Calling on every Electrician professional to help the newbie out. So I am working on Walker Turner 900 drill press motor. When I got it all it did was humm and needed help to spin. When it runs it runs great. So I figured it was the capacitor. So I ordered one, received it and then bench tested the motor after temporarily hooking the capacitor to it (used alligator clips). Motor spins as designed (not under load). So removed the capacitor, went to discharge it, expect some spark and nothing. Thought that was strange. So I plugged the motor in without the capacitor and low and behold it runs!! ( Still not under load). So what's going on?? I thought the motor couldn't and wouldn't work without a capacitor?? Please educate a newbie and/or help trouble shoot. Thank you for any help keeping me and the machine safe.
Help a newbie out.. please.. Capacitor motor
- Thread starter ndfan6464
- Start date
Is your replacement capacitor the same as the original?
If you are sure it is wired correctly than the other possibilities are the start switch or the start winding it self. You said you have gotten the motor to run, can you hear a *click* when you turn it off and the motor slows to a stop?
If you are sure it is wired correctly than the other possibilities are the start switch or the start winding it self. You said you have gotten the motor to run, can you hear a *click* when you turn it off and the motor slows to a stop?
Typical sign of an open start winding circuit is the motor humms upon energization but does not turn. If you help rotate it by hand, it will run in the direction you rotated it.
Since your cap is new, I would say your next place to look is the centrifugal switch contacts. They may be bad and although touching may have high resistance and keeping that circuit open.
Take the end bell off and inspect the cent switch contacts. Maybe a couple of passes with emery paper on each contact face will help.
Also check if the switch itself is frozen. Rust, dust etc. can keep the switch from mechanically operating. Blow the entire motor out and lightly polish the shaft where the switch slides.
Could also be a bad connection in that circuit or even open start winding.
Please provide further details what was done to get the motor to run in the last part of your post.
Start with these checks and post results.
Since your cap is new, I would say your next place to look is the centrifugal switch contacts. They may be bad and although touching may have high resistance and keeping that circuit open.
Take the end bell off and inspect the cent switch contacts. Maybe a couple of passes with emery paper on each contact face will help.
Also check if the switch itself is frozen. Rust, dust etc. can keep the switch from mechanically operating. Blow the entire motor out and lightly polish the shaft where the switch slides.
Could also be a bad connection in that circuit or even open start winding.
Please provide further details what was done to get the motor to run in the last part of your post.
Start with these checks and post results.
The replacement capacitor is the same. For some reason it won't let me upload a picture of the old and new but they are the same. I do hear the centrifuge switch clicking. Just not sure why or how a motor can start (spin) without the capacitor hooked up and without my help. Make sense?
After I disconnected the new capacitor I went to discharge it and got no spark. Thinking that was odd I tried an experiment and plugged the motor in, with the capacitor taken off and the motor turned on just as it did when the capacitor was hooked up.
I was under the impression that a motor couldn't start without a capacitor hooked up but mine did. I have not taken the motor apart because I was for sure the main issue was the old capacitor was bad.
That's what I thought I was reading - the motor spun w/o the cap connected. So were the cap wires connected together or left in free air?
Free air
Free air - not good. Time to do some resistance checks across each winding, winding to ground/frame, winding to winding.
I'm wondering if you have one winding partially shorted to the other and the motor is trying to run as a split phase motor.
Bigger question is why nothing first and now runs with apparently just the cap out of the circuit. What else changed?
I'm wondering if you have one winding partially shorted to the other and the motor is trying to run as a split phase motor.
Bigger question is why nothing first and now runs with apparently just the cap out of the circuit. What else changed?
Do the resistance checks and wiggle the leads to see if anything is a poor connection while hooked to the meter.
When that motor is running, does it have any real torque to it or can you stall it by hand or by lightly touching the shaft with wood ?
When that motor is running, does it have any real torque to it or can you stall it by hand or by lightly touching the shaft with wood ?
