Reversing Electric Motor

[BigSteve63]

Not sure if this is the correct location for this, but needing some help with an electric motor I got for cheap. It was full of mud dauber junk and had cobbled up plug in wired to it. Have taken apart, cleaned, and lubed. Motor runs great, but would really like to change the direction of rotation if possible. Have a photo of the motor plate, but it does not have wiring diagram or manufacturer name on it. Based on text from the plate and Google, I think it may be an old Wagner motor. Also posting from an Ebay listing for a Wagner motor, as it shows the same wire colors and positions as the one I have. Is changing the direction as simple as moving the wire from the capacitor to the other terminal?

Steve

 

[The Cobbler]

from your pic it looks like you swap the orange trace with the green trace wires

 

[nadogail]

Reversing the motor is as simple as following the information on the motor name plate.

 

[BigSteve63]

Reversing the motor is as simple as following the information on the motor name plate.

Name plate is gone - only have the stamped info for model, frame, etc.

 

[BigSteve63]

from your pic it looks like you swap the orange trace with the green trace wires

Cobbler - this was the ticket. Swapped the wires and the rotation reversed - for a bit. Ran for few seconds, made a pop at the rear of the motor and stopped running. Will not restart. Going to disassemble and start ohming things out. Even if it is done, was worth the ten bucks for something to do!

 

[nadogail]

Name plate is gone - only have the stamped info for model, frame, etc.

If the nameplate is gone, how were you able to post a picture of it?

 

[dogdog]

If the nameplate is gone, how were you able to post a picture of it?

that name plate only shows high voltage low voltage setup.

 

[Zeke]

^^^^ and when it shows that, it usually shows the reversing diagram. My bet that motor runs one way, not 2.

 

[Davefr]

The last sentence on the nameplate you attached tells you to interchange Orange with Green to reverse.

 

[The Cobbler]

^^^ already covered 3 days ago...

 

[BigSteve63]

Yep - still waiting to get home this weekend to start ohming wires.

The legible name plate was from a motor I saw on eBay that matched the wires in my motor - plate on mine was the one with stamped voltages only.

 

[dogdog]

Eh!!!!

 

[PCustoms]

Yep - still waiting to get home this weekend to start ohming wires.

The legible name plate was from a motor I saw on eBay that matched the wires in my motor - plate on mine was the one with stamped voltages only.

WTF

 

[Zeke]

The last sentence on the nameplate you attached tells you to interchange Orange with Green to reverse.

Man, I can barely make out what you pointed out. Good eye.

 

[PCustoms]

Man, I can barely make out what you pointed out. Good eye.

Except that's a generic nameplate pic from the internet....

 

[Zeke]

Except that's a generic nameplate pic from the internet....

OK, I knew that it wasn't the OP's motor, I still could barely see the wording.

What remains to be seen if the OP's motor with the missing data plate is in fact the same or if it won't reverse. I'm only interested in this to see why the motor smoked. This is knowledge for me for the future.

 

[BigSteve63]

Cobbler - this was the ticket. Swapped the wires and the rotation reversed - for a bit. Ran for few seconds, made a pop at the rear of the motor and stopped running. Will not restart. Going to disassemble and start ohming things out. Even if it is done, was worth the ten bucks for something to do!

OK - tore it apart this morning. Have continuity on both sets of windings, so motor should still be good. The capacitor, not so much. Looks to have a spot like you would see on a leaking battery and spot where it may have arced to the motor case. It also tests dead as a hammer. Problem now is identifying which capacitor to purchase to replace it. The old one was badly rusted and had some overspray on it. Could not find any mfg marks on it anywhere. Tried cleaning with steel wool, then QD contact cleaner - found a bit that may have at one time said start cap, but nothing else. Anyone have any ideas on how to size this? Physical dimension limitations are 2” diameter x 3 3/8” long.

Steve

 

[dogdog]

if you go by this video's formula, easiest to understand... it comes out to be about 220ufd for a 10.4AMP draw at 120v motor... so a 250ufd 120V rated or 240V rated start capacitor.

or you can google your motor with similar hp rating ( amp draw) and see what replacement start capacitor is there...

 

[BigSteve63]

Success! Thanks to dogdog and the video, ordered the correct capacitor the first time. Another week of travel, so changed some wires and put the capacitor in place, then - nothing! Went to discharge the new capacitor and found no charge. Pulled the wires and plugged the motor in and checked power to capacitor, found no voltage. Apparently, when the original capacitor took a ****, it blew the gfci in the circuit - reset it and motor started right up!

Thanks all for the advice!

Steve

 

[dogdog]

Eh!