push the two wires you removed from the old capacitor onto the two terminals on the new capacitor. The wires can go on either terminal.

Insert the newly added capacitor to into the original capacitor bracket. Secure the bracket back to the motor or rear washing machine panel.

Tilt the washing machine cabinet to a 45 degree angle. Lift the cabinet back onto the washer frame, ensuring the front of the cabinet inserts under the frame. Lower the cabinet until it sits squarely onto the washer frame.

Complete the assembly of your washer by reversing the step you took in the disassembly process.