- Joined
- Jun 6, 2015
- Messages
- 303
OK -
I have learned in my dealings with very old motors to have low expectations - This one proved me right, again.
Kingston Conley 1/2 hp capacitor start motor, 1940's vintage, wired 120V - One of those nice looking ones, with the wrinkle paint end bells.
I took it apart for new, sealed, bearings and a re-paint. Scrupulously marked the wiring, covered any cracked insulation with shrink tube, and very carefully re-assembled it - It's wired to a drum switch (also carefully marked and rewired). It did work correctly before my attentions, but had bearing noise, and looked really ugly - Mounted on the machine, it's out in the open.
It went back together apparently fine, and the rotor spun smoothly and coasted a good while, when spun by hand.
Now to the problem - It starts with a brief groaning noise before it spins up, AND, the direction it chooses to turn is kind of random - I can hit the drum switch to forward, and sometimes it will turn forward when switched, but sometimes, it will start in reverse when switched forward, and vice-versa.
If it's coasting down in one direction, and switched opposite, it will start up turning the original direction.
So, is it a capacitor issue, or field winding, or am I basically just an idiot, for even trying this with a motor this old?
Not world ending, as I do have other motors, but I'd like to know if anyone might have an idea what I did wrong.
I have learned in my dealings with very old motors to have low expectations - This one proved me right, again.
Kingston Conley 1/2 hp capacitor start motor, 1940's vintage, wired 120V - One of those nice looking ones, with the wrinkle paint end bells.
I took it apart for new, sealed, bearings and a re-paint. Scrupulously marked the wiring, covered any cracked insulation with shrink tube, and very carefully re-assembled it - It's wired to a drum switch (also carefully marked and rewired). It did work correctly before my attentions, but had bearing noise, and looked really ugly - Mounted on the machine, it's out in the open.
It went back together apparently fine, and the rotor spun smoothly and coasted a good while, when spun by hand.
Now to the problem - It starts with a brief groaning noise before it spins up, AND, the direction it chooses to turn is kind of random - I can hit the drum switch to forward, and sometimes it will turn forward when switched, but sometimes, it will start in reverse when switched forward, and vice-versa.
If it's coasting down in one direction, and switched opposite, it will start up turning the original direction.
So, is it a capacitor issue, or field winding, or am I basically just an idiot, for even trying this with a motor this old?
Not world ending, as I do have other motors, but I'd like to know if anyone might have an idea what I did wrong.