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Woodmizer LX55 Electric motor

Started by Billmaz, June 18, 2020, 10:20:24 PM

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Walnut Beast

So what's the next move. Are they going to send some new caps

pineywoods

No mention of power frequency. EU power is 50 cps vs 60 cps in USA. Seems to me optimum start cap size would be a bit different. Another possible....EU power is 220 volt with NO neutral. US power is two 110 volt legs 180 degrees apart with a grounded neutral.. Wouldn't take but one small wrong mis-connection and you would be running your motor on 110.. EU 220 volt service and US 220 are 2 different beasts.
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

hacknchop

Billmaz and Crmorse I'm sorry that your having these setbacks with your mill but all the same thank you for your continued patience ,this thread is very educational and no doubt will prove invaluable to some who are either thinking about converting to electric or even new builds. Thank you as well to those with the experience and knowledge who have contributed possible remedies to the problem as their suggestions will help troubleshoot future problems for others. That's what makes this forum such a great place. 
Often wrong never indoubt

Al_Smith

To clarify something .Most if not all US single phase is 240 volt  from a center tapped transformer for a neutral which is grounded .The motors will run from two phases of 120 208 Wye three phase though .What you have to watch is 120-240 "high leg " delta 3 phase .One transformer is center tapped for 120 on each side but if you tie in that other phase you have about 208 volts which  will make the smoke run out of 120 volt stuff .Poof never to run again . :o

crmorse

Sadly, mostly bad news to report here.  I got in the new capacitors. My hopes faded as soon as I saw them.... MUCH smaller than the supplied Ducati ones. They weren't well matched either. One measured at 230uF and the other 255uF. I think this is a factor later.


I wired everything up, flipped back on the breaker and hoped for the best. As you can see in this video it started with much more gusto than normal (still pulling 120A) but then quickly slowed and then stalled.  A quick check of the caps revealed that the lower capacitance one had a smoking hole where some of it's windings used to be..... obviously not rated for this kind of duty.  
Woodmizer LX55 E7 w/custom start caps - YouTube

I tried to put my ammeter on the wires to the caps (strangely, they are only 14awg) but they were too short for the stubby clamp to fit.

So I put everything back to factory and recorded another startup video.  You can see here how it's a full 12 seconds before it finally changes over to run mode and instantly speeds up and drops the amps. I really believe this is a start circuit problem and not a motor power issue.
Woodmizer LX55 E7 very slow startup - YouTube

It's been a week since I called WM but no return call yet. I will dial them up tomorrow and see if they've made any progress on their end.  Pretty frustrated right now that I have this mill and can't really use it. I just don't feel comfortable pulling that much current on a regular basis.

*Note: all videos were recorded with the band set to factory spec tension.

Magicman

Probably most if not all of the Wood-Mizer techs are till working from home so there is no possibility of having a "think tank" situation which would be their normal.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Al_Smith

For a 7.5 HP motor that is a tiny little frame size .

Walnut Beast

Hopefully you can get answers and get it fixed soon

ladylake

 I really think WM should send you a Baldor or Lesson motor to replace this cheap one.   Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

Billmaz

I feel your pain @crmorse And if you keep using it the starter WILL burn up. I had one tech tell me it's under warranty if it does. Not what you like to hear. 🤦‍♂️ I have to give you some advice. Get it in writing like I did that they will honor the 30 day money back guarantee after 30 days if you can't get it running. I unfortunately am still waiting for my gas replacement but I was too worried this problem wasn't going to be solved and I need to make some money NOW! With this mill. 

tacks Y

Wish you guys were closer. I have a cap bank that came with a rotary phase convertor on my 36 wide belt. Would not take much to try on there. Also some motors on the shelf, a 10hp single but the 3450 rpm is a problem. My 24" planer with a 7.5  3ph starts slow but not that bad, thinking a cap bank for it also. I agree they should send out a better motor to try.    

muggs

Quote from: Al_Smith on July 15, 2020, 09:55:13 PM
For a 7.5 HP motor that is a tiny little frame size .
Yea, that looks like no 7.5 hp motor I have ever seen.

crmorse

I think that's just weird perspective being caused by cellphone camera. The motor is normal sized, it's just about 3' further from the camera than the ammeter is.

Al_Smith

I guess after approx 50 years of industrial electrical work I'm used to the larger frame motors .I've got a 5 HP single phase on one of my drill presses that's most likely twice that size .However I've seen a lot of lower cost cost motors from the Pacific rim that are from my perspective not nearly as large .Generally speaking they are not as robust either .
They use different methods of rating HP .I had what was listed as 5 HP I used on a little log splitter but figuring the amp draw it was only 2.8 HP .Actually though it worked very well all things considered .Certainly  beat swinging an axe .

crmorse

Just got off the phone with WM electrical engineer. Sent him the video and picture of my trial cap and we agreed that he's going to take it up the chain and get me a bigger cap to try out. Good conversation and great support. I'll update again when I know more.

Walnut Beast

Good to hear. Sounds like your going to be on the WM troubleshooting team 😂

ladylake

 I still think WM should sent out some quality motors and get you sawing, then they can figure it out in their shop. It would be the right thing to do for a place that has good service.  Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

Walnut Beast

Quote from: ladylake on July 16, 2020, 06:41:57 AM
I really think WM should send you a Baldor or Lesson motor to replace this cheap one.   Steve
US motor is good to

Billmaz

Quote from: ladylake on July 17, 2020, 03:37:55 AM
I still think WM should sent out some quality motors and get you sawing, then they can figure it out in their shop. It would be the right thing to do for a place that has good service.  Steve
I wish you were CEO for WM! 👊

ladylake



   There's  less and less integrity in big company's now days but integrity cost money some time but lack of it will come back to bite them in future sales.  Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

Jeff

So Steve, did you obtain some sort of vested interest in a different company of late or just throwing rocks at them?
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

ladylake

 I think a company should do what's right no matter which company.  Not let these customers sit there with mills that don't work thanks to switching to a cheaper motor. There are way to many company's now days where the $ is way above integrity living off their name that took years to build up.  Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

Jeff

And how did you develop this knowledge of what actually transpires between a customer and the business. Yea, right, jump on one side knowing jack about the total association of two other parties. You look like what you are, thats why I'm getting complaints from other members.

 Find another topic..
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

tacks Y

On a lighter note did either of you 2 gets yours mills running?

crmorse

What amazing timing... I literally just came in from cutting a 12"x5' white oak. It was standing dead for about a year and I felled it back in January so it wasn't really wet or dry. 

It cut fine at first but did start bogging down when I got to full width. I was about to curse and throw in the towel until I had to stop a trim it a little because the crotch fork was blocking the outside blade guide. When that crotch put a serious hurt on my Stihl 291 just trying to shave a few inches I realized that knot was a lot harder than I gave it credit for. That said, other than a flatness issue I'm going to ask about in another thread it cut as well as I could ask for. 

Starting is still an unresolved problem. I got a shipment notice from WM but I don't know what is in it. I did order a new better capacitor  on my own to keep progress moving. 

 

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