Minimax MM16 Elec Switch problem - Fixed !!!

[Doug Shepard]

Alan
Thanks for your input. I went back and looked at the motor plate later and mine says 18A, which sort of makes you wonder about my new switch that goes from 20-25. But wait - there's more. All I did yesterday after swapping out the switch was test the switch a dozen times or so - no cutting or tension on the blade. It turned on every time so I thought the problem was licked. Today I hit the switch a couple more times and all is well, so I start getting ready to cut some wood. I tension up the blade and set the fence up where I want it, then hit the switch. NOTHING. Just the terrible stench of the smoke coming out of my ears.

After calming down a bit I remembered your post and dialed up the switch all the way to 25A (this is before I read the 18A rating on the motor plate). Voila - it worked. Most of the time. I still had a case or two when it wouldn't turn on, but for the most part it was OK. At least this time when it wouldn't start there was a faint but clearly audible sound indicating it was trying to start the motor - something I hadn't heard at all with the old switch or with the new switch dialed in at 20A. This just keeps getting wierder. Apparently tensioning the blade provided just enough load that I couldn't start it up set at 20A ?? The cutting I was doing was just through 3/4 clear mahagony about 2' long - not any major resawing. But I'd do a few cuts with shutoffs in-between then get a no-start again. A couple of cycles of off/on/off/on and I could get it to start again. So my experience says I should dial the switch up even higher if I could and all would be well, but the 18A rating on the motor says otherwise. I checked the voltage again today and it was at 237V so no major change. Looks like the story on this fix isn't quite over yet.

[Jim Becker]

Startup current and running current are two different animals...hence, the necessary higher setting on the overload protection. But I do think you need to call MM again on Monday as it should fire up every time, not most of the time. Something else may be amiss that is increasing the load and shutting things down.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Doug, So sorry you are still having trouble. I'm sure Mini Max will set you straight. Let us know what happens. It will be fixed! Alan

[David Less]

I'm having switch problems too on my new MM16. I've fried out 2 so far. The first I believe was a mechanical problem with the black button, it was frozen and I could not turn the saw off. After recieving a new coil (which did not fix it), MM sent a new swich. The switch worked for about 6 or so starts then nothing happened. I checked the voltage across each motor leg (to ground) which was 120 volts but when checking together I did not get 220v. After disecting the switch and scamatic I found that the middle contact was burnt. I checked the continuity across the middle contacts and it prooved me correct. I moved the middle connections to the far right contacts (removed the jummper, black wire) and every thing workd fine. Put back together and was able to finish up my wife's sofa table. Boy that was close. I will call MM for another new switch on Monday. T was contemplating replacing with an AB or Cutler Hammer starter but would require a lot of work to make it look stock.

David

[Mike Archambeau]

Well it looks like it is my turn to wrestle with the electrical problems on the MM 16. Great saw, but fragile in the electrical department.

My saw shut off during a cut. The motor tries to restart, but never comes up to speed before shutting itself off. This happens even when the blade is not tensioned. The drive wheel spins freely and smoothly.

My machine uses the 3.6 kw motor (4.8 hp). The motor plate says the motor draws 20.8 Amps.

My AEG switch is as follows: Mbs 25; 16......20 Amps; E-Nr. 910-201-211

For those of you that have replaced your starter switch, what is the part number for the switch that was rated for more than 20 amps?

[Sam Blasco]

This doesn't sound like a switch problem, but an electrical one or motor or both. I'm no electrical expert but you should contact tech support at SCM. Could be a bad capacitor. Most switch problems are due to the micro-switch coil that lets the main switch know if it can come on or not. If that was the problem you would have a limp "on" button -- nothing would happen. The motor wouldn't attempt to start.

[Van Huskey]

Sounds like a capacitor problem.

[David L Morse]

I agree, it sounds more like a motor problem than a switch problem. If you're lucky it'll be a capacitor.

[Mike Archambeau]

Sounds like a capacitor problem.

Just got off the phone with tech support. And that is where they are steering me. When I opened the box that contains the capacitors, I noticed that the large 160 mf capacitor had a jumper across two terminals with what looks like a resistor being used as the jumper. It looks like it got hot and burned, leaving some heat marks on the plastic insulators. The tech support team member thought my new capacitor would not need the jumper, and if it did, it would come with it installed.

Any good ideas of where to find the capacitors?

[Van Huskey]

Any good ideas of where to find the capacitors?

I buy them at a local HVAC supply house. Get one with the same capacitance in mF and equal or higher voltage as compared to the original.

[Malcolm McLeod]

Any good ideas of where to find the capacitors?

Search "Allied Electronics" (no connection) if you have limited access to local suppliers. They have a huge selection, but be careful you get correct specs - both electrical and size. It can be easy to find the right capacitance/voltage, and a real bear to find a size that will fit inside the cover on the motor.

[Mike Archambeau]

Search "Allied Electronics" (no connection) if you have limited access to local suppliers. They have a huge selection, but be careful you get correct specs - both electrical and size. It can be easy to find the right capacitance/voltage, and a real bear to find a size that will fit inside the cover on the motor.

I tried the Allied Electronics webs site but I was not able to locate capacitors with the right specifications. So I called Grainger and used the live chat function. The guy who helped me was able to locate the right capacitors very quickly. I should have them in a couple of days and find out if the temperamental Eye-talian machine is happy again. Fingers crossed......I have work to do.

[Mike Archambeau]

I tried the Allied Electronics webs site but I was not able to locate capacitors with the right specifications. So I called Grainger and used the live chat function. The guy who helped me was able to locate the right capacitors very quickly. I should have them in a couple of days and find out if the temperamental Eye-talian machine is happy again. Fingers crossed......I have work to do.

Well the new capacitors did not do the trick. I am going to have to track down the resistor that is the jumper on the original capacitor. If anyone has a 2005 vintage MM16 with the 4.8 hp motor (3.6 kw), and you re willing to open the black box mounted on the motor, I would be grateful if you can identify the little black resistor used as the jumper.

I will try to engage with MiniMax technical support again in the morning. Fingers crossed.

[David L Morse]

Well the new capacitors did not do the trick. I am going to have to track down the resistor that is the jumper on the original capacitor. If anyone has a 2005 vintage MM16 with the 4.8 hp motor (3.6 kw), and you re willing to open the black box mounted on the motor, I would be grateful if you can identify the little black resistor used as the jumper.

I will try to engage with MiniMax technical support again in the morning. Fingers crossed.

The normal function of a shunt resistor on the starting capacitor is to bleed off any charge left there after the centrifugal switch opens when the motor comes up to speed. A charge left on the starting capacitor can cause undesirable vibration on shutdown after the centrifugal switch closes. The resistor is not required for proper starting.

[Mike Archambeau]

The normal function of a shunt resistor on the starting capacitor is to bleed off any charge left there after the centrifugal switch opens when the motor comes up to speed. A charge left on the starting capacitor can cause undesirable vibration on shutdown after the centrifugal switch closes. The resistor is not required for proper starting.

Well Grainger has the resistor, and they promised 1 day delivery. So tomorrow I find out if the new resistor allows that fine eye-talian motor to spool up. Fingers crossed. Tonight I might dream about Baldor and Leeson, American made electrical motors........