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(Stupid?) Drum Switch Question

antman213

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Nov 19, 2017
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Picked up a drum switch recently in hopes of using it to reverse my drill press.
The switch is labeled as "High Range" & "Low Range" instead of "Forward" or "Reverse".

Is this switch able to be used for a reversing drum switch or is it only able to be used for high/low range?'

From what I can tell it should work, but I'm no expert.
 

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AA/FC

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I'll bite...why reverse your drill press?
Thread tapping, (to reverse you tap back out) and reverse cutting drill bits when trying to remove broken screws and bolts. (hopefully the bit grabs and it screws the broken bolt out of the hole)

Just a few thought that cam to my mind...
 

MushCreek

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The one on my milling machine is labeled high range and low range. It does reverse the motor. The reason it is labeled that way is because when the back gear is engaged (low range), the spindle rotation is reversed. So yes, it will work if the motor is capable of being wired that way. Basically, it is for three phase motors, which can be instantly reversed. There are single phase instant reversing motors, such as in garage door openers, but they are scarce. If you instantly reverse a conventional single phase motor, it will keep running in the same direction. You would have to let it stop before reversing it.
 

larry_g

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Hopefully there is a wiring diagram inside of the switch. Most come with one. Drum switches come in many different contact layouts and number of contacts, so you are going to have to know or figure out what is connected to what in each position of the switch. If you have a model or part number on the switch you may find the wiring online. What the label says (highrange/lowrange) is for the machine it came off of and meaningless to what you want to do with it.

Look here for some wiring diagrams, https://www.google.com/search?q=dru...cDzMQ_AUoAXoECAIQAw&biw=1097&bih=510&dpr=1.75 , and figure out what your switch will do.

lg
no neat sig line
 

Yankeefarmer

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Keep in mind that, if your drill press wasn’t designed with a chuck mount designed for reversing, it could unscrew the chuck when run in reverse.
 
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larry_g

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It won’t. Do you have a schematic for the motor wiring?
Nope, the OP has not released that bit of information or has he released any detailed info on the drum switch. I guess we will continue with the silliness till he does....

lg
no neat sig line
 
OP
A

antman213

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I need to swap T5 & T8 on the motor to get from CW to CCW. I will open up the switch and get a picture for reference. Unfortunately there isn't much info online for this switch. Looking at other drum switches it appears a bit different inside though.
 

dogdog

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I need to swap T5 & T8 on the motor to get from CW to CCW. I will open up the switch and get a picture for reference. Unfortunately there isn't much info online for this switch. Looking at other drum switches it appears a bit different inside though.
in for some info for this Hi/Lo switch...
*** yeah go with a drum switch from post #7 cheap enough that it is almost the same price as a decent dpdt.

just keep note that to reverse an AC induction motor with capacitor start is just reverse the connection of the start coil... in your case T5 / T8.
 
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BreeStephany

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I need to swap T5 & T8 on the motor to get from CW to CCW. I will open up the switch and get a picture for reference. Unfortunately there isn't much info online for this switch. Looking at other drum switches it appears a bit different inside though.
How many contacts are on your low/high range switch? If its rated for 3ph power, you likely have enough contacts to make it do what you would like, provided it has additional contacts for the different coils, but as others have suggested, your best bet would be to get a fwd/stop/reverse "reversing" drum switch. 3ph drum switches just swap 2 of the line contacts to reverse the phasing, so you can use those contacts for switching the T5&T8 leads, provided it is a 125VAC motor. If its 250V 1ph, you may have to add an additional 'auxiliary' contact to turn off the second line conductor when the drum switch is in the off position.

If it were me, I would use a "reversing" drum switch, as it will act as your disconnect when turned to the "off" position, ensuring that the motor is disconnected before reversing the internal coils.

What is the make / model / voltage / phase of the motor on your drill press?

If you open up the switch you, there should be Eaton P/N on the contacts and the actuator. Most Eaton contacts are modular so that you can add / "stack" additional contacts to be actuated by the actuator / switch handle. Provided there is enough room in the housing, you should be able to add additional contacts, but again, as others have said, suggest going with a "reversing" drum switch that has fwd / off / rev positions to ensure that the motor is disconnected while swapping the coil positions.

Just my two cents!
 
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antman213

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Well here it is
 

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dogdog

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Well here it is
if that is the mapping verify it.... you can still use it but will need to use the original on/off switch since this is not a center off switch.

T1 T2 will be your T5 T8
L1 L2 will be Line neutral

T3 and L3 Not used.

Keep your ON/OFF and tap the L1 L2 from the switch side of the ON/OFF. This is important so you won’t energize the start coils and caps unless the on button is pushed for motor to run.



***
keep in mind that your motor is 1 phase capacitor start ac induction motor.

That drum switch is for 3 phase motors.
 
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steel 35

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Made a Big power roller mounted the motor, found a barrel switch mounted it &
Guess they didn't teach that theory in his class!
So that's how I figured one out. Meter position's on the barrel switch, then let rip tater _ _ _ _.
 
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