My 1950's SB 14x40 has a Phase-A-Matic static converter, connected to a
"Westinghouse Life-Linestarter", presumably original equipment, and 1
hp motor. The thing has worked fine for five years at least (I got the
lathe in 2000).

Yesterday I heard a clicking noise and saw some flashes of light while
the lathe was running. Today, I opened the box and observed while it
ran. Near the top of the box are three internal switched ganged
together, each connected to one wire from the phase converter. Switch
on lathe and it starts, but after a few moments of clicking and
unpleasant noises, the three-gang switch popped open and the lathe
stopped.

Side data: At high speed, the chuck (usually) has to be given a push to
get the thing to start spinning. That's been the case for some time.

So.... HEEEEELLLLPP!!

1. The light on the static converter comes on during start, then goes
off. Nothing to suggest that the static converter is the problem,
right?

2. I'm not electrically inclined but could take apart the Linestarter
and clean everything, then reassemble----IF you're pretty certain that
would fix the problem. I'd prefer not to mess with it.

3. Is there an alternative to this electromechanical starter? A
third-party replacement?

4. Buy a big 1-phase 220 motor and replace the whole shabang. I'd have
to get a new switch, wire it up for reversing, etc. I could probably
do that.

5. Could simply buy a brand-new lathe, after which my wife will
dismember my body and sell it to Wendy's, and I won't have no problems
no more.

Prefer one of options 1-4, or some other alternative. As always,
thanks in advance for saving me time and money, and helping me learn.

Best regards --- Terry "P'rfesser" McCreary

You have to determine where the problem is, and to do that you will need a
voltmeter.

The Westinghouse thing sounds like your reversing motor contactor with
heaters. You lathe has push buttons on-off-reverse right?

You need to check your L1 L2 L3 voltages in and out of the contactor, and
see if the coil is pulling in. Sometimes the coil goes bad which means you
can push it in with your finger and the motor will start as long as you keep
it pished in. If the contactor is working ok, then your motor could have a
problem, either miswired, or a short.


Contactors/heaters are pricey to replace, you can use a drum switch instead.
($40 vs $300).

If the motor has a problem, you can replace it with a single phase 220, you
wont lose anything especially since you are currently using a static
converter.

good luck, Tony
wrote in message
oups.com...
My 1950's SB 14x40 has a Phase-A-Matic static converter, connected to a
"Westinghouse Life-Linestarter", presumably original equipment, and 1
hp motor. The thing has worked fine for five years at least (I got the
lathe in 2000).

Yesterday I heard a clicking noise and saw some flashes of light while
the lathe was running. Today, I opened the box and observed while it
ran. Near the top of the box are three internal switched ganged
together, each connected to one wire from the phase converter. Switch
on lathe and it starts, but after a few moments of clicking and
unpleasant noises, the three-gang switch popped open and the lathe
stopped.

Side data: At high speed, the chuck (usually) has to be given a push to
get the thing to start spinning. That's been the case for some time.

So.... HEEEEELLLLPP!!

1. The light on the static converter comes on during start, then goes
off. Nothing to suggest that the static converter is the problem,
right?

2. I'm not electrically inclined but could take apart the Linestarter
and clean everything, then reassemble----IF you're pretty certain that
would fix the problem. I'd prefer not to mess with it.

3. Is there an alternative to this electromechanical starter? A
third-party replacement?

4. Buy a big 1-phase 220 motor and replace the whole shabang. I'd have
to get a new switch, wire it up for reversing, etc. I could probably
do that.

5. Could simply buy a brand-new lathe, after which my wife will
dismember my body and sell it to Wendy's, and I won't have no problems
no more.

Prefer one of options 1-4, or some other alternative. As always,
thanks in advance for saving me time and money, and helping me learn.

Best regards --- Terry "P'rfesser" McCreary

On Sat, 9 Apr 2005 19:54:57 -0400, "Tony"
wrote:

You have to determine where the problem is, and to do that you will need a
voltmeter.

The Westinghouse thing sounds like your reversing motor contactor with
heaters. You lathe has push buttons on-off-reverse right?

You need to check your L1 L2 L3 voltages in and out of the contactor, and
see if the coil is pulling in. Sometimes the coil goes bad which means you
can push it in with your finger and the motor will start as long as you keep
it pished in. If the contactor is working ok, then your motor could have a
problem, either miswired, or a short.

I had to diagnose and trouble shoot an electrical issue with a
Hardinge Chucker Friday. The lathe would run most of the time, and
some times simply stop, or it would fail to start at all.

All the contactors were pulling in normally when the Start button was
depressed. Using my wiggy, I traced from the fuse block each of the
three input lines and found one leg disappeared coming out of a relay.

Hardinge uses contactor with replacable contacts, so I removed the
offending switch and checked it for pitting and so forth. It was
fine. I tested it repeatedly with an ohm meter by pressing in the
contactor. It was fine. But it would pass power intermitantly. Then
it dawned on me that one side of the contactor bar was being pulled in
deeper than the other. Barely noticable.

