Woodmizer LX55 Electric motor

Walnut Beast · July 21, 2020, 09:37:57 PM

Glad your having fun 👍

tacks Y · July 22, 2020, 07:46:29 AM

Good to here you are using it.

Billmaz · July 22, 2020, 05:43:30 PM

Quote from: tacks Y on July 21, 2020, 09:00:04 PM
On a lighter note did either of you 2 gets yours mills running?

I did not!

tacks Y · July 22, 2020, 08:45:53 PM

Quote from: Billmaz on July 22, 2020, 05:43:30 PM
Quote from: tacks Y on July 21, 2020, 09:00:04 PM
On a lighter note did either of you 2 gets yours mills running?
I did not!

Are you waiting on the gas model? Hope it works out for you in the end.

Billmaz · July 23, 2020, 12:02:23 PM

Yeah still waiting on gas model. 😞

crmorse · July 23, 2020, 08:47:40 PM

Smoked another one...

I still haven't heard back from WM even though I sent a follow up email. Since I really need to get sawing I ordered another capacitor. This one was single 400mF, much higher tolerance and beefier than the last attempt which was a pair of poorly matched.

This time the mill started right up, less than a second. No lights dimming or massive current draw. Unfortunately, the little capacitor that could, couldn't, and let out all it's magical blue smoke within the next couple of seconds.

I don't know what kind of current that motor is putting through the cap but it's unreal.

Yesterday I also installed the adjustable blade guide option and I have to say, I'm very disappointed in the design of that as well. I just don't see it holding true with much usage. There's nothing holding it in alignment except 4 plastic guide blocks that I just can't see holding against the band pressure with a foot of leverage against them. There's virtually no provisions for alignment on the blocks so once they wear you're stuck with the leading edge band height varying depending on how in you have the guide pushed.

tacks Y · July 23, 2020, 09:01:25 PM

Are you putting the cap on run or start winding?

crmorse · July 23, 2020, 09:03:23 PM

The same place they had it wired. I realized afterwards that I should have measured each winding while I had it open but it's raining now. Have to wait for tomorrow

Tom King · July 23, 2020, 09:59:24 PM

I don't know anything about what's going on, but I just bought a 7-1/2 hp single phase Baldor motor, for an air compressor. It weighs 134 pounds, and the cover that the caps are under is a little over half the size of a regular shoe box.

The shaft is 1-3/8" diameter.

It has two lifting rings, and I intend to use an engine lift to place it on the compressor.

muggs · July 23, 2020, 11:33:02 PM

I am curious as to what the voltage is marked on the replacement caps

tacks Y · July 24, 2020, 07:14:27 AM

Quote from: crmorse on July 23, 2020, 08:47:40 PM
Smoked another one...

I still haven't heard back from WM even though I sent a follow up email. Since I really need to get sawing I ordered another capacitor. This one was single 400mF, much higher tolerance and beefier than the last attempt which was a pair of poorly matched.

This time the mill started right up, less than a second. No lights dimming or massive current draw. Unfortunately, the little capacitor that could, couldn't, and let out all it's magical blue smoke within the next couple of seconds.

I don't know what kind of current that motor is putting through the cap but it's unreal.

Yesterday I also installed the adjustable blade guide option and I have to say, I'm very disappointed in the design of that as well. I just don't see it holding true with much usage. There's nothing holding it in alignment except 4 plastic guide blocks that I just can't see holding against the band pressure with a foot of leverage against them. There's virtually no provisions for alignment on the blocks so once they wear you're stuck with the leading edge band height varying depending on how in you have the guide pushed.

Did you notice the amp draw when starting? So did it drop off when it came up to speed? (Start winding dropping out)

tacks Y · July 24, 2020, 07:18:11 AM

Quote from: Tom King on July 23, 2020, 09:59:24 PM
I don't know anything about what's going on, but I just bought a 7-1/2 hp single phase Baldor motor, for an air compressor. It weighs 134 pounds, and the cover that the caps are under is a little over half the size of a regular shoe box.

The shaft is 1-3/8" diameter.

It has two lifting rings, and I intend to use an engine lift to place it on the compressor.

