iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Woodmizer Feed Motor Problems

Started by pmatt, February 02, 2013, 10:52:09 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

pmatt

I have similar problems as others have had with Woodmizer feed motor.  2001 Super Hydraulic 40.  Was sawing a large log and the feed motor just quit working.  Works in reverse just fine.  Opened up control box and discovered UL light is on.  Called wm support and they said it was the motor control module.  $140 later and new module, same problem.  UL light on, motor will work in reverse only.  I took drive belt off to eliminate any binding. Took motor off and had it checked.  Works fine in both directions.  Any ideas where to look next?

Magicman

First, Welcome to the Forestry Forum.  My first thought was the S1 relay, but my next call would be to WM Monday AM.
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

ElectricAl

Ask for Rick Lauman    Ex. 1620.   ;)
Linda and I custom saw NHLA Grade Lumber, do retail sales, and provide Kiln Services full time.

pmatt

Thanks for the reply.  Plan to call Rick next chance I get but I was hoping to try something tomorrow.  Missed them today by half hour.  Going to check connections but the UL light on and motor works in reverse really has me puzzled.  Good voltage to both sides of motor.  Also going to disconnect battery and run temp from another. 

barbender

Hopefully your board/H-bridge isn't fried. But if I remember right, when mine went out, it was the same thing. Nothing forward, reverse works just fine.
Too many irons in the fire

John_Haylow

2004 Wood-Mizer LT40HDG28

MartyParsons

Hello,
There is a diode screwed into the aluminum block on the power feed board assembly, with a blue wire soldered to it. Unscrew it and check with a volt ohm meter. Like any diode current should only go one way.
Marty
"A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty." -Winston Churchill

pmatt

Thanks for the advice and welcome.  Going down to the saw shed shortly and will check that out.  Also going to look at the grounding device.   Sure hope I don't have to continue replacing parts to try to find the problem.  Will report back when I'm back up running.

GAB

Pmatt:
I had the same problem approx. 18 months ago on my LT40.
What happened to me was that cherry bark landed on the drive chain and when the drive gear tried to go over it, it stress the components on one of the circuit boards and it destroyed that circuit board.  After replacing the circuit board I changed the drive motor breaker for a weaker one, as I feel it is easier to reset a breaker more frequently than to change a board, especially cost and time wise.  That's my story and I still have the old board to prove it.
Gerald
W-M LT40HDD34, SLR, JD 420, JD 950w/loader and Woods backhoe, V3507 Fransguard winch, Cordwood Saw, 18' flat bed trailer, and other toys.

pmatt

Thanks Gerald.  I think you are in the neighborhood of what happened to me.  Weather was cold, probably too cold for my liking and for the machine.  In addition to the cold weather I was sawing a 5yr old pine 24" wide boards (max) so I was pushing the limit on resistance.  When my forward travel quit, I do recall it stopping once mid-way through a cut, I backed up slightly and then went forward again, but didn't make the full cut when it quit for good.

Marty, I did unscrew the diode with blue wire and verified there is flow in only one direction.  I cleaned all the ground contacts including the one on the bottom track, made sure all connections are tight, cleaned and re-lubed the drum switch, etc.  Only thing left is the battery.  It isn't that old but I do know that could be a source of many electrical problems.  Going to check that after lunch.

Anyway, I'm thinking I have a toasted PCB.  Not sure how to verify that without buying a new one.  Wouldn't hesitate a minute if I knew that was it but as I started with, I already dropped $140 for a new black box without success.  Hope I can get fixed soon, orders are backing up.....  If anyone has a method to isolate or insure my problem is the PCB please let me know. 

What a great forum!

Pat

Ohio_Bill

Pat, I assume a PCB is a circuit breaker. If not please disregard. You can check a circuit breaker with a simple continuity check. With no voltage on the breaker, unplug and check for continuity. Or you can see if the breaker is passing 12 volts when energized .you can do this by checking for 12 volts on input and output of breaker. Red lead to breaker and black to ground. If you have voltage on input and none on output would indicate a bad breaker.
Bill
USAF Veteran  C141 Loadmaster
LT 40 HDD42-RA   , Allis Chalmers I 500 Forklift , Allis Chalmers 840 Loader , International 4300 , Zetor 6245 Tractor – Loader ,Bob Cat 763 , Riehl Steel Edger

pmatt

Thanks for the advice.  Going to check the printed circuit board for continuity.  Will report back my findings.

Pat

pmatt

Another question - how do I get this thread to Rick Lauman at Woodmizer Electrical Support?  Anyone have an email address for him?

Shotgun

I believe I'd be giving WM a phone call on Monday morning. Although one of the WM folks might see your post on Monday as well.  Phone is faster.  Can't expect much on the weekend.
Joined The Forestry Forum 5 days before 9/11.

pmatt

Pulled the blue wire off the mosfet and applied 12v to the terminal and nothing.  The drive motor does not run.  Looks like a new mosfet is next.  Hope wm takes the motor control module back else I got a spare I guess.....  Thanks to everyone who helped me isolate the problem.  We'll see what tomorrow brings and then hopefully the fix.  Will report back what the result is.

