PM1340GT when turned on just hums once and a while

waverly

H-M Supporter - Gold Member
H-M Supporter Gold Member
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Jan 3, 2019
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Most of the time when turned on the lathe fires right up once in a while it just hums. Last night it went dead,(light on but the lathe wouldn't even hum) and I had to hit a reset inside the box. After that it started up just fine. If I get it started by hand(sometimes it takes two or three times) it will start. My lathe has been in storage until recently, but it has been doing this since it was new. The lathe is finally moved and will not be moved again until it's sold off after I'm dead.

This lathe is a single phase Sept. 2015 model. Now it's moved this a problem I'd like to get solved. I'm not electrical, but have friends that are.

Any help or guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance, Stay safe Waverly
 
Most likely the start capacitor has gone. Typically they hum and then just go open, often occur with time but also frequent start/stops at close intervals (over heats). Since they are often fit in tight spaces, in particular on Asian motors, I would order replacement motor capacitors from QMT. Probably replace the motor start and motor run capacitors, although the latter usually last longer because of the type used.
 
Start capacitor needs to be replaced. Hump on side of motor is where it’s located. Unless it has a centrifugal starter winding. Check numbers on capacitor you need to match up the voltage and mf (microfarits)numbers.
 
Many times with capacitor start, single phase motors, the problem is with a sticking or defective centrifugal switch. I have gotten quite a few of them working again by simply removing the motor end bell and cleaning or replacing the switch.
Just food for thought.

Ted
 
On my lathe the start capacitor had one wire not making good contact internally, I could tell because the post was loose, intermittent problem fixed by a new capacitor
 
Is it possible that an electric motor could come to rest exactly between two coils (or fields) and it not start and just humm because it is being pulled in both directions? My mill, a 3hp Kondia FV1 seemed to have done this. It refused to start until I manually turned the spindle. It has only done this once in the 3 years that I have owned it.
 
Apparently after a couple of conversations with Mike at Quality Machine tech. It's my start capacitor, which all of my replies here told me. I'm nonelectrical, so I didn't know what to look for. A couple of posts sent me to the motor and there are 2 covers there. I took off the round cover and promptly dropped one of the screws. Guess where it went. That's right inside the end cover of the drive motor. Now I know how to remove the drive motor as well. What a pia.
I've been a Harley Davidson parts guy for 42 years and pictures help. I took pictures of the two boxes on the motor and sent them to mike. I was actually looking at the micro switches on stop, start lever as the culprit. Mike helped me with the id of capacitor. Now I know. The capacitor is a common item that I can get from Quality Machine for $20.00 + $8.00 shipping.

Thanks for the help, Waverly
 
I've been to Grainger twice now. The first capacitor I got was too big, the second is the right size, but the terminals are completely different. The Grainger one use a push on terminal. The one that came oem with my lathe are a y shaped with a screw terminal on the capacitor. I know just change the terminals and carry on, but the wire coming out is very short. I hate to shorten the wire anymore than it already is. I've looked all over the web, and have yet to find a replacement with correct terminals.

Any suggestions? P.M tech the last time I called to order told me to look on the internet and save some money?
 

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Digi-key would have what you want. The only problem is finding it among their 10 zillion items, but if you know voltages, capacitance, size, etc they do have a pretty good search function.
I just found some connectors on there for POE (power over ethernet) boxes that I bought used and were missing connectors. I was very happy and their service is very good.

https://www.digikey.com/
 
Don't worry about the connections being different - it's just wires. Do whatever you have to do to connect them, insulate the junctions, and get on with things.
 
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