Rikon startup capacitor

[Keith Harrell]

I just had a problem with my rikon 18" bandsaw which has a bad startup capacitor for sure but thought I would check if other things may have caused it to go bad.
I switched it on and noticed smoke and a burning smell and promptly turned it off. The top of the motor has a black box with contains a 400uf startup capacitor. I removed the top and found oil and a very hot smoking capacitor.
The motor seems to turns fine without the belt and did startup fine before I switched it off. It's on a 220v circuit and is 4 years old.
Any others things I should consider beside replacing the capacitor.

[Aaron Wingert]

Keith I've struggled with the same thing on my 19" Grizzly ever since I bought it three years ago. I go through them on a fairly regular basis and it is terribly irritating.

After a nice smokey blow-up yesterday I posted a similar question on this thread:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=138822
Might be worth keeping an eye on in case some of the help I get might help you.

[Joe Bradshaw]

Keith, I have a Rikon 18" bandsaw that is about 5 0r 6 years old. I had the same problem with mine. I spoke to the tech guys at Rikon and they were very helpful. They sent me a new capacitor which promptly blew out. They offered me a new 2 hp motor or I could purchase a new 2.5 hp motor for $125 which I did. It has worked great since then(2008).

[Keith Harrell]

That's what I worried about but it sounds like a good plan and see if the new one blows out a quart of oil. The price is not bad either considering for 2.5hp. I never had it bog down with the 2.0hp but more is better right

[Mike Reinholtz]

I am closely considering the 18" Rikon you are discussing, not to hijack the thread but would you all recommend it? I don't want to spend 3K on a European machine, so I have narrowed it down to the Rikon and a Grizzly 19".

Any comments or cautions would be appreciated, it looks like a pretty nice machine.

Thanks!

[Willard Foster]

I saw the Grizzly thread on starter caps.

I would buy a cap from Grainger or a similar supply house.

I suspect the bad caps are low quality and leak, causing them to short out.


Bill

[Keith Harrell]

I just got off the phone with the Rikon tech and it was one phone number and NO press this key to be transferred. Very nice compared to other companies these days.
They are sending out a new cap NO charge today and should have it in two days. I have heard good things about Rikon support and this is the first in four years I have had to use it and will say it's the best in my mind.
I could list my problems with Delta, Jet and others I have had to use and things happen sometimes but it's how they handle it that matters to me.
I would buy another Rikon in a heartbeat as this is the first problem in four years and gets used everyday.
I also own a grizzly joiner and respect their joiners

[David Romano]

I have an 18" Rikon with a 2.5 hp motor. I had the cap go bad last year, and Rikon sent me a new one. No other damage or smoke/smell was present though. I like my bandsaw and would reccommend it. I've posted a few times about it, too.

Dave