Turncrafter broke down need help

[Joebobber]

About 2 weeks ago my 12" lathe started acting up. 1st the digital display would only show correct speeds up to about 2,000 rpm. Then it went to always reading 0. Then the day before our 1st blizzard last week which was from Monday-Friday it started surging and then just stopped all together. So i finally got ahold of psi since its under warranty and they sent out a new control box. That worked for all of 3 days but the speed display still read 0. Then the day of our last blizzard it did the same thing. Surged a little then died.

Anyone have any idea of what the problem could be? Ive cleaned it, inspected and attatched and detached all wires and connections, tried the reset, but nothing. It's driving me crazy not being able to turn...

 

[BULLWINKLE]

About 2 weeks ago my 12" lathe started acting up. 1st the digital display would only show correct speeds up to about 2,000 rpm. Then it went to always reading 0. Then the day before our 1st blizzard last week which was from Monday-Friday it started surging and then just stopped all together. So i finally got ahold of psi since its under warranty and they sent out a new control box. That worked for all of 3 days but the speed display still read 0. Then the day of our last blizzard it did the same thing. Surged a little then died.

Anyone have any idea of what the problem could be? Ive cleaned it, inspected and attatched and detached all wires and connections, tried the reset, but nothing. It's driving me crazy not being able to turn...

I don't know why. However PSI has pretty good customer support. I think you got a lemon. I'd call them and ask for a refund.
The only other option is to have them replace it with a new lathe. Turncrafter is a good lathe so I'm betting that yours is defective.

 

[jttheclockman]

This link may have some value to the problem.

https://www.penturners.org/threads/turncrafter-brush-problem.174815/

 

[monophoto]

Surging - sounds like a brush problem.

How old is the lathe? Mine is ten years old, and it's been used quite a bit. But it still has the original brushes, and they are still in pretty good condition. I did buy a spare set of brushes just in case, but I haven't needed to use them.

But as the post John found suggests, it could be a matter of carbon dust accumulation on the commutator. That's housekeeping, not serious repair.

By the way, if you still have the replacement control box - don't discard it. I had to buy a new control box a few years ago when my lathe stopped working, but later I found that the problem was something that could easily have been repaired. So I kept is in the event I have another control problem.

 

[Joebobber]

I have to send the control box back. I thought the same thing about the brushes. I called psi today and they say it's the control box so they are sending me out another one. If housekeeping was an issue the brand new 1 wouldn't have failed. Its only like 2 years old and I take pretty good care of it in my opinion.

 

[RunnerVince]

Not sure if this is even a part on the TurnCrafter, but is it possible the speed sensor has come loose or partially loose? If so, the jostling of normal use and the bumping of replacing the control box could be moving it into and out of "working" positions.

Just a thought, and something that should be fairly simple to check.

 

[Joebobber]

Not sure if this is even a part on the TurnCrafter, but is it possible the speed sensor has come loose or partially loose? If so, the jostling of normal use and the bumping of replacing the control box could be moving it into and out of "working" positions.

Just a thought, and something that should be fairly simple to check.

You know Im not sure that there is a spindle speed sensor. If there is it is inside of the control box. I will check that out.

 

[greenacres2]

If you do open the control box, have a look at the potentiometer (speed dial). Doesn't take much pressure to break/bend those. Maybe…if so, cheapest fix you could get.
Earl

 

[Joebobber]

If you do open the control box, have a look at the potentiometer (speed dial). Doesn't take much pressure to break/bend those. Maybe…if so, cheapest fix you could get.
Earl

Actually the cheapest fix I got was free. Good ol warranty. I really hope it fixes it. I could see the potentiometer being the issue if it was only the 1st control box, but i replaced the control box, and it worked again except for the spindle speed for 4 days before it surged a little and stopped working again. Both times Ken at PSI said it was the control box. So I guess we'll see when the new 1 comes. However that last control box was supposed to be new and my spindle speed still read 0 with it. Honestly I don't care THAT much about it, its the not running part that kills me. We are supposed to get another blizzard Monday night and if I have to go through another blizzard with no lathe I swear I'll go crazy. Can't go outside, can't go to my garage, no turning, i just have to sit on the couch or play with the cricut but theres only so much that I can do on it...

 

[Joebobber]

Update, the new control box seems to have done the trick.

However the speed control still reads 0. Apparently there is a U shaped sensor behind the lcd screen. There is a procedure of sorts to fixing it but that is fixed now too.