Problem with Jet dust collecter

[Randy Walker]

I was working in the shop today and when I turned off my Jet 1.5hp dust collecter (with remote) it made a slight clicking noise as it spun down. When I started it back up it made that clicking noise and kicked the breaker. First thing I checked was the fan. No obstructions, the fan spins free and is clean. Reset the breaker, same thing. Switched circuts still kicked it off(20 amp and 12ga copper wire). The unit is practicly new. I have had it a couple of years and its hooked to a pvc vaccume system, but I havent used it more than an hour or two a month. Any suggestions? Anyone else had a similar problem? I realy need to get this thing up and running, because I just retired and have promised lots of Christmas gifts this year.

Any help is grealy appreciated

Randy Walker

[Cary Falk]

Randy,
I had a clicking sound on mine at shut down. The set screw came loose and the fan(not the impeller)was clicking against the end housing. I don't know what could be tripping the breaker.

[glenn bradley]

I have a couple 2HP machines where I can hear the centrifugal switch at the last few moments of spindown if I have my ear protection off. Like Cary's issue I don't know why this would trip the breaker. Depending on your motor's construction, you can pull the fan cover and watch the cent-switch behavior to see if it is normal(?).

[Jason Beam]

The clicking sound you hear on spin down is likely the centrifugal switch and is usually normal.... however...

If for some reason it got stuck open, your start capacitor might get fried. They don't normally fail closed, but it's possible. If that's the case, that would trip the breaker. Sniff the motor area and see if you get any hint of burning. Open up the little lumps on the side of the motor (carefully!) and see if anything's oozed out - if so, the cap failed.

That's about all the insight I could give - my Jet 1100DC is, so far, running just fine as of today. The caps are cheap (6-12 bucks), so hopefully that fixes it.

[Robert Parrish]

Mine quit on me yesterday because my air compressor on the same circuit started up while the DC was running. I couldn't the DC get to restart until I unplugged the remote. I have since moved the compressor to another circuit!

[Rod Sheridan]

Originally Posted by Jason Beam

The clicking sound you hear on spin down is likely the centrifugal switch and is usually normal.... however...

If for some reason it got stuck open, your start capacitor might get fried. They don't normally fail closed, but it's possible. If that's the case, that would trip the breaker. Sniff the motor area and see if you get any hint of burning. Open up the little lumps on the side of the motor (carefully!) and see if anything's oozed out - if so, the cap failed.

That's about all the insight I could give - my Jet 1100DC is, so far, running just fine as of today. The caps are cheap (6-12 bucks), so hopefully that fixes it.

Hi, if the switch gets stuck in the open position, there won't be any current through the start winding, or starting capacitor if fitted. The start winding and capacitor would not be damaged in this case.

The run winding however could be, as the motor is now stuck in the locked rotor condition, so it draws excessive current, hence the tripped breaker.

If the start switch is stuck in the closed position, the motor would start fine, however it would draw excessive current due to the start winding being energized continuously.

Since the motor spins fine by hand, it's not a mechanical problem.

- check the starting switch

- check the starting capacitor

- check the start winding


Regards, Rod.

[Randy Walker]

Thanks for all of the help. I just came up from the shop with some pic's of the vac. There are no bad smells or oozing capaciters, but the centrifugal switch does seem to be stuck in the open position. Im not fimilar with electric motors so I don't know if this is good or bad. I would sure appreciate some more input on this.

Thanks again

Randy Walker

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Randy, at rest the switch contacts should be in the closed position.

When the weights on the centrifugal switch move, they open the contacts.

Do the weights move properly against the spring pressure?

Do the contacts open and close when the wieghts move?

Regards, Rod.

P.S Usually there's a plastic bobin that slides back and forth along the motor shaft. This presses against the electrical contacts, actuated by the bob weights.

[kenneth kayser]

A single phase induction motor has no inherent starting torque. One way to develop this torque is to add a starting coil and energize this coil through (or across) a starting capacitor. In most designs the starting coil has to be de-energized after the motor starts. This is most commonly done with a centrifugal switch. As the motor speeds up, the weights are forced outward and, through some mechanical means, open the starting switch.

If the starting switch is stuck open, the motor will not start at all. It will sit there and hum and maybe overheat, and maybe trip the breaker. However, this should not cause a clicking noise. It seems to me that you are saying that the fan starts, clicks, then trips. The fan seems fine when spun by hand. I think something is rubbing against something else and this is over loading the motor causing the trip. As stated above, the fan may be loose on the shaft and have migrated one way or the other and is rubbing. The rubbing may not show up until some speed is gained. Try taking the fan off and running the motor, this may tell you if it is the fan or the motor. If it is the motor you can remove the motor and take it to a motor repair place (preferable a small one) and, they may fix it in a day or so. If the repair is expensive, I would lean on Jet to give you a new motor, or, at least a big discount on a new motor. In any event call Jet, they may know what the problem is and send you a new part. Do not spend more than 2/3 the cost of a new motor to repair the old one.

[Randy Walker]

We're back in business. The centrifugal switch seemed kind of sticky so I worked it back and forth a few times and it lossened up a bunch. Then I gave it a shot of wd-40 and it moved freely. I also took off the fan for good measure and hit the start button. The moter jumped to life, so I reassembeled the motor and fan, and give it another try. Away she went. Now its all hooked back up and I even used it to clean up my mess at the lathe.
Thank you all for all of your kind help. The folks here at SMC are the best.

Santa rides again

Randy Walker

P.S. If any of you get to the middle Tennessee area look me up and Ill buy you a couple of cold ones.

[Steve Leverich]

Randy, I'd be surprised if you don't have this problem again fairly soon - WD40 is NOT, repeat NOT, a lubricant. It was developed to be a Water Displacer, hence the name, and was patented around 1940, hence the number. When used as a lube, it starts out that way but fairly soon (maybe weeks) turns into sticky gooey stuff that can cause your centrifugal start switch to again stick.

I'd recommend wiping/blowing the WD off as much as possible, and using instead a light machine oil such as 3 in one, Tri-flow, etc... Steve

[Joe Wiliams]

http://www.wd40.com/faqs/

[Randy Walker]

Thank you Steve and Joe. How about some of the dri-lube that I use on my guns. It is anti-static to repel dust and wont gum up.

Thanks again

Randy Walker

[Steve Leverich]

Yeah, in a sawdust environment the dry lube would likely be better - my comments about WD not being a lube are, despite the claim on Joe's link, personal experience over the last 45 years or so. I've had things gum up using WD, so this isn't just "urban legend" - but I agree with most of what Joe's link had to say and I always have spray bottles around with WD and Liquid Wrench (which I prefer for loosening frozen nuts/bolts).

BTW, glad you "got off easy" with your DC... Steve

[Adam Cavaliere]

Originally Posted by Joe Wiliams

http://www.wd40.com/faqs/

Well I just spent the last 5 - 10 minutes of my life becoming much more informed about WD-40! Thanks!