Help - Laguna LT 18 Suddenly Won't Start

[Ron Magliocco]

Hi all - I am hoping someone can help me trouble shoot this problem. It has the 4.5 HP Baldor motor. Motor plate says it draws 18.2 amps. I don't know much about electrical. enough to be dangerous. This is a 2007 Italian made machine. It worked fine on my 30amp circuit for as long as I've owned it. Now suddenly it won't start. I have checked the open door with, foot brake switch, the red kill switch above the starter. I've blown out all the electrical areas I can get to. There is no blade on the machine now. I can hear a slight hum near the switch when I plug it in. I can't remember if that's normal. Never really paid attention to it before today.

Anyway, like I said, I'm hoping someone can help.

Thanks in advance.

Ron

[Rob Charles]

I will take a look at the circuit on my LT18 when I go back up to the shop in a bit & then get back to you.

[Thomas Crawford]

I would not expect a hum in the receptacle. Breakers and receptacles go bad. Can you measure with a multimeter?

Do you have 20 amp receptacle to try it in? It should start up fine since its an 18 amp machine. Obviously you wouldn't want to load it down as you'd be at 90% of the breaker capacity.

[Ted Calver]

Start capacitor is shot?

[Ron Magliocco]

Thanks for the input. I don’t have a multimeter, nor do I know how to use one. I removed the capacitor cover and there are 3 in there. I can’t tell which are start and which are run capacitors. I did try 20 amp outlet. Still nothing. The “light hum” is coming from the switch area.

Also, the switch will stay in the “on” position even though the motor won’t start.

[Rob Charles]

http://go.rockler.com/tech/Laguna-Tools-Italian-LT18-Bandsaw-Manual.pdf

Schematics start on page page 58. Trouble shooting page 54.

My 02 LT18 in appears to be wired as per the page 59 schematic.

Reading that you do not have a DVOM or "nor do I know how to use one", from the outside looking in, my suggestions are"
1. Get hold for buddy or tech that is used to these type circuits to assist you.
2. Start at the simple & inexpensive solutions first: ie. Circuit to which is it connected. Then the door, brake & other switches, loose/high resistance connections, contactor, etc. before going into the motor capacitors.

Good luck with it.

[Bill Bukovec]

Try giving the motor a good smack. If it starts after that, you may have a bad start switch inside the motor. Where do you live? Someone may be close enough to help.

[Ron Magliocco]

Thanks. I’m in Connecticut.

[Ron Magliocco]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Well, the motor is running again. I turned the switch on and off about 12 times in a row and that got her all fired up. Still don’t know why it stopped working. I’ll look closely at all the connections in the switch box.

[Andrew Hughes]

If it happens again take the switch out but don’t disconnect the wires . Turn it upside down and give it some taps with a handle of a screwdriver. Or something similar.
My bandsaw did the same thing couple years ago. This suggestion was given to me by a tech. He said the switch is not serviceable. His best guess is carbon builds up preventing the contacts to work right.
Mine right now is actually mounted upside down and hasn’t failed me yet.
The one I have is really hard to find and has overload protection.
Good Luck