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

Started by Don K, January 02, 2012, 12:36:44 PM

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Nomad

     I agree with MagicMan and LadyLake on this one.  Something just doesn't sound right.  I think you're missing a minor problem that's causing a major malfunction.  I'm not familiar with your system, but I'd be looking for a bad connection, broken wire, bad ground, etc. before anything else.  "Ghost" problems are usually the hardest to find, but the easiest to fix.
Buying a hammer doesn't make you a carpenter
WoodMizer LT50HDD51-WR
Lucas DSM23-19

dgdrls

Don,

suggestion,  trace the circuit from the switch to the motor and ID the wires.  Power up the system and check for 12v with a test lamp at the motor while operating the switch.  Move the wire harness around while checking,  this should help uncover  a chaffed wire if there is one, it will also test the switch and the circuit to the motor.
Also, check for power from the source to the switch.  I would not buy a motor until I was certain the circuit was fault free.

Pull off clean and re-install all grounds and get some brush style motor cleaner from an RC/Hobby store for the drive motor.

You'll find it and once you do you'll know your mill that much better!.
DGDrls

Chuck White

Don;  Before you buy a new motor, check and see if WM has one in stock that has been refurbished!

Could save you lots of $$$.$$!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

boman1

Easy to test the motor.... disconnect both wires from it. Now take a 12volt battery and a set of jumper cables... connect the cables to the battery....now connect one cable to one of the motor terminals and the other cable end to the other one.If motor runs.....reverse cables at battery ...it should run the other direction. You can place a volt meter on the wires that go to the motor while disconnected and work the drum switch....the polarity should switch and show + or - 12volts .If both of these test show good and it still doesnt work under a load check for a voltage drop. Good luck.

Don K

Typed a long post about my current test today and lost it. Ain't gonna retype it. Basically cleaned armature that brushes run on until shiny, good contact, no wires touching case. Run on direct hookup to truck battery, wouldn't run on the mill. Tap case and the heifer run, reverse polarity and no run, tap, run. Good voltage to leads. Get running and starts shuddering in my hand and dies. Talk bad and remove from mill. I am pretty sure it is not in the circuit, checks good at all points, but nagging fear in back of mind. Will be next week before I get paid and can order another motor. Hope I ain't wasting my money.

Don
Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

Magicman

Just thinking.  Is the up/down motor the same as the power feed motor?  Maybe you could jumper the up/down leads to the power feed motor.  Then when you pushed up, it would go forward or back.  Push down, and it should move the carriage the opposite direction.

I would think that you could then do the same things with the power feed leads to the up/down motor.

I just hate to see you throw money at a part until you know for positive that it is defective.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

r.man

Don another thought to try to save money is to ask at a local automotive electric shop about servicing your motor. They may or may not do that type but it can't hurt to ask. Hope your luck improves. If you are up to trying something else yourself you might check that the brush slides are clean and allowing the brushes to move freely. Could be gunked up and sticking the brushes.
Life is too short or my list is too long, not sure which. Dec 2014

Don K

Lynn that thought had crossed my mind. Motor looks the same and I am peeping at it out of the corner of my eye in case it wants to act up too. May try that tomorrow and rman the brushes slide freely and make good contact.

Don
Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

Magicman

Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

ladylake

 For sure check that the brushes slide free, I've had to sand the sides of them a few times on DC  motors.   Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

bandmiller2

Prehaps theirs an open in the armature windings,wont start when it hits the dead winding.When it quits can you turn the motor slightly and try it again. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

slider

Don i had a similar problem with a power feed motor .Pulled it apart and everything looked fine .The brushes looked almost new.The culprit turned out to be a weak brush spring.Ordered a brush kit from woodmizer and solved the problem.Hope this helps. al
al glenn

Magicman

Don, if you jumper the wires from the power feed to the up/down, be sure to crank the potentiometer all of the way around.  These last few post offer some solid suggestions.  We will have it fixed for you in no time.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

customsawyer

I am with Slider on this one. Had the same intermittent problem on power feed and fixed it with a new brush kit.
Two LT70s, Nyle L200 kiln, 4 head Pinheiro planer, 30" double surface Cantek planer, Lucas dedicated slabber, Slabmizer, and enough rolling stock and chainsaws to keep it all running.
www.thecustomsawyer.com

pineywoods

Don, in my case, I found a corroded butt splice in the wire between the control box and the motor, it was inside the braided loom...If the problem is in fact in the motor, any good electric motor shop should be able to fix you up..
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

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
Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

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. ;D :D

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
Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

isawlogs

Glad you got that issue resolved, nice when things finally come together.  :) :)
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

customsawyer

Two LT70s, Nyle L200 kiln, 4 head Pinheiro planer, 30" double surface Cantek planer, Lucas dedicated slabber, Slabmizer, and enough rolling stock and chainsaws to keep it all running.
www.thecustomsawyer.com

Magicman

Quote from: Don K on January 05, 2012, 06:16:36 PM
A $300 inspirational light bulb went off in my head.   Don 

smiley_idea   That's the one that we were looking for Don and sleeping on a problem always helps.  Conratulations on the troubleshooting and fix.   smiley_thumbsup
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

paul case

woooowhooo! 8) ;D :D ;) :) smiley_sidelightbulb smiley_sidelightbulb smiley_speechless smiley_thumbsup smiley_dark_bulb smiley_idea smiley_idea smiley_idea smiley_lit_bulb smiley_lit_bulb smiley_lit_bulb smiley_lit_bulb smiley_roller smiley_flipping

well.... uhm. I am glad ya got her fixed as well. PC
life is too short to be too serious. (some idiot)
2013 LT40SHE25 and Riehl edger,  WM 94 LT40 hd E15. Cut my sawing ''teeth'' on an EZ Boardwalk
sawing oak.hickory,ERC,walnut and almost anything else that shows up.
Don't get phylosophical with me. you will loose me for sure.
pc

Magicman

Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

terrifictimbersllc

Thinking he's just cleaning out Meadows Miller's smiley bottles.
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

porcupine

This is the kind of thread that we all learn from.....good news for Don K
Kubota M5040  2007
Kubota U35 Mini-Ex  2016
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WDH

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