| Steve Spence 2005-10-21, 8:21 pm |
| George@Jetson.com wrote:
> Hi:
>
> This is probably off topic here. If so, could one of you direct
> me to another newsgroup where it might be more appropriate.
>
> I have a 1/4 hp AC electric motor that runs a 5000gallon/hr pump
> for my pond.
> It was made in 1991 in Germany, and I contacted the company.
> They no longer do any business in the US or Canada: no distributers or
> dealers. Parts would have to be ordered from England or Germany.
>
> To make a long story short, it usually starts, but sometimes it
> just hums and won't spin unless I give the main shaft a little
> push
> .
> Long story:
> It is a split-phase permanent-capacitor induction motor. It
> was not run for over a year. When I tried to run it, the shaft
> refused to turn, and the motor got VERY hot, very quickly. I opened
> it up and it had a little bit of water/moisture in it along with a
> little rust and junk near the wiring. I cleaned it out the best I
> could.
> Now I'm running it again. 7/8 times out of 10 it spins, but
> occassionally it still needs a push to get it spinning. After 10-15
> minutes the motor case (aluminum) still stays very cool but the black
> cylindrical capacitor box gets very hot. I can still touch it, but
> its much more than warm. I'm afraid to leave the pump running by
> itself.
>
> I checked 2 local repair shops. One wanted $60 to look at it,
> and the other wanted $75. I mentioned to both of them that the
> motor company no longer does business in the States. Without
> looking at it, they both said the best thing to do is buy a new U.S.
> motor. (about $350 without pump Its a very well-built, high eff,
> low-amp, high service-life motor.)
>
> Here's my question (finally). If the windings are
> bad/open/shorted/grounded then I would guess that the case should get
> warm/hot. But it doesn't. That leaves me thinking that its the
> capacitor.
> What are the chances that it could be bad? Does a capacitor box
> usually get very warm/mildly hot?
> Is there a simple test to confirm whether the capacitor is bad?
>
> If it is bad, do you have any suggestions on what I should do?
>
> (The solution would be __so easy__ if the German company still
> did business in the US.)
>
> Any thoughts, comments, suggestions, etc. would be most
> appreciated.
>
> George
Sounds like a blown cap. They are about $20 or so from your plumbing house.
--
Steve Spence
Dir., Green Trust, http://www.green-trust.org
Contributing Editor, http://www.off-grid.net
http://www.rebelwolf.com/essn.html
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