Abstract: An inverter-fed three-phase electrical motor (1) for a household appliance is grounded through a protective conductor (8), with the motor being particularly provided for the direct drive of washing machines. The motor includes a pick-up for high-frequency currents originating from an actuation of the inverter (7) and conducts the currents to one pole of a D.C. voltage supply (13) for the inverter (7) through an ohmic or capacitive shunt path (18-19), with the shunt path leading from a stator (3) of the motor which is installed electrically insulated into the household appliance and is not connected to the protective conductor (8).

Abstract: Described is a method of determining the rotary position of the rotor of a synchronous motor, in relation to the rotating magnetic stator field. The instantaneous rotor position is ascertained by measurement of the emf (E.s) induced in at least one stator winding by the rotor in a current gap in the stator current (I.s) flowing through said stator winding, wherein in accordance with the invention when using a sinusoidal or quasi-sinusoidal stator current an artificial current gap in the stator current is produced. In that case the induced emf (E.s) is directly derived from the tapped-off terminal potential (U.s) of the respective stator winding.