# Check the simple stuff first !



## cuslog (Jan 22, 2021)

So, I bought a Rotary Phase Converter Panel (chickened out on building one, just buy one and get it over with), bought a used motor from Tom K. 
Wired it in myself, start up the idler motor - OK that works, now try the lathe - could hear contactors engaging but no spindle. Checked my wiring over and over, re-read instructions, took covers off looking for "something", paced around, "Oh jeez, maybe I'll have to call an electrician". Paced around some more, looked behind covers some more. Opened the headstock door, where the change gears are, looking for I dunno what. "Door open safety switch", put my hand on it, it moves about 1/8", "that couldn't be it could it ?. Push the switch 1/8" closer to closed door, tighten 2 screws and  we're in business.
I had had that door open / closed maybe 20 times looking at stuff, changing gearbox oil, maybe it was me or maybe the truck ride to get it here but it sure was nice to find a simple / cheap solution.


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## Tom Kitta (Jan 22, 2021)

Well I am glad it is working for you! I hate these extra disconnect switches especially when they are small and hard to see.


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## DPittman (Jan 22, 2021)

cuslog said:


> So, I bought a Rotary Phase Converter Panel (chickened out on building one, just buy one and get it over with), bought a used motor from Tom K.
> Wired it in myself, start up the idler motor - OK that works, now try the lathe - could hear contactors engaging but no spindle. Checked my wiring over and over, re-read instructions, took covers off looking for "something", paced around, "Oh jeez, maybe I'll have to call an electrician". Paced around some more, looked behind covers some more. Opened the headstock door, where the change gears are, looking for I dunno what. "Door open safety switch", put my hand on it, it moves about 1/8", "that couldn't be it could it ?. Push the switch 1/8" closer to closed door, tighten 2 screws and  we're in business.
> I had had that door open / closed maybe 20 times looking at stuff, changing gearbox oil, maybe it was me or maybe the truck ride to get it here but it sure was nice to find a simple / cheap solution.


Yup I learned that lesson (hopefully) the hard way.  My little lathe stopped working....I replaced almost every electrical component in it and fried out a  new circuit board in my attempt to get the damn thing going again and I could not.  I ended up calling an electronics repair dude that tested and tried things also until he was also at his wits end.  Finally we found that it was a faulty fuse HOLDER.  All that time and money spent for a $3 fuse holder.  Oops.


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## Tom Kitta (Jan 22, 2021)

Dad could not fix the snow thrower for like a day. Cleared snow by hand. Finally he found out that the spark plug was defective - it had given spark through its side - the insulator was defective (cracked). So it sometimes worked sometimes not. It was not fouled or looked like anything is wrong with it at all. 

How is the voltage on the high leg? Mine is 270v. I am thinking of finally taking the plunge to try to balance it so all three legs are closer to 240v - As in 240/240/250. Once load is placed on the high leg drops but not by a whopping 30v. This also creates issues with my transformer to 600v - the error is multiplied by more then 2 - so my high leg is over 70v more then the other two.


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## cuslog (Jan 23, 2021)

[QUOTE="Tom Kitta,
How is the voltage on the high leg? Mine is 270v. I am thinking of finally taking the plunge to try to balance it so all three legs are closer to 240v - As in 240/240/250. Once load is placed on the high leg drops but not by a whopping 30v. This also creates issues with my transformer to 600v - the error is multiplied by more then 2 - so my high leg is over 70v more then the other two.[/QUOTE]
Mine, No load:
T1-T2 = 240v
T1-T3 = 258v
T2-T3=  254v
Instructions say: "T1-T2 voltage should be the same or within 1-2 volts of L1-L2. T1-T3 and T2-T3 should measure 5-15 volts higher than T1-T2 without a load running. Once a load is applied, these voltages will drop down closer together.
Note: - If voltage is too high, capacitors can be removed. If voltage is too low, capacitors can be added."
I haven't measured loaded volts but unloaded seems pretty close, I'll probably just leave as is.


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## historicalarms (Jan 23, 2021)

Last summer I traveled to a neighboring town to look at a milling machine that an industrial machine shop had for sale. 
   Shop owner gave me the sales speal on how good the machine was and what it would do to make everything a man could want except a new wife.
     He threw the switch to start er up and ... nothing, not even a click. First thing he did was check the cord, yup, plugged in. Next thing he said, after telling me for 20 minutes what that machine could do, was to tell me "i've never used this thing so will have to get a shop employee to help".   Well, six guys all took their turn at toggling the same switch and wiggling the cord...two of them offered up "well it worked a month ago when I used it last" ...buy no turny.
     It was me that finally found the issue after everybody in the shop, including the owner (his last statement was "i guess its as-is-where-is now), had left me alone to look it over. When the guy that was tasked with cleaning the thing up for sale put the chip guard back on ,he had installed it upside down, a small rod that, when closing the guard, entered the housing in the rear of the machine, tripping a small switch you couldn't see unless looking directly in the hole. Upside down, that bar missed the hole by 3 inches. 
    It was a sweet machine but I didn't need a new wife & my machining career probably wouldn't last long enough to make the purchase worthwhile so I passed.


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## Tom O (Jan 23, 2021)

DPittman said:


> Yup I learned that lesson (hopefully) the hard way.  My little lathe stopped working....I replaced almost every electrical component in it and fried out a  new circuit board in my attempt to get the damn thing going again and I could not.  I ended up calling an electronics repair dude that tested and tried things also until he was also at his wits end.  Finally we found that it was a faulty fuse HOLDER.  All that time and money spent for a $3 fuse holder.  Oops.



I had that problem with my Craftex mill also.


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