Pure induction motor. No starting cap - has a clutch within.
Might have a dirty switch so the start winding doesn't kick in.
Maybe the bearings are firm but the mechanical advantage is enough
to power it on.

Martin
Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/


Ignoramus9972 wrote:
Went to an estate sale of an incredible packrat. Saw some really
amazing crap like a lot of flat belt drive (like in old factories)
mills, grinders etc. All in bad shape from years of neglect and
sitting in an unheated barn.

I picked up a gearmotor, with a GE motor, 115v, weight maybe 10 lbs.

It would not start when connected to 115v. It hums and does not start
spinning. However, if I give the output low speed shaft a turn with
pliers, it starts spinning and keeps spinning.

The motor does not have a visible hump for a capacitor.

So, my thinking goes, either there is a cap inside the motor that is
bad, or , perhaps, the motor is of the kind that does not require a
capacitor and has only minimum torque at stall, and somehow there is
some stuckage in the motor bearings or gears. Possibly the weather is
cold and the gear lubricant is too thick.

any ideas, thanks, i

i