Electrical Problem

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Warren

Warren
Corporate Member
I have a 15 inch Pwermatic planer that has about 50-70 hours of use. Today I started to plane some 4/4 rough lumber and hit the start button. No response. Being a mechanical engineer with miminal practical electical experience, I need help on starting my toubleshooting adventure. I have a VOM and need a start point. I'm getting 220 at the outlet socket. I have a motor starter so how do I begin? Hopefully the problem is there and not the expensive motor.
Any help is greatly appreciated,
 

Sully

New User
jay
Ditto what Dennis said. If the contacts on the starter are dirty they may not be pulling closed when you hit the start button. You might also check to see if there is a reset button on the starter or the motor.
 

Charles Lent

Charley
Corporate Member
I have a 18" Chiwanese band saw. The brand name isn't important. Whenever it fails to start it's always been caused by sawdust in the stop switch. Until I can clean it properly, all I have to do it push in the stop button and then slide my finger off of it sideways to let the button pop out. This is usually enough to shake enough of the sawdust out of the contacts enough to get it to work.

Why the stop switch you say? The stop button/switch has normally closed contacts when used in a magnetic starter circuit. They must be making connection (stop button released) before the start button will work to operate the starter and start the motor. When sawdust gets in the switch it holds these contacts open, preventing the saw's operation. I take the switch cover off and blow the sawdust out, then it's good for another 6 months or so.

Charley
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
My bet also goes for dirty contacts, either in the start / stop button, or the contactor. Because motor makes no noise, it isn't getting power. You need to see what a roach looks like after hiding in an air conditioner contactor. Fried to a crisp!
 

Warren

Warren
Corporate Member
First thing tomorrow, I'll fire up the compressor and blow out the dust and see what happens. THANKS!:gar-Bi
 

Warren

Warren
Corporate Member
Thanks to all for the help. I removed the covers on the motor starter and the stop button and blew out the contactors. After blowing out the stop button, there was no more problem. Able to resume the planing of boards. Thanks again for the help.:gar-Bi
 
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