You follow any instructions below at your own risk.
Does your Panasonic Bread Maker have a weak mixing action, i.e. you can hear the motor power up but the paddle gets stuck, or are your loaves turning out really flat?
You can test by putting the machine into pizza or dough mode, pressing start and seeing if you can easily hold the paddle when it turns?
You possibly need a new belt or more likely a new motor run capacitor.
I had an SD255 which was really struggling to mix the dough. After some troubleshooting, I worked out it was the motor run capacitor that was faulty.
Original Capacitor
Model: SSE SMPA, 3microfarad +-5% 450VAC 50/60Hz 40/85/21 EN60252-1
Dimensions: 45 x 31.5 x 20.2mm / distance between the pins is roughly 38mm
Looks like this is made by Shiny Space Enterprise, hence the SSE. It is a Metallized Polypropylene Film Capacitor
| Safety Agency | TUV |
| Rated Voltage | 420 / 450VAC |
| Capacitance | 3uF |
| Capacitance Tolerance | ±5% |
| Temperature Range | -40 ~ +85? |
| Rated Working Frequency Range | 50 ~ 60Hz |
| Dissipation Factor (DF) | ? 1% Max. Measured at 1kHz 20? |
| Between Terminals (T-T) | Rated voltage x 175% VAC 10sec |
| Between Terminals and Case (T-C) | 2000VAC, 60sec |
Replacement Capacitor
To replace the cap I bought a 3uF (microfarad) 450V motor run capacitor from TecsaReco for R38.59 – Part No. RCAP3
No longer in stock https://za.rs-online.com/web/p/film-capacitors/8432023
Shaft Seal Replacement – Viton Oil Seal
This is for a Kenwood machine but it will be similar for the Panasonic
http://www.instructables.com/id/Kenwood-Bread-Maker-BM-450-Bread-Pan-Shaft-Seal-Re/
Panasonic Bread Maker Manuals
http://www.panasonic.eu/downloads/en_GB/popup.html
Either enter your Model Number, you can find it on your machine or select Home Appliances > Automatic Bread Maker > then your model number
Tried the run capacitor fix. Worked a treat. Thanks for the tip.
Thank you so much. The bread rose like it did when the machine was new. It was a challenge to solder the short pins that were much closer together than the original one but after many tries the solder caught. Not easy to do but not impossible. If only we could find a replacement with longer pins. So a few bucks and my SD 255 is like new again!
Hi David, which capacitor did you use as a replacement?
The exact one in the link. From RS components. The width of the original is 45 but the replacement one is 36mm and the pins are only 4mm Long so have to do some pin Gymnastics to get it thru the PCB holes. I think you can drill new holes but I did not have the equipment handy.
Fantastic information thank you. Yes the Capacitor is a bit of an arse to fit however it works and has saved me having to buy a new one.
My breadmaker was displaying the same symptoms as above but the problem turned out to be the drivebelt that was deteriorating and had slipped partially off the pulley. New drivebelt solved the problem.
The RS capacitor link now shows it as discontinued, anyone know of an equivalent?
There is a company advertising on Ebay called – it_tech_uk.com – they sell a CBB61 3 mfd motor running capacitor for £2.69. It is a direct replacement capacitor for the Panasonic motor circuit and easy to fit. The results are amazing – no more bricks pretending to be bread!
Thanks. Very detailed nice description.
Trying to locate where the capacitor should be expected. I found the service manual https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1169624/Panasonic-Sd-257wxc.html?page=2#manual but it does not help. Is it part of an assembly (e.g. motor)?
Maybe Panasonic stared to buy it, to fit it jn their machines :))
Or to leave us with no alternative, but to buy new machines.
Very disappointed by this brand, also the method to send something to their service under warranty is a pain.
Finally, a big thank you for the information provided here, very helpful.
Thanks for the information, very helpful. My Panasonic bread maker was mixing poorly and getting worse. Found a similar replacement capacitor for AU$15 at an appliance spares shop and installed it, is working fine now. almost better than new. Thanks again!
@Roman or anyone who wants to know, on my SD-253, the run capacitor is on the PCB some distance below the control panel.
I used these steps to access it:
Unplug power and remove pan
Put machine upside down. Unscrew bottom cover.
Put machine upright. Open main lid. Unscrew around the opening where the pan goes in. Carefully lift the insides incl. power cable, up and out through the outer casing. Bit fiddly. PCB is now visible.
I am going to try this one from RS, which also has the clsoer lead spacing (27.5 mm instead of 37.5 mm) BUT the leads are 20 mm long, which should help. Have to buy a pack of 5 for about R150 +another R100 or so shipping, but it will be worth the reduced hassle!
https://za.rs-online.com/web/p/film-capacitors/1804309
Panasonic ECWFG Metallised Polypropylene Film Capacitor, 630V dc, ±5%, 3?F, Through Hole
RS stock no.: 180-4309 Mfr. Part No.: ECWFG2J305P1 (there is a similar one on RS for half the price, but that has short leads. Not recommended.
Lastly, many thanks Grant for your VERY helpful article!
one correction:
mF = millifarad
µF/uF = microfarad, really it should be a “mu”: µ .. (code Alt0181, but frequently people don’t know this so a u tends to get used a lot)
1000µF = 1mF (no one really uses mF.. we tend to jump from µF straight to F) you say microfarad longhand.. so I’ll take it that’s what you meant, and your links are to 3µF caps.
and yes, our Panasonic has just started turning out poor loaves, we’ll try again one more time, then I’ll try this fix.
Thank you very much for the tip.
Just used this to fix my breadmaker. Was making bricks .Saved me a load of dough. Many thanks.
Really helpful advise. Replaced the run capacitor which was reading 0.6mF. Bread maker working perfectly again.
Really punny!