Shopsmith Forums

i have a problem the motor turns on but just hums, I can spin both spindles by hand but the motor will not turn either one. If motor is left on the breaker will pop. Any advice on whats wrong and how I can fix it.

Is the motor seized or does it just not turn when powered.

You said you can turn the spindles but the motor just hums. If you can turn the spindles easily, I don't think the motor is seized

I suspect you have a bad motor. It might be as simple as the capacitor being bad. I would suggest that it is time to pull the motor and take it to a motor shop for a checkup.

The start windings centrifugal switch is what I find most of the time. The points stop making contact due to burn residue building up on the points. You will have to remove the motor from the motor pan and remove the end opposite the drive end. Since there were several different motors used, let us know which motor brand and HP you have. I have found one capacitor bad and a few sets of non-contacting points when the motor would hum but not start. If the points are not clean, you could buy a points file at some auto parts stores to clean them. I have used emery cloth or fine sandpaper to polish the points when I could not find my points file.

If you have a multimeter or ohms checker, with the capacitor wires disconnected, connect the multimeter + lead to one wire and the - lead to the other capacitor wire and see if if the ohms goes from near zero to max resistance. If so, then the capacitor is good. If always max resistance, then replace the capacitor. Be sure to always touch the capacitor wires together to discharge the capacitor before touching the capacitor wires with your fingers.

nieder45 wrote:i have a problem the motor turns on but just hums, I can spin both spindles by hand but the motor will not turn either one. If motor is left on the breaker will pop. Any advice on whats wrong and how I can fix it.

Disconnected everything and motor runs as smooth as butter, when plugged in by itself., however when connected will not turn spindles,just strains for a few seconds then trips breaker. Any advice here?

nieder45 wrote:Disconnected everything and motor runs as smooth as butter, when plugged in by itself., however when connected will not turn spindles,just strains for a few seconds then trips breaker. Any advice here?

The capacitor determines starting torque. If you can manually rotate the drive spindle with your fingers, verify you have full voltage].[/color]

Thanks for the advice but do you have a link for viewing this session. I would appreciate a link.
thanks

"I would recommend that you follow along with a SS catalog and the "blow up" parts diagrams."

The exploded view (although the word "blow up" some seems more pithy) ) is included in the Cleaning and Inspection Checklist, which you can download from the Blackboard. This checklist also contain complete, detailed instruction for a tear-down.

However, if you can spin the drive train by hand, I'd say it's unlikely that you have a bad bearing somewhere. I'd concentrate on the capacitor and switch per Bill and Cowboy before I began yanking the guts out of the headstock.

with all good wishes,

Nick, I CAN spin the shafts by hand and when the motor is disconnected from the belts that turn the shafts. The motor turns great, and spin nicely every shaft spins good and so does the motor, However the motor will not turn the shaft. I can turn everything by hand, the motor runs great, but the motor will not turn the shaft when connected. Whats your final say?