Help me wire a drum switch

Yes that's it so it can be reversed, thankyou, now if somebody will write down what to hook up where. I've read all the posts in here about how to do it and I'm more confused than ever.
 
Electrical hookup for a non-electrical person is confusing. No question there, it's a given. Start with the switch; an industrial motor reversing switch has the following connections that may well vary from switch to switch. Doesn't matter where they are physically, they all do the same thing. There is an ON-OFF switch that operates in both directions. Then there is a double pole switch that operates in different directions for different throws. One way will be straight across, the other way will be crossed. Centered will be open, no connection. Sit down with a cold drink (or beer, depending on preference) and the switch, operating it side to side until you can see each of these switch contacts. When you can see this, and not before, can you hook up the switch to the motor.

Now, to the motor; The black wires connect to the line cord, one to BLACK, one to WHITE. Make sure the capacitor is in the blue circuit. Then connect the two blue wires to the two black wires. When plugged in, the motor should run. Then, swap the two blue wires. The motor should run the opposite direction.

Then, and only then, add the switch into the circuit. From the line side, one of the black wires will run through the switch that is an ON-OFF. Then connect the two blue wires through the reversing switch. Depending on the model of switch, those two wires may be on opposite sides. Connect the other side of those to the neutral (white) and the black after the ON-OFF switch.

I normally make up the connections at the motor, with a six conductor cable to the switch. It is quite possible to bring in the line cord through the switch and have fewer conductors to the motor. That would be your choice, depending on how the wires were routed. The connections will be the same, it's just a matter of where they make up.

There are a couple of very important points to remember. The first is the GREEN wire. It is a frame ground and has no active part other than tying the metal parts together. The BLACK conductor in the line cord MUST go through an ON-OFF switch before it is used. In residential (home) electrical systems, the white wire is normally a reference point. There are exceptions, but very rare. In most (99.99%) systems, it can be left connected. Only the black wire must NEVER be hot until it is in use.

Bill Hudson​
 
It's a chinese switch off ebay, it's just a straight switch forward-off-reverse

Did it come with a wiring diagram? Sharing that would help us help you. There are generally two styles of drum switches, wiring for each style is different.


BTW it appears that the capacitor that is required was part number 494-00028 which is a motor run capacitor rated at 3.75 MFD and 370 Volts AC. A higher voltage rating is fine, but not lower. Finding a 3.75 MFD might be challenging, a 4 MFD should work fine. Bill Hudson's suggestion of getting the motor running without the reversing switch first is good idea.
 
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Chinese switches are not all alike, need to track down the internal connections either from a chart online or by yourself with a continuity checker or ohmmeter
We can't do that for you
 
Electrical hookup for a non-electrical person is confusing. No question there, it's a given. Start with the switch; an industrial motor reversing switch has the following connections that may well vary from switch to switch. Doesn't matter where they are physically, they all do the same thing. There is an ON-OFF switch that operates in both directions. Then there is a double pole switch that operates in different directions for different throws. One way will be straight across, the other way will be crossed. Centered will be open, no connection. Sit down with a cold drink (or beer, depending on preference) and the switch, operating it side to side until you can see each of these switch contacts. When you can see this, and not before, can you hook up the switch to the motor.

Now, to the motor; The black wires connect to the line cord, one to BLACK, one to WHITE. Make sure the capacitor is in the blue circuit. Then connect the two blue wires to the two black wires. When plugged in, the motor should run. Then, swap the two blue wires. The motor should run the opposite direction.

Then, and only then, add the switch into the circuit. From the line side, one of the black wires will run through the switch that is an ON-OFF. Then connect the two blue wires through the reversing switch. Depending on the model of switch, those two wires may be on opposite sides. Connect the other side of those to the neutral (white) and the black after the ON-OFF switch.

I normally make up the connections at the motor, with a six conductor cable to the switch. It is quite possible to bring in the line cord through the switch and have fewer conductors to the motor. That would be your choice, depending on how the wires were routed. The connections will be the same, it's just a matter of where they make up.

There are a couple of very important points to remember. The first is the GREEN wire. It is a frame ground and has no active part other than tying the metal parts together. The BLACK conductor in the line cord MUST go through an ON-OFF switch before it is used. In residential (home) electrical systems, the white wire is normally a reference point. There are exceptions, but very rare. In most (99.99%) systems, it can be left connected. Only the black wire must NEVER be hot until it is in use.

Bill Hudson​
Bill there is no capacitor on the motor, switching the blue wires doesn't reverse the motor. Am I going to need a capacitor
 
How complicated is wiring the capacitor into the system

The capacitor hookup is shown in the wiring diagram I shared above. Below is a copy with the capacitor circled in yellow.

The capacitor has only two terminals. Since this is an "AC" capacitor the two terminals are interchangeable.

Bodine07410005WireDiagramZoom.png
 
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