Planer keeps burning through fuses.

[Mike G]

No problem.

 

[Cabinetman]

Hi Mike, an extremely frustrating situation, I’m sure a trained electrician with one of those really expensive meters (My guy told me over £1000 and even then faulty and needs recalibrating) would have been able to pinpoint the problem fairly quickly. I feel it was one of those problems that needed to be taken right back to the root source, and as you did, check everything down the line from that point, you now have a solid supply which should stop the fuses blowing. We hope!! Just curious were the screws tight onto the wires in the socket? Ian. (We all had our pet theories)

 

[Mike G]

They all seemed about right, Ian. I didn't find any obvious faults, which of course is frustrating.

 

[Mike G]

I have spent a couple of hours sorting this machine out this afternoon, and I think I have solved the mystery. The thing is, novocaine (and probably others) had given me enough of a clue:

.........you say it doesn't start with the same uumph it used to, that's normally because the capacitor is fecked, but that's a new cap so the next question is correctly installed really.......

There are 4 terminals arranged in a square on the end of this new capacitor. I have only 2 cables going from the capacitor to the motor. There is no clue on the capacitor itself what the different terminals mean, and no wiring diagram came with it....with the upshot being that I had the wires on the wrong terminals, and was effectively running the machine without the benefit of a capacitor. Having swapped one of the cables to another terminal it all starts and runs as sweet as a nut, and every bit as well as it has done for the last 10 or 15 years. So, mea culpa. It was entirely my fault. I've started and stopped it 40 or 50 times now, and it hasn't popped the fuse. It starts with the gusto that it used to, rather than the laboured way it has been for the last few weeks.

-

Now, the other factor which I had touched on before was the pulley. I had a gentle crash landing when removing the motor last time, and the machine has been vibrating more than normal since then. It was, as I suspected, a slightly bent pulley. The motor shaft is perfect, as are the bearings. I ran the motor out of the machine just now and it purred beautifully, and spun on for minutes after turning the power off. The pulley, however, had a ding in the side, which means it runs with a slight wobble. I've knocked it out to a reasonable shape for now, but it obviously needs replacing. So......

Can anyone recommend a supplier? This is an aluminium pulley, bizarrely 4" OD, 3" at the bottom of the V, on a metric 15mm shaft with a 5mm key. Is that corruption of metric and imperial normal?

 

[novocaine]

Yes. Because Merica freedom units with motors made for the rest of the world.
No recommendation for where to get a pully. Id make my own thanks to the joys of lathe.

 

[Trevanion]

Now, the other factor which I had touched on before was the pulley. I had a gentle crash landing when removing the motor last time, and the machine has been vibrating more than normal since then. It was, as I suspected, a slightly bent pulley. The motor shaft is perfect, as are the bearings. I ran the motor out of the machine just now and it purred beautifully, and spun on for minutes after turning the power off. The pulley, however, had a ding in the side, which means it runs with a slight wobble. I've knocked it out to a reasonable shape for now, but it obviously needs replacing. So......

Have you measured the motor spindle with a dial to know for certain it's running true? It may be running out only a couple of thousands of an inch which won't cause vibration without a pulley on but once the pulley is in place it can make it vibrate like crazy. But more than likely the ding in the pulley is the culprit and has caused dynamic inbalance.

Can anyone recommend a supplier? This is an aluminium pulley, bizarrely 4" OD, 3" at the bottom of the V, on a metric 15mm shaft with a 5mm key. Is that corruption of metric and imperial normal?

I assume if you're measuring 4" down to 3" in the groove it's a 16mm wide x 13mm thick SPB belt. The smallest Pulley here should do, not quite 100% the same size but it's the smallest in SPB I could find:

https://www.beltingonline.com/100mm-1-groove-spb-v-pulley-1610-t-l-spb100-9161

and this Taperlock bush to go with it:

https://www.beltingonline.com/1610-taperlock-bushes-4845

I'm not sure what the keyway is on the bushing, might be worth ringing them to confirm.

 

[9fingers]

A good solution for pulleys is the taperlock system or its interchangable clones.
Basically you look up a hub that suits your motor shaft diameter and keyway. usually there will be a few different OD hubs for any one shaft size.
Note these down then look for a pulley I suspect you want a "SPA" form pulley. 12-13mm across the top of the vee or is could be the smaller SPZ form about 10mm. Pulley is specified by its pitch circle diameter which tends to be 5mm smaller than the OD
You might have a couple of the right OD to choose from next look at the bore for the hubs and pick a pulley and a hub that will fit each other. As easy as that.
Whilst you are ordering, get a new belt, the cogged type quite cheap give best grip when one of the pulleys is small.

I use Bolton engineering for this sort of thing - good outfit.

try https://bepltd.com/products/spa095x1-12 ... 100-5mm-od for a starting point that needs a 1210 bush.
Like one of these
https://bepltd.com/products/1210-15-tap ... aft-fixing

Finally a belt from this range https://bepltd.com/collections/belts-v- ... %20Wide%29

HTH
Bob

 

[Mike G]

Thanks guys, that's brilliant.

 

[Mike G]

You've mentioned the taperlock system previously. What's the benefit? (I'm asking out of ignorance, not to challenge the suggestions).

 

[novocaine]

Perfect interference fit without the need to machine it as such. Saves a fortune in manufacturing and any monkey can fit one with basic tools.

 

[Trevanion]

You've mentioned the taperlock system previously. What's the benefit? (I'm asking out of ignorance, not to challenge the suggestions).

They're simply just better than a conventional style pulley (I've never seen one come loose) and they're usually the cheapest option too.

It can be a bit difficult to line up the pulleys perfectly since it moves as it tightens onto the taper but it's straightforward enough.