My metal lathe has had this issue before and the last time, I just cleaned it up a bit. This time I did a little more, hopefully it will last a while longer....
The problem is carbon dust from the brushes on the motor. After a while.....about a year or so since the last episode...the carbon dust builds up in the brush housing and eventually tracks and then arcs to earth. This blows the power supply and I'm sure it doesn't do the control card any good.
So, as I knew what the problem was, I thought I'd take a couple of pics so if it happens to someone else, then you don't need to change the motor.
Electricity will jump a wider gap from sharp corners than it would if the corners were rounded. So after cleaning it up, I simply rounded all the sharp corners where carbon is likely to build up.
I would have sprayed some insulation varnish too, if I had some. Hopefully this will last a while.
The problem is carbon dust from the brushes on the motor. After a while.....about a year or so since the last episode...the carbon dust builds up in the brush housing and eventually tracks and then arcs to earth. This blows the power supply and I'm sure it doesn't do the control card any good.
So, as I knew what the problem was, I thought I'd take a couple of pics so if it happens to someone else, then you don't need to change the motor.
Electricity will jump a wider gap from sharp corners than it would if the corners were rounded. So after cleaning it up, I simply rounded all the sharp corners where carbon is likely to build up.
I would have sprayed some insulation varnish too, if I had some. Hopefully this will last a while.
