Delta dust collector losing power...?

[Gary Fixler]

I have a Delta AP400 1HP dust collector, bought on-the-cheap from Rockler during a close-out sale. It looks like the model is gone from the site, and discontinued or gone everywhere else. Here's a view on another site:

http://www.tools-plus.com/delta-ap400.html

I have this hooked to a 30gal. steel trash can separator. The lower bag and can were both full of shavings, so I emptied them out today, but I'm still not getting good suction anymore. Even disconnecting the separator, with just a short length of hose straight from the collector, I'm barely picking up sawdust off the floor. This thing should be cleaning an 8" radius of sawdust around itself. I shook the bags over and over outside, whipping them to clear them of fine particulate. I banged out the hose (a clump of shavings that didn't make it up the tube came out. I've checked that nothing's blocking it anymore, but the power is so low as to be almost useless now.

Anyone know what I might do to further diagnose and treat this issue? One thing I'm considering is that the motor is fading, despite being only 6 months old, and rarely used (home hobbyist = nights/weekends work, often w/out collector usage). Anything I can do to service that, or see if that's the problem? It seems to not be making the very powerful noise it used to make, as though it's not spinning as fast as it once was.

Thanks for any insights.

[Michael Wildt]

Far from an expert on those dust collectors, but could it be clogged ? Does the fan 'leaves' have a dust coating that changes the efficiency ? Like did you clean it.
Does the fan spin with the expected speed ? I assume one end is the dust bag where the air escapes. If that bag is dirty the air flow would be minimized I'm guessing. Maybe washing/shaking that bag would make a difference.

[Mike Goetzke]

Did you check the inlet to the impeller. There is usually a cross or some type of protection to keep bit hunks out of the impeller. Sometimes shavings get caught up on this.

Mike

[Gary Fixler]

Thanks for the replies. Boy is my face red. Right after I posted this, I decided to take one more look, and finally pulled the hose from the impeller inlet. Mike Goetzke wins the prize. There was indeed a metal cross, and it was nearly a solid ball of wood shavings. It's back to its old power. I think I've been using it this way for a few weeks, scratching my head and looking for the problem. I even reached around inside the impeller area through the bag end, but that's the opposite side of where the problem was. This happened because I let the separator can fill up entirely recently, so there was nowhere for the heavy stuff to fall, and it all went right up the other hose to the dust collector. Thanks, guys! It's sucking at full power again. What a relief.

[Chip Lindley]

Gary, I would look first inside the motor, at the starter winding contacts. Dust may have gotten in the motor to partially jam the centrifugal action. If these contacts are not free to slide up and down the rotor shaft, the motor could run only in start mode OR run mode. If hung in start mode, the motor should come up to speed, but would overheat quickly. If in run mode, the SLOW symptoms you discribe! A weak or broken spring on the centrifugal contacts could cause the motor to be stuck in RUN mode, getting no help from the start coil to bring it up to full RPM. The motor will have to be disassembled to inspect these parts.

Other causes are doubtful, but do exist. Try cleaning out your motor first and see if you get full RPM again!

[Chip Lindley]

Oh Well! My treatise on motor maintainance was not needed this time. BUT Ya NevaKNOW!

[Paul Ryan]

Gary,

I had the same collector but sold it. One thing I did that was recomended by other uses was to cut out that metal cross. I know it serves a purpose, but I had all kinds of problems with that. I did use mine as a vacum too sucking up leaves and all kinds of stuff. But is was constantly plugging up so I cut out that cross. After that never had the problem and used the machine for 2 years. Sold it to my brother for a case of frosty, and he is still using it.

[glenn bradley]

It should be easy to "hear" if the motor is up to speed after listening to it for 6 months. Since the can and bag both got filled I would inspect the impeller housing. Sounds like something is jammed up in there.

I have one of these and have used it for about 4 years. The trashcan seperator really put a hit on the poor little guy but it was sure convenient. My usual was to empty the can about a dozen times before the bag needed cleaning.

I now have an AFF top filter and a solid lower bag. I use it for the jointer and planer only with no seperator. I think you'll find your problem if you persist. Although not super powerful, it is a tough little unit. That's why I kept it when I got the cyclone for the rest of the shop.

[Gary Fixler]

Oh Well! My treatise on motor maintainance was not needed this time. BUT Ya NevaKNOW!

Thanks anyway, Chip! I'm sure these tidbits of info will come in handy one of these days. I enjoy picking up knowledge nuggets for those in-case moments that pop up surprisingly often.

[Gary Fixler]

I had the same collector but sold it. One thing I did that was recomended by other uses was to cut out that metal cross.

I'll definitely consider it. Did you have a separator? I didn't have any problems until my separator got completely filled to the top, letting all the shavings shoot right over the top and up the other tube. I hadn't emptied it, as I'm currently researching recycling/reuse measures, like pelletizing, briquetting, mulching, and the like. I didn't want to empty it into the city's green plant waste bin - I want to use it! - but I'm lingering on what to actually do with it. Wish I could afford a pelletizer, pellet stove, and I wish I owned this rental house so I could install the stove permanently

Thanks for the help!

[Paul Ryan]

I am dumb I wouldn't even know how to hook up a seperator unless I reseach it. So no I was not using a seperator. My brother cuts less wood than I do so I don't think he would either. My current unit is the step up the 1 1/2 hp with better bags. I got a steal on it a while back. I have never thought of hooking up a seperator, thought that was only a cyclone deal. But it is allows me to empty bags less I will have to look into it!

[Gary Fixler]

I am dumb I wouldn't even know how to hook up a seperator unless I reseach it.

Hey Paul,

The separator's no biggie. Here's mine:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/garyfixler/2878995628/

It's just a 30 gallon steel trash can from Home Depot with a special separator lid I got from Rockler, IIRC on a 1/2-price sale last year. One hose from the shop goes into the lid, another from the lid to the dust collector. You can still lift the lid off very easily to get the trash can out for dumping. It basically creates a cyclonic separator chamber out of a simple trash can, although, 30gal cans are surprisingly rare in my area. I found the only one Home Depot had - and I mean literally the only one - that one in the picture