| abstract |
The present invention relates to a washing machine (70 and pump (8) for a washing machine (7). The pump is driven by a brushless DC motor (38). The pump can be controlled to improve the operation of the washing machine. In one aspect the invention comprises a washing machine (7) with a variable speed pump (7) for pumping out waste water, a controller (50) for controlling the speed of the pump and a sensor (10) for determining the flow rate of water being pumped from the washing machine, wherein the controller (50) controls the speed of the pump to maintain the flow rate at a desirable level. Also disclosed is a method of reducing the effects of ventilation, dislodging a pump blockage, and a method of controlling a recirculation pump. |