Appliance Spares
Quick answer: One 8 uF dryer run capacitor — part 0588400004 — is documented to fit 67 dryer models across three brands: Simpson, Westinghouse and Electrolux. The three badges belong to one appliance family, and their common vented dryers are built on a shared platform, so they use the same starting capacitor. If your dryer hums but the drum will not turn, this small part is the usual cause. Check the model sticker inside the door rim, match your model against the documented list on the product page, and the swap is a screwdriver job on most machines.
Last updated August 2026
A single 8 uF dryer run capacitor (part 0588400004) fits 67 documented dryer models across three brands: Simpson, Westinghouse and Electrolux. We publish that number because it changes how you shop for the part. You do not need a “Simpson capacitor” or a “Westinghouse capacitor” — you need the capacitor documented for your model number, and for 67 Australian dryer models that is the same part.
Why one capacitor serves three brands
Simpson and Westinghouse are Electrolux family brands, and for decades their vented clothes dryers have shared engineering under different badges. A shared platform means shared parts: the drum, the bearing behind it and the run capacitor that starts the motor carry over between models sold with different names and different front panels. Electrolux’s Australian support site hosts the manuals for the whole family, and our catalogue records the overlap part by part:
| One shared part or system | What our catalogue documents |
|---|---|
 8 uF dryer run capacitor, part 0588400004 | 67 dryer models across Simpson, Westinghouse and Electrolux |
 Matching dryer drum bearing | The same 67 dryer models, the same three brands |
 Hot-water inlet valve, part 0136200082 (washers) | 145 washing machine models across Simpson and Westinghouse |
 Top-loader lint filter, part 0564257398 (washers) | 145 washer models across Electrolux and Simpson |
| One washer error-code system | 18 shared code families (E10 through the E90 series) documented once, for all three brands |
| Cross-badge parts overall | 46 distinct parts in our catalogue are listed for two or more brands of the Electrolux family |
The dryers repeat the pattern at the fault-code level too: the three brands answer to one dryer error-code list, documented in our Westinghouse, Simpson and Electrolux dryer error codes guide. Same codes, same platform, same parts.
The symptom: the dryer hums but will not spin
A run capacitor gives the dryer motor the phase shift it needs to start turning. When the capacitor drifts out of specification, the motor receives power but cannot build starting torque, so you hear a hum for a few seconds, sometimes a click as the thermal cut-out trips, then silence. A drum that starts only after you open the door and give it a push by hand is the same fault at an earlier stage.
One check separates the capacitor from the other usual suspect, the belt. With the machine off, turn the drum by hand. Light, even resistance suggests the belt is intact and points at the capacitor; a drum that spins with no resistance at all points at a snapped belt instead. Our step-by-step guide to a dryer that hums but will not spin covers the full diagnosis, including how to test a capacitor with a multimeter.
How to confirm the part before you buy
- Read the model sticker. It is inside the door rim on most dryers in this family, or on the rear panel. Photograph it — the full letter-and-digit code matters, not just the brand.
- Check the documented model list. The product page for the capacitor carries the full list of 67 models. If your code is on it, that is your part; if it is not, do not order the closest-looking match.
- Match the rating printed on the old part. The capacitance is printed on the capacitor body in microfarads (written uF or µF). Replace like with like — an 8 uF part replaces an 8 uF part. Fitting a higher or lower value strains the motor or fails to start it.
- Still unsure? Run your code through the part finder, or send it to us and we will check it against the documented list before you order.
If the sticker has faded or you cannot find it, our guide to finding the model number on a Simpson washer or dryer shows every place it hides — the same locations apply across the family.
A safety note before you open the cabinet: unplug the dryer first, always. Capacitors store charge after the power is disconnected, so discharge across both terminals with an insulated-handle screwdriver before touching them. If any of that sounds unfamiliar, hand the job to a licensed repairer — the ACCC’s product safety guidance recommends leaving electrical repairs to people qualified to do them.