Ok all give the test a try tomorrow and I'll report back
I have not tried any kind of load on it since taking it off. As soon as it ran without a capacitor do anything in fear of damaging the motor, capacitor or even to myself. I've learned the hard way to many times..lol
I have not tried any kind of load on it since taking it off. As soon as it ran without a capacitor do anything in fear of damaging the motor, capacitor or even to myself. I've learned the hard way to many times..lol
No. I haven't cracked it open. I assumed it was wired right for 110 since the guy I got it from has been running it the same way for a year or two. Plugged into a normal 110 house outlet
grounded-b
Well-known member
A capacitor usually won't hold a charge from AC voltage. It's when it's charged with DC that you'll get the jolt. On a motor, it's wired in series with the start winding to "phase shift" the current for starting
Ah ok. Now I know why I didn't get a spark when I tried to discharge it. Thank you
Ok so bench test results WITHOUT the capacitor installed and mainlines separated as in the picture.
1. Plugged in no load runs like a champ and switch clicks
2. Motor run down seems to take a bit switch clicks
3. Motor full speed stick against spindle motor keeps running full speed
4. Stick against spindle then turn on motor, motor won't spin. After removing stick the motor hummed for a second then started spinning
1. Plugged in no load runs like a champ and switch clicks
2. Motor run down seems to take a bit switch clicks
3. Motor full speed stick against spindle motor keeps running full speed
4. Stick against spindle then turn on motor, motor won't spin. After removing stick the motor hummed for a second then started spinning
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A single phase motor with just one winding (run winding) doesn't develop any starting torque. Most will run just like normal once up to speed even without the capacitor or winding connected at all, the exception to this is the capacitor run motor.
Often times with no load a motor with start winding/ capacitor/ ect. problems will start almost normally. The problem will appear with even a small load though...
At this point I think I would pop off the back end bell and look for obvious problems, charred winding burned contacts/ ect.
** UPDATE**
Well my kind and amazing friends we have successfully brought this motor back to life. Run down what happened.
1. Tested on and off switch found to be dead
2. Replaced switch, run bench test without CAP, successful
3. Wired up cap to motor no load. Successful
4. Applied pressure to spindle, energized motor, stick goes flying. Successful
5. Mount motor, put belt back on, energize motor successful!!!
6. Breath sigh of relief. Successful
Findings: bad CAP and bad switch.
Learned: A ton!
Thank you so very much for everything you guys did to help this poor soul out and willingness to teach me. If there is anything else I should test to double and triple check please I am all ears.
Well my kind and amazing friends we have successfully brought this motor back to life. Run down what happened.
1. Tested on and off switch found to be dead
2. Replaced switch, run bench test without CAP, successful
3. Wired up cap to motor no load. Successful
4. Applied pressure to spindle, energized motor, stick goes flying. Successful
5. Mount motor, put belt back on, energize motor successful!!!
6. Breath sigh of relief. Successful
Findings: bad CAP and bad switch.
Learned: A ton!
Thank you so very much for everything you guys did to help this poor soul out and willingness to teach me. If there is anything else I should test to double and triple check please I am all ears.
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Marctrees
Well-known member
Just commenting on only the apparent exterior condition of your motor....
And the drill otherwise also... VERY clean...
I would say you are fortunate to be at like 99% nicer than others out there.
Somebody babied this thing through allll the years, took good clean care of it.
Usually at that age, hard to read all nameplates, let alone look almost new like your's does.
VERY cool, and GREAT you got it running.
Be familiar with- http://vintagemachinery.org/ and http://www.owwm.org/
Marc
And the drill otherwise also... VERY clean...
I would say you are fortunate to be at like 99% nicer than others out there.
Somebody babied this thing through allll the years, took good clean care of it.
Usually at that age, hard to read all nameplates, let alone look almost new like your's does.
VERY cool, and GREAT you got it running.
Be familiar with- http://vintagemachinery.org/ and http://www.owwm.org/
Marc
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Marc thank you for the kind words sir! Truly appreciate it. Your definitely correct on how clean this machine is even the badge is pristine..Reason I jumped on the price of $140. All it really needs is a good cleaning and lube.
After I finally got the motor issue taken care of I put her through a test drive drilling various sizes holes into 2x4 and man she is smooth!! I wish my modern drill press I use for my metal fabrication ran this good.. whish I could use this Turner for metal. But this Turner is going to be well taken care of while I am alive
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