Blender: Burnt or Electrical Smell From Motor

Blender blades can also be called cutter assemblies, blending assemblies, and agitator assemblies. The assembly consists of the blades, a bearing, and the sealing plate. The bearings in the blade assembly can become seized from liquid and food seeping through. This will cause the motor to work harder than it should, and either overheat or burn out. Dull blades from blending lots of ice or other hard foods can also cause stress on the motor, sometimes resulting in a burning smell. Replacing the blade assembly is an easy repair you can complete yourself. Make sure your blender is unplugged before beginning this repair. Unscrew the base from the jar and pop out the agitator and seal. Check the seal for wear and tear, and replace as well if necessary. Note that the seal goes between the agitator and jar, not the agitator and the base. Place the new agitator assembly into the base, and screw back into your blender jar.

The failure of other parts in your blender can cause the motor to fail as well, resulting in a burning or electrical smell. Other parts such as the seals can become torn, allowing liquid to seep through to the motor. Blending lots of ice can also cause the blades to fail, resulting in an overworked, burnt-out motor. The most common reason to replace the motor is if the motor brushes are worn out.

Blender seals can also be known as gaskets, O-rings, washers, or sealing rings. The seal is part of the blade assembly, and can cause motor problems by being torn or cracked and allowing liquid to get into the motor. To replace the seal ring, follow the instructions above for taking apart the blade assembly. Replace the seal ring, making sure to place the new one between the agitator assembly and blender jar.

Blenders with heavy use will have worn out brushes over time. The brushes will arc, resulting in a burning smell and possibly some smoke. The carbon brushes are used in electric motors to transfer electricity to the armature inside the motor. Brushes wear down over time and stop coming in contact with the armature. Make sure your blender is unplugged before replacing the brushes. Consult your owner manual to find out where the brushes are located in your model. They may be located behind spring-loaded brush caps, which can be unscrewed using a flat blade screwdriver. The brush should pop out fairly easily. There are two brushes, likely located on each side of the blender. Your new brush will only fit into the motor a certain way, make sure the new brush is properly lined up with the motor opening. Slide in the new brushes and screw the brush caps back on using your flat blade screwdriver.

Blender couplers, or couplings, come in a variety of shapes and materials. Most of the time they are made to fail in the event the blades get overloaded. Couplings can melt and then harden, if made from plastic, causing the motor to overload and result in a burning or electrical smell. Make sure your blender is unplugged before replacing the coupling. The coupler is the part located on the top of the blender base, which the base of your blender jar locks onto. You should be able to lightly pop the coupler out using a screwdriver. There will be a spindle underneath the coupler; make sure there are no metal bits from the coupler left on the spindle before installing the new one. The new coupler can be screwed onto the spindle, usually in a counter-clockwise motion.