Your “obscure” dryer probably uses a mainstream part
The capacitor is the clearest example of a much wider pattern. Across our catalogue, 52% of the 289 appliance model families we document draw parts from two or more brands. Badge engineering is normal in the Australian appliance market: a machine that looks like an orphan — an old badge, a discontinued line, a brand nobody stocks — is very often a mainstream platform wearing different plastics.
The practical rule that follows: search by model number, never by brand alone. A brand search on an unusual badge can come back empty while the part itself sits in stock under a sibling brand’s name. The model number cuts through, because fitment lists are written model by model.
While the cabinet is open: check the bearing
The platform that shares the capacitor shares its drum bearing, documented for the same 67 models across the same three brands. The two parts age in the same hot cabinet, and a worn bearing drags on the motor in a way that shortens the life of whatever starts it. If the drum had been rumbling, squealing or getting harder to turn before the no-spin fault appeared, replace the bearing in the same session — for example the drum bearing for the Electrolux EDV505, EDV605, EDV605S and EDE605 group, with matching Simpson and Westinghouse bearing listings in the same category. Opening the cabinet once beats opening it twice.
Not just dryers: the washers tell the same story
The family’s washing machines share parts just as widely. One hot-water inlet valve (part 0136200082) is documented for 145 washing machine models across the Simpson and Westinghouse ranges, and one top-loader lint filter (part 0564257398) is documented for 145 washer models across Electrolux and Simpson. Even the electronics agree: Westinghouse, Simpson and Electrolux washers share one error-code system, so a single guide documents 18 shared code families for all three brands.
For a buyer this is quietly good news. Parts made for a platform rather than a badge are made in volume, documented across dozens of models, and far more likely to be on a shelf in Australia when yours fails.
Frequently asked questions
Why do Simpson, Westinghouse and Electrolux dryers use the same capacitor?
The three brands belong to the Electrolux family and their common vented dryers are built on a shared platform. Different badges, same machine underneath — so the motor and its 8 uF run capacitor carry over across 67 documented models.
My dryer hums for a few seconds and then stops. Is that always the capacitor?
It is the usual cause, but confirm before ordering. Turn the drum by hand with the power off: even, light resistance points at the capacitor; a drum that spins completely freely points at a snapped belt. A dryer that starts only when you spin the drum by hand is a weak capacitor rather than a failed one.
Can I fit a capacitor with a different uF rating?
No. Match the value printed on the old capacitor exactly. A higher rating changes the motor’s phase angle and overheats the windings; a lower rating may never start the drum. Like for like, always.
Where is the model number on my dryer?
On the model sticker inside the door rim, or on the rear panel. Use the full code — within one brand, different model families can use different capacitors, and the documented fitment list is written against complete model numbers.
Is it safe to replace a dryer capacitor myself?
Only with the dryer unplugged and the capacitor discharged first — capacitors hold charge after the power is off, so short across both terminals with an insulated-handle screwdriver before touching them. If you are not confident, use a licensed repairer.
What does a run capacitor actually do?
It shifts the phase of the current feeding the motor’s start winding, which is what gives a single-phase motor its starting torque. Without it the motor hums instead of turning — power in, no rotation out.
Check your model in two minutes
Photograph the model sticker inside your door rim, then either match it against the documented list on the 8 uF run capacitor product page or run it through the part finder quiz. Whatever the badge on the front says, the model number decides the part — and for 67 Australian dryer models, the answer is the same small capacitor.
Disclaimer: this article is general information only and is provided without warranty of any kind. Appliance designs vary between models and production runs — always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, switch off and unplug the appliance before starting any work, and confirm parts against the model number on your appliance’s model sticker. Any repair is undertaken at your own risk and Oz Appliance Spares accepts no liability for injury, loss or damage arising from work performed after reading this guide, to the maximum extent permitted by law. If in doubt, use a qualified technician.
