Bad Switch??

[Rick Potter]

My 24" Agazanni band saw won't start. When I turn on the main power switch it no longer has detents, and will not snap into place. I found that if I pull out the push button on/off switch it will produce a slight electrical hum, but not stay on either. The motor and blade spin normally, so it's not frozen. The saw has it's own 30A 220V single phase circuit.

I suspect it is the main power switch. It is the type where you lift the cover and turn the knob to power up the machine. Looks a lot like the one on my MM CU300.

If it is the switch, are they available, or can they be replaced by a common type switch?

Appreciate any assistance. No electrician, but I have wired two buildings with normal 120/240.

[Kevin Jenness]

My 24" Agazanni band saw won't start. When I turn on the main power switch it no longer has detents, and will not snap into place. I found that if I pull out the push button on/off switch it will produce a slight electrical hum, but not stay on either. The motor and blade spin normally, so it's not frozen. The saw has it's own 30A 220V single phase circuit.

I suspect it is the main power switch. It is the type where you lift the cover and turn the knob to power up the machine. Looks a lot like the one on my MM CU300.

If it is the switch, are they available, or can they be replaced by a common type switch?

Appreciate any assistance. No electrician, but I have wired two buildings with normal 120/240.

Take a look at the capacitor(s). If they are good, you can try bypassing the switch to see if that is the issue.

If you can't or don't want to get a direct replacement for the switch you can use a generic magnetic starter but it may be a challenge to integrate any safety interlocks and will probably be a surface mounted box on the machine frame. I did just that on my Mini Max 16 which had a funky stock switch/solenoid arrangement. I am ok with not having the switch cut out when the brake is activated or the doors open (those features were inoperative when I bought the saw used).

[Rick Potter]

I finally managed to get an electrician buddy over to check out the saw. I have seen other reports that Agazzani had some switch problems, and asked him to check it out. After discussing the problem with him he told me to fire up the breaker and switched it on.

It immediately fired right up and ran fine. The only thing he could figure out was that perhaps I had not been pulling the red power knob hard enough. When I did it the machine would hum a little, but the switch would only work while I was pulling on it. It does take a pretty good yank to get it on (much more than the like switches on my MM CU300). Of course, since the red shutoff was off, the rotary on/off switch would not work either.

I had not used the big band saw in months, and it never dawned on me that I was not pulling hard enough.

I feel like an idiot. Pile on. I deserve it.

[Ron Selzer]

I finally managed to get an electrician buddy over to check out the saw. I have seen other reports that Agazzani had some switch problems, and asked him to check it out. After discussing the problem with him he told me to fire up the breaker and switched it on.

It immediately fired right up and ran fine. The only thing he could figure out was that perhaps I had not been pulling the red power knob hard enough. When I did it the machine would hum a little, but the switch would only work while I was pulling on it. It does take a pretty good yank to get it on (much more than the like switches on my MM CU300). Of course, since the red shutoff was off, the rotary on/off switch would not work either.

I had not used the big band saw in months, and it never dawned on me that I was not pulling hard enough.

I feel like an idiot. Pile on. I deserve it.

Next time you try it by yourself it won't turn on. Will only work right when someone else is there. At least that is how it works for me
Ron

[Rick Fisher]

I've done that. Give yourself a break, laugh.

[Rick Potter]

OK Ron,

Since I normally subscribe to that theory, you enticed me to run out and try it again today. Fired right up.

No bad Juju here, just dimwits.