[dicko]

I need some advice here.

I turn on the planer and the motor starts spinning. A few seconds
later the breaker pops.

Its a 20 amp breaker.

I figure its either the capacitor or the centrifugal switch.

I've taken it apart and the switch looks clean, and there are no
obvious bulges on the start capacitor.

I think its the capacitor just because I think its more likely to go
bad than the switch.

I guess capacitors are cheap enough I aught to just go out and buy one
and try it out.

The planer is only 2 years old, hasnt really been used all that much
and sits in an unheated garage all winter long. Oh, I should say it
worked fine last fall, didnt work this spring, so it happened over the
winter. Unless a mouse crawled in it someplace that I havent found
yet, I think its the capacitor. It would be more temperature sensitive
more than the switch would.

Can anyone offer any troubleshooting tips/advise?

dickm

[Leon]

"dicko" wrote in message
...
I need some advice here.

I turn on the planer and the motor starts spinning. A few seconds
later the breaker pops.

Its a 20 amp breaker.

I figure its either the capacitor or the centrifugal switch.

I've taken it apart and the switch looks clean, and there are no
obvious bulges on the start capacitor.

I think its the capacitor just because I think its more likely to go
bad than the switch.

I guess capacitors are cheap enough I aught to just go out and buy one
and try it out.

The planer is only 2 years old, hasnt really been used all that much
and sits in an unheated garage all winter long. Oh, I should say it
worked fine last fall, didnt work this spring, so it happened over the
winter. Unless a mouse crawled in it someplace that I havent found
yet, I think its the capacitor. It would be more temperature sensitive
more than the switch would.

Can anyone offer any troubleshooting tips/advise?


Bad Breaker?

[dicko]

On Mon, 21 Aug 2006 00:45:07 GMT, "Leon"
wrote:


"dicko" wrote in message
.. .
I need some advice here.

I turn on the planer and the motor starts spinning. A few seconds
later the breaker pops.

Its a 20 amp breaker.

I figure its either the capacitor or the centrifugal switch.

I've taken it apart and the switch looks clean, and there are no
obvious bulges on the start capacitor.

I think its the capacitor just because I think its more likely to go
bad than the switch.

I guess capacitors are cheap enough I aught to just go out and buy one
and try it out.

The planer is only 2 years old, hasnt really been used all that much
and sits in an unheated garage all winter long. Oh, I should say it
worked fine last fall, didnt work this spring, so it happened over the
winter. Unless a mouse crawled in it someplace that I havent found
yet, I think its the capacitor. It would be more temperature sensitive
more than the switch would.

Can anyone offer any troubleshooting tips/advise?


Bad Breaker?


Dont think so. I plugged it into a 30 amp circuit and it ran for a bit
longer but still popped. Only this time there was a distinct smell of
burnt something.

More info: I released the belt tension and removed the belts so only
the motor is turning. Breaker still pops.

dickm

[LRod]

On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 20:15:47 -0500, dicko
wrote:

Dont think so. I plugged it into a 30 amp circuit and it ran for a bit
longer but still popped. Only this time there was a distinct smell of
burnt something.

That's nature's way of telling you to quit running the thing until
it's fixed.

--
LRod

Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite

Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999

http://www.woodbutcher.net

Proud participant of rec.woodworking since February, 1997

email addy de-spam-ified due to 1,000 spams per month.
If you can't figure out how to use it, I probably wouldn't
care to correspond with you anyway.

[R. Pierce Butler]

LRod wrote in
:

On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 20:15:47 -0500, dicko
wrote:

Dont think so. I plugged it into a 30 amp circuit and it ran for a bit
longer but still popped. Only this time there was a distinct smell of
burnt something.

That's nature's way of telling you to quit running the thing until
it's fixed.


Is that a cap run or cap start motor? I think it may be a cap start. If
so, then disconnecting the cap should let it run although you will have to
give it a push to get it going. If a cap run style, then a bit more
troubleshooting is necessary.

Plug that beast into a 15 amp circuit when troubleshooting.

Check the centrifical mechanism. If it is stuck that will keep the start
cap connected which draws a lot of current and is overheating the motor.

Isn't the motor making a lot of noise? It should be pretty quiet.

[Frank Boettcher]

On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 09:14:48 -0500, dicko
wrote:

I need some advice here.

I turn on the planer and the motor starts spinning. A few seconds
later the breaker pops.

Its a 20 amp breaker.

I figure its either the capacitor or the centrifugal switch.

I've taken it apart and the switch looks clean, and there are no
obvious bulges on the start capacitor.

I think its the capacitor just because I think its more likely to go
bad than the switch.

I guess capacitors are cheap enough I aught to just go out and buy one
and try it out.

The planer is only 2 years old, hasnt really been used all that much
and sits in an unheated garage all winter long. Oh, I should say it
worked fine last fall, didnt work this spring, so it happened over the
winter. Unless a mouse crawled in it someplace that I havent found
yet, I think its the capacitor. It would be more temperature sensitive
more than the switch would.

Can anyone offer any troubleshooting tips/advise?

dickm


As you describe the symptoms it is most likely a centrifiigal switch
that is bad, but also could be a bad capacitor.

Frank

[dicko]

On Mon, 21 Aug 2006 11:52:45 GMT, "R. Pierce Butler"
wrote:

LRod wrote in
:

On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 20:15:47 -0500, dicko
wrote:

Dont think so. I plugged it into a 30 amp circuit and it ran for a bit
longer but still popped. Only this time there was a distinct smell of
burnt something.

That's nature's way of telling you to quit running the thing until
it's fixed.


Is that a cap run or cap start motor? I think it may be a cap start. If
so, then disconnecting the cap should let it run although you will have to
give it a push to get it going. If a cap run style, then a bit more
troubleshooting is necessary.

Plug that beast into a 15 amp circuit when troubleshooting.

Check the centrifical mechanism. If it is stuck that will keep the start
cap connected which draws a lot of current and is overheating the motor.

Isn't the motor making a lot of noise? It should be pretty quiet.


From what I can see is a cap start cap run motor. There are 2
capacitors. a 500ufd and a smaller one of which I forget the value.

The centrifigal switch appears to be in good shape. It is after all
just a bit over 2 years old with little run time. I manually moved the
switch and it opens and closes. Its not welded shut or anything like
that.

The motor does seem to have trouble running smoothly. Its not that it
makes noise, it's like it runs roughly, stubbles, never gets up to
speed. And the smell from my little 30amp breaker escapade seems to be
eminating from the capacitor holding box, even though things visually
look OK..

I have a cap on order. Will let you know how it turns out.

dick

[dicko]

On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 09:14:48 -0500, dicko
wrote:

I need some advice here.

I turn on the planer and the motor starts spinning. A few seconds
later the breaker pops.

Its a 20 amp breaker.

I figure its either the capacitor or the centrifugal switch.

I've taken it apart and the switch looks clean, and there are no
obvious bulges on the start capacitor.

I think its the capacitor just because I think its more likely to go
bad than the switch.

I guess capacitors are cheap enough I aught to just go out and buy one
and try it out.

The planer is only 2 years old, hasnt really been used all that much
and sits in an unheated garage all winter long. Oh, I should say it
worked fine last fall, didnt work this spring, so it happened over the
winter. Unless a mouse crawled in it someplace that I havent found
yet, I think its the capacitor. It would be more temperature sensitive
more than the switch would.

Can anyone offer any troubleshooting tips/advise?

dickm

The new start capacitor arrived today and it now runs like a top.

Thanks everyone.

Now all I have to do is put it all back together....

dickm