cooling fan in welder slow to come on

[chunkolini]

I have had my Butters AMT1800 for about seven years.
Just lately the cooling fan is reluctant to start up when I switch it on.
Sometimes i get an unhealthy sounding buzz for a few moments before it comes on other times it comes on after I have been welding for a few minutes.
Anybody got any ideas?
guessing a capacitor on the motor (blind guess).

 

[wristpin]

I'd go with the starting capacitor being on its way out.

 

[chunkolini]

I just spoke to my local welding supplies Co and they spoke to Butters who said
'The fan is connected direct to a 240v supply' in the welder. Does this mean no capacitor?
I will get inside and take a look when I am next in work.
Any ideas what else to look for?

 

[MattF]

Either iffy connections else a knacked fan.

 

[wheresmejumper]

could be crap/dust got into fan motor.results in erratic performance

 

[shenion]

Probably no start capacitor on a fan but may be a run capacitor.

Post a pic of the fan motor.

 

[chunkolini]

If I am in tomorrow I will get inside and take a look.

 

[voipio]

Could be that the fan bearings lubricating oil has thickened with age.

 

[Robotstar5]

Measure the fan, I've got a new 230V one here.

 

[Wallace]

Could be that the fan bearings lubricating oil has thickened with age.

Beat me to it, would be my first place to look and see if the fan turns freely.

 

[chunkolini]

Will have a poke about today.
Thanks for the info.
Watch this space.

 

[normspanners]

If ya dont come back to us we will take it, ya poked in the wrong spot!
I have resurected a fan having the same symtoms, by spraying liberally, duck oil in the general area of the fan bearings and spinning it with an air line just be careful though the revs can quickly build up to wreckin revs.

 

[chunkolini]

Hi Guys
The electrical numpty did not get himself fried.
I had a look inside, hell what a mess of dust.
It looks to be the motor, it occasionally catches as it stops. I had a play about with it and could not see anything wrong.
Looks simple enough, a pair of blue wires and the mounting holes are 30mm apart.
Did wonder about a spot of oil but forgot to do that.
Here is a picture of the motor.

How much would I be looking at for a new one and what do I ask for?
Before shelling out cash I will try a drop of maybe 3in1? on the spindle shaft thingy.
I will also cludge up some kind of dust filter as well, I was thinking of a piece of scotchbrite pad lightly greased on the outside of the hole in the casing.
Thanks for the advice.

 

[the snooper]

oil both ends of the shaft, they have those types of motor in various things and the bearings do dry out, they do seem to last forever, record players used to have very similar motors

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

What about fitting a bathroom extractor fan? prob sifts more air than the std one?

 

[Robotstar5]

Looks like a one of the "universal" type fans, I used one out of a dead UPS to replace one in a Sip welder, the mounting holes even matched!

 

[shenion]

I bet oiling it would probably fix it.

That is a shaded pole motor. Really nothing on it to fail other than the bearings. The only other thing to fail is the windings.

If oiling it does not fix it, I'd just find a fan of the same size to fit. A bathroom fan would probably be close.

 

[chunkolini]

Drop of oil, a quick fiddle and even worse.
A cup of coffee and it seemed sorted. Caffeine works again.
or maybe oil needs to penetrate,
Seems to be fine, only problem is I cant hear it start up and think it is stuffed.
Nice one all, a free repair.