My Lathe Died ARGH!!!

[Scratch]

I came home from work Tuesday afternoon and decided to knock out
a few key chains before dinner. I was almost finished with the third one and my lathe started smoking and I smelled something burning. Looks like the capacitor on the motor is burned out. I'll be calling Rikon in the morning to try and get a new capacitor. I'm getting a little stressed because the Christmas orders are coming in. Ok Rant over and I'm de stressing. lol
Thanks for letting me get it off my chest.

 

[Monty]

Pull the old capacitor and take it to a local electrical store or local hardware and match the microfaraday rating and voltage. It will most likely be cheaper and quicker that Rikon.
Actual size may not match, but if you can make it fit it will work.

 

[randyrls]

David; There *MAY* be a problem with the motor. I do not know the specifics of this motor, but many of them have a "start capacitor". There is a switch inside the motor that closes when the motor is at rest. This puts the capacitor in the circuit and starts the motor spinning when power is applied. The switch then opens taking the capacitor out of the circuit. If the switch sticks, the capacitor stays in circuit and eventually over heats and burns up.

One key question: Is the lathe under warrantee?

 

[Herb G]

Pull the old capacitor and take it to a local electrical store or local hardware and match the microfaraday rating and voltage. It will most likely be cheaper and quicker that Rikon.
Actual size may not match, but if you can make it fit it will work.

^^^^This^^^^.

 

[Scratch]

One key question: Is the lathe under warrantee?

No I bought the Lathe used back in 2009.

 

[wyone]

Definitely blow the dust out of the motor before you try a new capacitor. I have repaired more than one motor with air because there was dust or such that did not allow the starting switch to work properly

 

[UWCBrad]

Pull the old capacitor and take it to a local electrical store or local hardware and match the microfaraday rating and voltage. It will most likely be cheaper and quicker that Rikon.
Actual size may not match, but if you can make it fit it will work.

^^^^This^^^^.

Ditto


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[UWCBrad]

Not sure of your motor size and configuration. But some system designs incorporate a capacitor to help jump start the motor. This is often done when they design a motor that has a higher torque level. The capacitor starts the motor turning and into it's designed torque range.
Drawback is the frequency of the starts. Capacitors don't seem to like being started frequently. And they do go bad easily. As was said, the micro farad and the voltage rating is what is important. Size is based on manufacturer.

It was said there is a switch in the motor start circuitry, and yes that is true. But from experience, relays/contractors have a typical life from 100,000 to 1,000,000 starts. Where capacitors are far less. But, I would start with a new capacitor (and buying it yourself will be far cheaper) and if worse case and it doesn't work, replace the contractor.


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[Scratch]

Thanks for all the replies and advice. Switched out the capacitor and am back up and running. Good thing too because the Christmas orders are starting to come in.