Delta Bandsaw Motor Troubles

[david c miller]

Ok, so I found what I thought was a deal on a Delta 28-203 Bandsaw. Some surface rust and lots of dust but for $100? Plugged it in and turned it on before I bought it but the motor just hummed. 1 spin of the lower wheel and the motor ran like a top so I thought "replace the start capacitor for less than $10 and no problem."

Got it to the shop and started taking it apart from the top down for a good cleaning. When I took the motor out of the base and set it aside, rusty water poured out of it!

As luck would have it I found a new Delta 2 hp motor on Craigslist for $100. 3450 RPMs a little too fast for a bandsaw but I can step it down with a couple of new pulleys. So I hooked it up flipped the switch and after about 10 seconds tripped a breaker! I disconnected the drive belt flipped it back on and no problems. Put the belt back on, flipped the switch and tripped the breaker again.

Any thoughts?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Is the breaker sized properly to handle that 2hp motor?

Obviously when the wheel is attached via the belt to the motor, the motor will have a larger mechanical load and draw more current.

[Pete Bradley]

If the original motor ran like a top, dry it out and fix that one. You'll have to be pretty creative to make the 3650 work. I'd start by checking the centrifugal switch rather than the cap. If the contacts are corroded or dirty, you may solve the starting problem with a quick cleaning. If it's had water in it you'll likely need new bearings too.

[david c miller]

I had it isolated on a 20 amp circuit.

[Chip Lindley]

Most honest 2hp motors draw over 20A when wired 115V. The least of my 2hp dual voltage motor's FLA is 22.8A @ 115V. If your bandsaw is hard-starting, you have quite a steep current draw on startup. Even though you have the motor on a 20A circuit, is it wired with #10 ga.? Is your pulley arrangement correct? Huge pulley on the BS shaft and very small pulley on the motor?

Good advice above to try cleaning up the original BS motor to see if you can't get it running. Blow the motor out thoroughly with compressed air, clean the centrifugal contacts and see that they slide on their shaft freely. If the bearings make any noise or feel rough in the least, replace them. Unless a motor is *totally fried* it will suffer much abuse from the elements before refusing to run at all.

[mickey cassiba]

David, the guys are telling you true. At the recon shop, that would have been an automatic motor replacement, and the old one would have gone home with me. Cent. switch cleaning and new bearings should have you up and running most tic.
Not much can go bad in those motors

[david c miller]

Thanks for the replies. I had given up on the old motor but maybe I need clean it up and give it a shot.

I'll let you know what I find.

Thanks again,
Dave

[Ed Griner]

Dave, Have you considered wiring the 2 hp motor for 220 volts? Might be the easy solution.

Ed

[Phil Thien]

If the new 2HP motor comes up to speed and kills the breaker 10 seconds later (while still under no load), then something is wrong with that motor.

I'd have a reliable motor shop check it out.

While waiting for that, I'd open-up and blast out the H2O from the old motor w/ an air compressor. Then I'd set it in the sun for a few days.

[Josiah Bartlett]

It is possible to have a bad circuit breaker... they tend to trip on lower currents as they age (except for the old Zinscos that were recalled for seizing up)

[Pete Bradley]

You should also determine if the saw turns freely without the motor belt attached. It could be that something is bound up causing a lot of load.

Pete

[david c miller]

Opened the old motor and cleaned it out as best I could. Appears to be dry but everything was coated with what appeared to be a rusty coating. After cleaning I replaced the start capacitor put it back together and wired it up. I didn't put the belt on.

A flip of the switch and the motor barely turns. If I give the pulley a spin it runs great.

[Pete Bradley]

Four possibilities in order from most likely:
1. centrifugal switch
2. cap
3. miswired/broken wire in start circuit
4. start winding bad

Pete

[Josiah Bartlett]

Also could be wired for wrong voltage.