Sudden stop

[brino]

Does this lathe have any safety switches on gear covers, or other panels?

It sounds to me like maybe you opened one to look for the noise, and then didn't close it.
Now the controller won't power the motor because it thinks you have your hands in there.

It's worth a check........

If that's not it, can you post some good close-up pictures of your motor controller.
Maybe someone can spot something amiss.

-brino

 

[zerotact]

Power surge to restart the motor is higher than running amps. The final straw? Use the controller from a free craigslist treadmill, your 90 vdc motor is not very picky.

yeh--I guess im going to have to do that--how do I set that up--the Tread mill motor is much larger--it wont fit in there--am I going to have to place the motor behind the lathe like a south bend and go to a pulley drive and even change the --or--put a pulley on the back of the spindle to drive it with--e.t.c--e.t.c

 

[zerotact]

Does this lathe have any safety switches on gear covers, or other panels?

It sounds to me like maybe you open one to look for the noise, and then didn't close it.
Now the controller won't power the motor because it thinks you have your hands in there.

It's worth a check........

If that's not it, can you post some good close-up pictures of your motor controller.
Maybe someone can spot something amiss.

-brino

oh man--IDK--There is no stop switch on the control panel where the start switch--but in the back I dont know--good question--im going down to look at that possibility right now--Thanks--Greg

 

[zerotact]

No, I would never reverse the drive direction without stopping the machine first--always--but what is baffling me is how can the machine be running ok--with just the new noise being why I stopped in the first place to check on it--then only after I reversed the drive direction--then went to restart the lathe--did it not run--thats what has got me crazzy

 

[zerotact]

There's a guy who specializes in repairing those boards- www.olduhfguy.com
I think his name is Pete and it's a flat rate of 50$ (or used to be)
Mark

ok-Thanks for that info im prety sure I can trouble shoot and --maybe repair it myself--im a CET--I went to electronics school--knowledge is not my problem--it`s--age--my hands cant do fine work like years ago---hell I cant even do regular electrical work anymore--im a 25 year Licensed electrician--but when you old and hurting--they wont pay to be slow--I got away with being the forman for years--being the answer man--but after the 2009 collapse and recession--that all went away--but im glad you guys are here to held us folks to fix think we otherwise might not be able to

 

[markba633csi]

Hi Zero- you may never know exactly what caused the failure, in fact, the whining sound could be an issue with the motor itself, which then failed the controller. In any case, it's dead now so you have a few options:
1) send the board off to Pete
2) try to repair the board yourself
3) replace the controller with another identical one, or an SCR type, or a treadmill one
The motor should be tested to verify proper current draw and no abnormal leakage to the case or interwinding breakdown; if there is any doubt you should either replace it or if you decide to send the board off, send the motor too so they can be tested together.
These controllers have a history of failing under hard use unfortunately, probably because they are made so cheaply
Mark
ps you could cobble together a quick and dirty substitute control using an ordinary light dimmer driving a bridge rectifier. It won't give great load regulation but would at least get you back on the air

 

[zerotact]

Hi Zero- you may never know exactly what caused the failure, in fact, the whining sound could be an issue with the motor itself, which then failed the controller. In any case, it's dead now so you have a few options:
1) send the board off to Pete
2) try to repair the board yourself
3) replace the controller with another identical one, or an SCR type, or a treadmill one
The motor should be tested to verify proper current draw and no abnormal leakage to the case or interwinding breakdown; if there is any doubt you should either replace it or if you decide to send the board off, send the motor too so they can be tested together.
These controllers have a history of failing under hard use unfortunately, probably because they are made so cheaply
Mark
ps you could cobble together a quick and dirty substitute control using an ordinary light dimmer driving a bridge rectifier. It won't give great load regulation but would at least get you back on the air
[/QUO
I think your right on all counts--I will probably use the treadmill idea since I already have the motor and an MC-60 controller from the treadmill--I just hate that this will all have to be outside the footprint of the lathe--but no matter i have to get it done and get back to work on the projects--Im building a small front loader and Backhoe for my son to use in his work--he is like I was an electrician, and has the same problem--he has topped out--he is 27.50 an hour now and has been for 3 years--he knows he wont make any more money unless he starts his own business, which he wants to do--so he will need these major tools for that kind of business--I went looking for some small to medium tractor with a loader on it--and found after 4 to 5 months of looking that a good price for one that`s 15 to 20 years old is 10 to 18K--I was stunned --I started researching how to build and found a good set of engineered prints to build this online for 165 bucks---total build cost should be about 3k---but not with out the tools working--and my band saw just broke as well--that problem is a broken worm gear--I will need the lathe to make a new one--you know how it goes--so yep--your right --I have to change this over--any help--drawings---wiring--of any kind you can send will be great--Thanks for everything--Greg---if you ever have any questions on Plumbing--or--electrical--ask me--not electronics---electrical

 

[markba633csi]

Consider the light dimmer idea, you could at least get going again quickly within the original footprint and you could exercise the motor and see if it still whines (or smokes)- basically accomplish two things at once. You would need a beefy bridge rectifier about 10 amp at around 400 volt on a small heatsink
M
ps if you want to try repairing the original board I can give you a few things to check- it might be something easy to fix- start at the input supply

 

[zerotact]

Consider the light dimmer idea, you could at least get going again quickly within the original footprint and you could exercise the motor and see if it still whines (or smokes)- basically accomplish two things at once. You would need a beefy bridge rectifier about 10 amp at around 400 volt on a small heatsink
M
ps if you want to try repairing the original board I can give you a few things to check- it might be something easy to fix- start at the input supply

yes, I would like to do both--repair the original board to keep for a spare and switch to the treadmill motor for more torque. I have the motor controller from the tread mill but not quite sure how to wire it for the lathe just yet

 

[markba633csi]

You mentioned it failed after you switched the directional switch- I wonder if that switch may be somehow defective and caused the failure. That switch is connected in between the controller and the motor. If it was making a flakey connection during power up or power down the resulting voltage spike could kill the output stage