So I pulled the contactor and found that there is a long 1/8" in pin
that a dashpot sort of hinge arraingment designed to pull the 3
contacts together, had slipped out of one hinge. The pin was held in
by a head on one end..and a minature O ring in a smal groove. No O
ring was found. I had a couple similar switches on the truck, so
after very gently removing a O ring keeper then installing it on the
pin...every thing worked just hunky dorey. The original problem was
when it pulled in, it only directly pulled in one side of the
contactor bar and the most distant swtich contact was making
intermittant connection.

It was an interesting job finding the issue.

Gunner




Contactors/heaters are pricey to replace, you can use a drum switch instead.
($40 vs $300).

If the motor has a problem, you can replace it with a single phase 220, you
wont lose anything especially since you are currently using a static
converter.

good luck, Tony
wrote in message
roups.com...
My 1950's SB 14x40 has a Phase-A-Matic static converter, connected to a
"Westinghouse Life-Linestarter", presumably original equipment, and 1
hp motor. The thing has worked fine for five years at least (I got the
lathe in 2000).

Yesterday I heard a clicking noise and saw some flashes of light while
the lathe was running. Today, I opened the box and observed while it
ran. Near the top of the box are three internal switched ganged
together, each connected to one wire from the phase converter. Switch
on lathe and it starts, but after a few moments of clicking and
unpleasant noises, the three-gang switch popped open and the lathe
stopped.

Side data: At high speed, the chuck (usually) has to be given a push to
get the thing to start spinning. That's been the case for some time.

So.... HEEEEELLLLPP!!

1. The light on the static converter comes on during start, then goes
off. Nothing to suggest that the static converter is the problem,
right?

2. I'm not electrically inclined but could take apart the Linestarter
and clean everything, then reassemble----IF you're pretty certain that
would fix the problem. I'd prefer not to mess with it.

3. Is there an alternative to this electromechanical starter? A
third-party replacement?

4. Buy a big 1-phase 220 motor and replace the whole shabang. I'd have
to get a new switch, wire it up for reversing, etc. I could probably
do that.

5. Could simply buy a brand-new lathe, after which my wife will
dismember my body and sell it to Wendy's, and I won't have no problems
no more.

Prefer one of options 1-4, or some other alternative. As always,
thanks in advance for saving me time and money, and helping me learn.

Best regards --- Terry "P'rfesser" McCreary




Leftwingers are like pond scum. They are green, slimy, show up where
they are not wanted, and interfere with the fishing.

Strider

Tony, Gunner:

Many thanks for the input! Incidentally the lathe has pushbutton
on/off and a lever for forward/off/reverse. The plan is to check the
voltages first, then pull the box, and if a fix is not apparent....go
to a 220 single phase motor.

Again, thanks for your time and thoughts ---- P'rfesser

I'd be susipicious of a capacitor failing in the phase converter -

there is another alternative you left off your list - it's what I did - add
an inexpensive VFD - I paid $200 for 3.5 hp model, refurbished, a few years
ago, you can get a 1 hp model new for under $150 - that will give you
vairable speed, soft start, no stupid phase-o-matic thingie, and you can
remove and discard the starter assembly and all that bulk (and use the space
to store more tools)


wrote in message
oups.com...
My 1950's SB 14x40 has a Phase-A-Matic static converter, connected to a
"Westinghouse Life-Linestarter", presumably original equipment, and 1
hp motor. The thing has worked fine for five years at least (I got the
lathe in 2000).

Yesterday I heard a clicking noise and saw some flashes of light while
the lathe was running. Today, I opened the box and observed while it
ran. Near the top of the box are three internal switched ganged
together, each connected to one wire from the phase converter. Switch
on lathe and it starts, but after a few moments of clicking and
unpleasant noises, the three-gang switch popped open and the lathe
stopped.

Side data: At high speed, the chuck (usually) has to be given a push to
get the thing to start spinning. That's been the case for some time.

So.... HEEEEELLLLPP!!

1. The light on the static converter comes on during start, then goes
off. Nothing to suggest that the static converter is the problem,
right?

2. I'm not electrically inclined but could take apart the Linestarter
and clean everything, then reassemble----IF you're pretty certain that
would fix the problem. I'd prefer not to mess with it.

3. Is there an alternative to this electromechanical starter? A
third-party replacement?

4. Buy a big 1-phase 220 motor and replace the whole shabang. I'd have
to get a new switch, wire it up for reversing, etc. I could probably
do that.

5. Could simply buy a brand-new lathe, after which my wife will
dismember my body and sell it to Wendy's, and I won't have no problems
no more.

Prefer one of options 1-4, or some other alternative. As always,
thanks in advance for saving me time and money, and helping me learn.

Best regards --- Terry "P'rfesser" McCreary