Frustrated with my mill today and my lack of knowledge.( Solved hopefully)

[Don K]

Thanks guys for the input. Gives me some new ideas to try. Will do some more testing today. Right now going to secure a W.O. tree killed by lighting on the hunting club. Gotta cut down and skid out before the tree planters come later this month. Check back in later with more test data.

Don

[Don K]

I think I might have solved the mystery and got the motor to work. I made me 2 good leads with alligator clips on them and hooked it up direct to a battery again. As soon as I touched the post it run. It scared me a little when the post sparked and I broke the connection. Touched again and nothing. Checked the leads with the meter and showed 12.6 volts. Hooked it back up and tapped the case, nothing. I read across the wiring posts on the motor to check resistance. It read open. Muttering ensued. Took the motor back apart to check brushes again since it it showed lost contact somewhere. Brushes looked good. Springs ok. Dagnabit this thing should run.

Decided to test conductivity between brushes and armature. Guess what? All the brushes showed good contact. Scratched my head a little bit and started Einstiening in my head. Read across post, showed open. A $300 inspirational light bulb went off in my head. Remember a few posts back I mentioned some rust and corrosion in small spots when I initially tore the motor down? I removed a wiring post from the endplate that makes contact with the leads on the brushes. Basically a short carriage bolt. Saw only a small bright spot that would make contact. Took a flat file and dressed up the parts that touch the contact strip and sanded the strip too. Did the other for good measure, it was bright and shiny to start with but I did it anyway. Put them back in and wah la reading a closed circuit across the posts. I am positive this mama will run now. Hook it up to the battery and she runs like a top. Put it back on the mill and she hasn't missed a lick.

Now the mill is parked under the sawshed and the head is raised about halfway up where I usually leave it when idle. I guess being in the transport position for 2 months a few inches above a bed of sawdust did it in. Hopefully my troubles are over.

Thanks for all the suggestions, it made me think, even in my sleep. I am also glad I didn't have the money at the time the other day or I would have bought a motor for nothing. Being short on cash at times makes a man turn into a McGiver sometimes.

So next time a motor acts up remember to check the contact between the brass strips and the bolt head inside the endplate. A few seconds of sanding is worth big bucks.

Don

[isawlogs]

Glad you got that issue resolved, nice when things finally come together. 

[customsawyer]

 

[Magicman]

A $300 inspirational light bulb went off in my head.   Don 

    That's the one that we were looking for Don and sleeping on a problem always helps.  Conratulations on the troubleshooting and fix.   

[paul case]

woooowhooo!

well.... uhm. I am glad ya got her fixed as well. PC

[Magicman]

Paul, you 'bout used all of the smiley fluid up.      

[terrifictimbersllc]

Thinking he's just cleaning out Meadows Miller's smiley bottles.

[porcupine]

This is the kind of thread that we all learn from.....good news for Don K

[WDH]

Don,

Very enterprising  .

[Norm]

Thanks for the update Don, glad to hear you got it fixed.

[Chuck White]

Glad to hear you got the problem resolved Don.

It's really a sense of accomplishment when you wind up on the winning end of things!