I have a 2003 Powermatic 3520b. I am very happy with the lathe except for a recent problem. I was turning a small bowl and I heard a pop-pop sound coming from the inverter. No power to the lathe. After calls to tech support, it was determined that I need a new inverter. $600. Yikes. I called an authorized technician and he estimated approx 2-3 hours to install. Not cheap but he has to make a living.
After reading previous posts, I see that this is not a relatively rare event. Also, some folks have purchased inverters at other vendors with a much lower cost. However, the Powermatic folks discouraged this because a non-Powermatic inverter must be programmed.
I am basically an idiot when it comes to electrical issues. Is this a job for the pros? Mainly, I want to get back up and running so that I can get back to turning asap. Thanks for your thoughts.