David Hendley on fri 12 feb 99
Motors that are stored and not used for years can be hard to
get running again.
This happened to my Pacifica wheel that set in a warehouse
for five years. It seems to be more of a problem with a DC
motor (which is the kind used on pottery wheels, as opposed to the
more common AC motor).
The problem is that the brushes bind up.
Brushes are black carbon-looking things with springs on them.
The brushes contact the communicator on the armature (the part
of the motor that turns). They have to move in their slot and the
springs keep them up against the armature.
When I got my wheel out of storage, the brushes were tight and
could not be moved. I finally loosened them up by GENTLY
applying heat with a torch. This is obviously a somewhat risky
procedure, as you could melt or destroy something important.
A safer idea, especially if you don't even know what the brushes
look like or where they are, would be to take the motor to an
electric motor shop and tell them your problem and what you
think it might be.
It's also possible that the problem could be in the control
system, but I would definately check the motor first.
Good luck,
David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
At 07:41 AM 2/11/99 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I have a Brent C less than 10 years old. It has lay dormant for some time
while
>I went off into handbuilding and sculpture. I now have a new student
using it
>and it seems to be stuttering and sometimes doesn't respond at all. Then
after
>fussing with it, it goes.
>Does anyone have a suggestion? The boy let the splash pan get pretty
full. Can
>this get inside the motor? HELP! I don't want my huge investment to die. :(
>
>Thanks in advance
>Jill
>
mary ann on wed 17 feb 99
No sooner do I read about dormant wheels and brushes binding up than I
have occasion to use my wheel (poor dormant thing - but only a few
months) and it is sound asleep. got to stop reading these posts about
all the awful things that can happen, I'm thinking. Then at last I
recognize that the cord winding around through various things is not
headed toward the receptacle. Whew! Saved from binding brushes for the
moment! Mary Ann
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