Need lathe electrical help... please...

[carwash]

Ok... was boring and threading some links on Sunday... got about halfway done, and all of the sudden the power in the counter clockwise direction quit working. Clockwise still worked fine, but when i throw the switch down to go the other way... I got nothing, no click, nothing....

So I pull the panel in the rear, and of course there are 2 switch banks, one for each direction. I watch as a friend throws the lever for power; When in the clockwise direction, the left switch bank connects and power is sent to the gear head. When the switch is thrown in the other direction, nothing happens, the contacts don't move, and there is no power sent, etc.

But, I can manually push the switch and make the connection, and the power is sent to the head and it spins. But it won't stay connected, as soon as let force off of it, it disengages and the power stops. So power goes through it, but it can't do it on its own.

So i'm thinking maybe that one switch is bad. Honestly, both switches look absolutely horrible. The machine is a 1979 and i'm sure they are original. It was used for quite a few years in a production shop, so it has seen some hours. So does anyone have any insight into this, or can tell me where i can find switches like these. And please tell me they are not going to cost a fortune.

Is there anything else that it can be besides the switch itself? Jeff told me it could be the "field" power, not sending the power to the switch to tell it to activate. The image below shows the switches in question. The numbers on the image show the voltage on that screw, the R is when it's running and the S is when the machine is powered up but static (chuck not spinning). The right switch is the one in question. The left one still works, as horrible and burned as it looks, ha!

So, any help is appreciated... thanks in advance!!

http://www.sigmamotorsports.com/ImageFolio4_files/gallery/Toy_Box/Carwash/Misc/TaShing_2180/latheNumbers1.jpg

and the machine it is powering...

http://www.sigmamotorsports.com/ImageFolio4_files/gallery/Toy_Box/Carwash/Misc/TaShing_2180/P1050210.jpg

http://www.sigmamotorsports.com/ImageFolio4_files/gallery/Toy_Box/Carwash/Misc/TaShing_2180/tashing2180_04.jpg

[94Dodge Truggy]

Sounds like the switch is worn out. Hard to say without seeing and hearing n feeling though.

[carwash]

I would say the same thing... where can i get a switch ?

[94Dodge Truggy]

Take the switch to FD Lawrence electric off of beekman street in cincinnati. They should be able to find it.

[carwash]

was hoping to not pull it out first, wanted to swap it quick.. so i get it all right... haah/

[94Dodge Truggy]

Send them the pic and with your info on the switch they may be able to. A few years back I was running my surface grinder on a rush job that payed well and the damn thing started to smoke from the electrical cabinet. Transformer was pissed off. I got a box fan and tried to keep the electronics cool. When flames appeared I got an extinguisher and put the fire out. Grinder kept on running through all of it. Bad thing was that all of the numbered wire labels were gone and it was a ***** tracing wires. Stunk really bad also! :D

[yellowjacket]

have you checked the control voltage to the coil? looks like it would be the 2 terminals on the side of the contactor with the smaller wires on them. those are just contactors, right? if thats a transformer im seeing in there, thats what powers the contactors via lower voltage. it could be 24 or 120 v control power. if your reading power to the coil when the switch calls for it but nothing is closing, you may have a burnt out coil. im in richwood again. call me if you need another set of eyes on it, no promises though. ill be here till 2.30 or so.

yese, you should replace both contactors, and if you cant resolve it, fd lawrence is the place to take it. but youll need to check voltages before you take it there. to help. ill comeover and take a look if you buy me beer and build me a buggy.........:eek:

[carwash]

voltages are all on the picture... did i miss the ones you are looking for?

[drmeece]

it's in the control circut,,I'm sure you checked the small glass fuse, could be the switch, But by looking at the contacts in the picture I'd say one of the heaters ( overloads) has burnt up. Just my .02

[yellowjacket]

if you have control voltage at the contactor but its not pulling in id turn to the coil. is control voltage 24v? ohm out the coil. if 24v, should be 8-10 ohms if infinity(ofl) its a broken coil(open) if less than 8 ohms, its shorted to itself and not going thru all the windings.

[carwash]

OK that's all greek to me... honestly...

where is this coil? i didn't do any ohm readings... just voltage, the ones on the pic....

come take some readings!! hahahah.

[superjeep]

Did you get this resolved yet ?

[carwash]

Nope... you volunteering your services?

[superjeep]

Let me see whats going on at work.

Shawn

[carwash]

Well, ended up being a bad contactor. Rob (yellowjacket) stopped down a couple weeks ago and did some readings on the switch and determined the field coil was bad. So i did some searching and the guys at FDLawrence did some searching, and came up with a replacement switch for me. $130 bucks, not too bad i guess.

Rob came down today and tossed it in there (cuz i'm an electrical retard) and BLAM, it works. So now that we know this switch works, imma get a second one to replace the other. It looks worse than the one that went bad.

Thanks a lot Rob, you rule.

[yellowjacket]

glad i could help. i wouldent just do that for just anyone. im sure youd do the same for me.
let me know when the new other one comes in, ill swap it out. but by then you might have too many jeeps in the driveway for me to even get close..... are you trying to be like roy from performance off road?:eek:

[JeffK5]

are you trying to be like roy from performance off road?:eek:

His hero...

[KargoMaster]

His hero...

Oh my....

[carwash]

Thanks a lot Rob...

The other switch was ordered next day and is sitting at FDL right now waiting for me. Whenever you want to throw it in, be my guest.

Yes the drive is filling up here... ever since i went fulltime, I can't seem to find any parking anywhere.

And on the Roy comments, you guys are a freakin' riot.

[carwash]

Ok, second new switch installed, thanks a million to yellowjacket! Thought I would post a pic of the two switches side by side... the one on the left is the new switch of course...

http://www.sigmamotorsports.com/ImageFolio4_files/gallery/Toy_Box/Carwash/Misc/TaShing_2180/P1090372.jpg

http://www.sigmamotorsports.com/ImageFolio4_files/gallery/Toy_Box/Carwash/Misc/TaShing_2180/P1090371.jpg

So, $230 later I'm fully operational with no fear of burning down my shop anymore. Well, there is still fear of burning down my shop, but it won't be my insanely arcing contacters.

[eighty3bronco]

its amazing of what 50 years?? of engineering can change.

[KargoMaster]

its amazing of what 50 years?? of engineering can change.

But I'd bet my left nut that the new switches won't last another 50!!!

Production efficiency is over-rated!

[carwash]

I doubt I will have the machine to know in 50 years...

[eighty3bronco]

But I'd bet my left nut that the new switches won't last another 50!!!

Production efficiency is over-rated!
True! Forgot to mention that.