Minimax FS41 Elite trouble - need assist!

[Mike Henderson]

Thanks Rick, Brian, Robert, Erik and Phil. Tried all your suggestions, none worked. Although not sure how to tell if one of the fuses is blown, would it be discolored? All three look new. Phil, thanks very much for the photos, I would not have known where to find the fuses. I have a service call in to SCM. Will report back.
Len

You need a cheap VOM (volt ohm meter). With that, you can check for continuity across the fuse. You can also test to see if you have power in various places in the machine.

Mike

[Richard Coers]

No thermal reset buttons on the motor?

[Brian Holcombe]

Start checking electrical components until you find the failure source. I’d take a look at the capacitors, fuses and breakers first.

[Malcolm McLeod]

You need a cheap VOM (volt ohm meter). With that, you can check for continuity across the fuse. You can also test to see if you have power in various places in the machine.

Mike

+1 on the VOM - troubleshooting this will be incredibly difficult, and potentially dangerous without one.

Mr. Rosenberg, the mechanical overload event you describe would be very unlikely to damage the control circuitry; more likely the main power delivery has tripped. So, keep cutting your problem in half.... are you sure you have power (voltage) being delivered to the machine? Can you put a meter in the supply plug and check for voltage? Or, plug in another machine and see if it powers up? No power? :: fix the CB in your supply panel.

You now know the supply 'half' of the system is good; on to the 'consumer' half - and it has a power 'half' and a control 'half'.

Once supply is confirmed, plug in your FS41 and try it. Still not spinning? Open the main panel and find the start contactor (K3041 in Mr. Gaudio's pic). There is a small black 'button' in the center; using an insulated screwdriver, press this in/down firmly and hold for 2-3seconds. If it doesn't start, unplug the machine and check the main fuses - (FU1 in Mr. G's pics) - set a VOM for continuity/resistance, pull the fuses and measure resistance across each. Expect less than 1 ohm if they are good. If blown, replace and try again. If they blow again, the issue is probably IN the motor (...suggest a motor shop at that point).

If the main motor starts with the contactor 'button', you have no power delivery issue, and so the control circuit is likely bad. Check FU3 or its equal. Check that all the E-Stop buttons are out (reset) and that any limit switches on guards and tables are properly positioned. I would need the electrical schematic to help further troubleshoot the control circuit effectively.

[Len Rosenberg]

The problem was a faulty circuit breaker that tripped but did not appear tripped and could not be re-set. Nothing wrong with the machine which works fine after installation of a new circuit breaker and re-set of the FS41 overload switch. Thank you all very much for all the advice and suggestions. I certainly learned a lot about the FS41. This is a great forum and community!!
Len

[Rick Potter]

Whew!!

Reminds me of a while back when my big band waw wouldn't start, and it turned out that I had not pulled the emergency off switch hard enough to reset it.

Once again it is the simple things...