Pat

GAB

Pat:
When I had my problem I spoke with an electrical individual at W-M Indy, I do not remember the # to push on the phone for electrical support, but you can get it from the menu.  The best way to do this is to by the mill and be able to see the circuit board that is mounted vertical.  You need to remove the side access panels, and some panel in the front to be able to see it properly.  Be careful what you do in there as the boards are ESD sensitive.  i.e. you can fry one just touching it.
The board in question has some LED's on it and if some are lit up with the key in the proper position then it is kaput.  Now I am making the assumption that you have the same or similar set-up as I have.  If not then the previous statement(s) may not apply to you.
I had an EE tech brother helping me and he could speak the proper lingo and he also knew how to handle an ESD sensitive circuit board.
Please keep us posted, and I wish you the best of luck.  If that board is your problem you should consider changing the motor breaker size.  It has been a while since I did it but I think I went from a 40Amp to a 30Amp breaker.
Gerald
W-M LT40HDD34, SLR, JD 420, JD 950w/loader and Woods backhoe, V3507 Fransguard winch, Cordwood Saw, 18' flat bed trailer, and other toys.

wideslabber

I did see that you checked your drum connections but a post might not touching or it might be cracked happened to me not long ago .Cheap fix to replace little post.

                                                                                    Cheers Matt
843 bobcat,5ton hiab,97ltsh40,twin powered3120 husky alaskan mill w/51inch bar

POSTON WIDEHEAD

Quote from: wideslabber on February 03, 2013, 09:27:44 PM
I did see that you checked your drum connections but a post might not touching or it might be cracked happened to me not long ago .Cheap fix to replace little post.

                                                                                    Cheers Matt

This is a good reply Matt. I hadn't thought of this.  smiley_thumbsup
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

barbender

GAB, that is a great idea (downsizing the breaker). I never even thought of that, I do know I'm paranoid of any mechanical resistance on my feed after frying one of those boards last year ::). Thanks for the tip ;)
Too many irons in the fire

pmatt

Thanks for the suggestion.  I did spend some time with each post of the drum switch, lifting and tapping, etc., switch on and switch off, with no result. 

pmatt

 8) I have a working sawmill again!  The mosfit was faulty, I installed a new one today along with the old diode and old motor control module and we are back in business.  Lots of testing with the help of Mike from wm support resulted in the mosfit being isolated as our problem.  The new motor control module, which was originally thought to be the problem, is on it's way back to wm.  Thanks to all who posted and hopefully I help someone else someday.

Pat  8)

pmatt

 :'(Success short lived.  Finished one pass and half way through another when the drive motor surged a little and done.  Dead in the water with same results; fried mosfet!  Totally bummed - do not understand why the circuit breaker didn't trip or why the problem with the mosfit.  Back to trouble shooting next week and out another $100.  Backup plan is to use a 12v winch and pull the head down line and then use the motor for reverse.  Not productive but will get me through the day.

Slab Slicer

Dang that stinks. You think you got it, and BANG, it's busted again. The surge might be a hint to what's happening. I know nothing of these mills, but a surge like that indicates a power surge that sends the head running, then fries the mosfet<sp>. Just a guess, but seems possible. Is there a voltage regulator that might be faulty?? Again, just a guess
2016 LT35HDG25, Kubota L2501 w/ FEL, Kubota BX1500 w/FEL and custom skidding rig, Stihl MS 500i, Stihl MS362-25", Stihl MS250-20", Stihl MS192-18",  2001 F250 SD 7.3, GMC Sierra Dually 6.0 gasser, Peaqua 16" 10K trailer, Sur-Trac 12' Dump Trailer 10K
Chuck

pmatt

For sure there is something amiss.  While I like challenges, one step forward and two backwards, gets to be frustrating and spendy.  My only hope is the board is repairable.  And then there are the hours ahead of isolating the problem.  Wouldn't be so bad if there wasn't such a bowl of spaghetti of wires and this and that.   What ever was designed to protect this circuit board is not doing it's job.  More to come.

GAB

pmatt:
I have 2 suggestions for you:
1.  check your drive chain for bark on it where the drive gear may have crushed it into a link.
2.  order a smaller drive motor breaker.  I changed mine for one that was 10 amps smaller.  Have not had to rest it once in the last 18 months and have not fried a board since I changed it.  Changing it was a suggestion of one of the W-M local office employees that has a college degree in engineering.
Now some stupid question: What is a mosfet or mosfit?  Does it have another name as I have never heard that term.  Is it mounted on a circuit board?  What is it's purpose?  What does it eat in the winter?
Gerald
W-M LT40HDD34, SLR, JD 420, JD 950w/loader and Woods backhoe, V3507 Fransguard winch, Cordwood Saw, 18' flat bed trailer, and other toys.

Thank You Sponsors!