What is the rpm on this? Sounds like 1750 not the faster motor.

Tom King · July 24, 2020, 07:53:58 AM

Yes, slower rpm.

crmorse · July 24, 2020, 10:01:28 AM

Quote from: tacks Y on July 24, 2020, 07:14:27 AM
Did you notice the amp draw when starting? So did it drop off when it came up to speed? (Start winding dropping out)

I didn't. It started so fast my meter wouldn't have even registered it anyway. And then once the smoke started venting I was more interested in getting it turned off :-)

Quote from: muggs on July 23, 2020, 11:33:02 PM
I am curious as to what the voltage is marked on the replacement caps

250v. I ordered this one:
Robot Check

Al_Smith · July 24, 2020, 12:48:45 PM

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but peak to peak on 240 volts is 339 volts ..I'm afraid it's just going to smoke again .
RMS voltage times 1.414 is peak to peak .You need either a 370 or 440 WDC --working voltage direct current ----

crmorse · July 24, 2020, 01:10:04 PM

Quote from: Al_Smith on July 24, 2020, 12:48:45 PM
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but peak to peak on 240 volts is 339 volts ..I'm afraid it's just going to smoke again .
RMS voltage times 1.414 is peak to peak .You need either a 370 or 440 WDC --working voltage direct current ----

That actually makes a lot of sense. I hadn't considered that.... it also matches the specs of the factory provided cap.
Does this look appropriate?
Amazon.com: CAPACITOR US 450VAC 400uF Appliance Motor Start Run CD60: Home & Kitchen

Al_Smith · July 24, 2020, 02:46:14 PM

I can't say I've ever seen one rated on AC .On that though my shop has 248 volts coming in .I might note on my phase converter which is 480 volt I had to series 2 caps to get both the capacitance plus withstand approx. 678 volts peak to peak .Those were industrial electrolytic 1500 mF at 440 vdc .They were industrial throwaways,I didn't have a dime in them .Probably too large for 5 HP but the starters are only in the circuit a fraction of a second .
I'll put it like this not only will in wind up the 5 HP converter but also 6.5 HP of other motors on three machines at the same .

btulloh · July 24, 2020, 04:38:18 PM

My money is still on the start cap. Your brief test showed promise. Already been said, 250v way too low. 400v is pretty typical. In addition to p-to-p voltage there's also a back-emf component to the voltage across the cap.

I guess you don't have a motor shop convenient to you? They are usually quite good with these questions and have the caps on hand.

Good luck. I'm following this with great anticipation.

crmorse · July 30, 2020, 10:21:15 AM

Great news! Woodmizer was able to reproduce my problem in their lab and came up with a set of capacitors that resolves the problem. Then they worked with the motor manufacturer to supply the correct caps and overnighted them to me. I installed them last night and startup is now almost instant and I don't see the long spike of 120A any more. In fact, startup is so fast that my ammeter doesn't even register the spike.

At this point, I couldn't be more thrilled with their ownership of the issue and their responses. If this had been some far-east mill it would have taken months for engineering to resolve--if anybody could even locate them.

P.S. I did try that 400mF 450V cap I ordered online before the WM ones arrived and it literally exploded on me so don't do that. Stick to the source!

trimguy · July 30, 2020, 12:20:39 PM

Great !! I'm know it was a long month and a half but I'm glad your up and running. Also I'm glad they stepped up and resolved the problem even if some think it took to long. That says a lot.

terrifictimbersllc · July 30, 2020, 12:24:53 PM

smiley_clapping

btulloh · July 30, 2020, 12:54:43 PM

Excellent. Glad to hear it's solved.

muggs · July 30, 2020, 01:24:54 PM

I am confused. Why wouldn't the motor maker not know what caps to use. :-\

crmorse · July 30, 2020, 01:38:07 PM

The motor started fine in commercial/industrial settings where high current power was available a short run from the transformer. In my case I'm 1000' away from the transformer and I believe Billmaz was also a good distance away but I'm not sure.

The voltage drop caused by the difference seems to be the key factor. The new capacitor setup compensates (or maybe just avoids) this problem.