Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

[dicky96]

Hi guys

This is the controller from a Potters wheel, for throwing pots (like the film Ghost)

It is controlled by a foot pedal which sets the speed. There is an on off switch, a reverse direction switch and a circuit breaker.

The owner said he turned it on, there was a flash (but no bang or smoke) and now it is dead

The circuit breaker checks OK (and had not tripped), and I can't see any shorts on the PCB around the power FETs/Transistors or whatever they are. However the push button power switch appears to be open circuit between all three pins. At first I could get it to latch in the on position after a few attempts but now I removed it, it will not latch on

Does anyone know what make/type of switch this is? I tried to get a clear photo of the markings

Also it does not make sense to me - there are three terminals on the switch but it couldn't be a SPDT - it would not make sense - see the dickyCAD wiring diagram in the attached pics. But because it is completely open circuit I can't figure out what it is supposed to be. On the markings it says 1/2HP 120V 1HP 240V. Is this some sort of special motor switch? This is not my area of expertise.

I could email them I guess - the website seems to be active.

[wotsupnow]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

I reckon the two blacks are the switch and the white is for a neon inside the switch to light when it's on.

Pete

[stj]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

diameter of the switch or mounting hole is needed

and strip it down - see if the 3rd pin is negative for a neon
i presume it's running at 230v

[budm]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

So they use switch with 110VAC (as printed on the body of the switch) NEON indicator light instead of proper 220V indicator.
The switch is made by ARCOLECTRIC as shown on the body, you should be able to see the P/N.
I use lots of ARCOLECTRIC high in-rush switches in lots of products.

https://cdn.badcaps-static.com/pdfs/...7f565bd84d.pdf

[dicky96]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

Thanks

Neon in the switch makes sense.

What I am not so sure of, is why the big electrolytic is 150V when this unit runs on 220V. It says so on the sticker at the side of the controller (which I did take in the pics) and 220V is what we have here anyway.

[petehall347]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

has it ever worked for the owner ?

[budm]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

Thanks

Neon in the switch makes sense.

What I am not so sure of, is why the big electrolytic is 150V when this unit runs on 220V. It says so on the sticker at the side of the controller (which I did take in the pics) and 220V is what we have here anyway.

Are they using the step-down transformer with the unit?

https://www.lagunaclay.com/potterswheels

[dicky96]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

Yes it was working. I don't think they need use a step down transformer - on the side of the controller box it says

GT 400
240VAC 50/60Hz 2.2A

[dicky96]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

Forgot to add a pic

[stj]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

can you see a plate on the motor with it's details?

[dicky96]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

I don't have the motor - just the controller. I spoke to the owner, he used it for several years and doesn't have a transformer.

He says the on/off switch normally lights up so it does have a neon

I decided to dismantle the switch and it looks like what has happened is the legs of the neon have managed to short somehow, the resistor in there has a hole blown in it and the neon bulb is rattling around inside the switch

There are also two small springs rattling around in the bottom of the switch body

So for now I fitted a small plastic plate and a different sort of switch to see if it works

[budm]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

Yes it was working. I don't think they need use a step down transformer - on the side of the controller box it says

GT 400
240VAC 50/60Hz 2.2A

Well, I would check the DCV on that 150VDC cap to see what it shows.

[petehall347]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

wondering why it has a 110v switch ...

[budm]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...7&d=1598522909


https://www.lagunaclay.com/potterswheels

It looks like they do make GT-400/800 240V version but they did not change the switch for 240V indicator.

https://fliphtml5.com/dnki/paxk/basic

[petehall347]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

poor practice but most likely ok anyway ..voltage rating is likely about flashover ...might well be rated for more current in theory .but theory is unknown to me here .

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

This looks like a 90 volt DC motor controller some of these DC motor controller are crappy made and do not control the motor very well at low speed

****Your input voltage might be different but the adjustment are going to be very similar if not the same ***** it looks like this version has only the low speed adjustment which is easier only one speed adjustment
One note if you want the motor to not turning when the front control is turned to minimum make sure that there is no voltage to the motor if not and you leave it at minimum you might over time overheat the motor because it stalled state

They are very hard to adjust to make the motor respond to very slow speed
Now some of these controllers work better than other brands

Now some have a maximum and a minimum speed control for the motor this type of controller is even hard to adjust the minimum and maximum speed you have adjust the minimum first then the maximum second then check the minimum speed again if you have to make another adjustment then you have to check the maximum speed again because it might have changed

You have the main speed control on the front of the controller what I am referring to is board adjustment for the front control response

Please be aware of this issue before making any adjustment to these controllers ( one note only make very small turn on the pot control one degree at a time make sure you know which speed you are adjusting ) now if you feel very frog-e then you can do this while you are running the motor but if you do it this way please be very careful where you are putting the screwdriver while you have power to it doing this way is easier but not as safe with the power ON first step is turn the front speed control at minimum and set it to the speed you want then turn the front control to maximum speed and adjust the board maximum speed control if it has one ( one note if you turn the maximum pot to far you can burn up the motor ) need to check the voltage to the motor do not adjust more voltage than the motor is rated for)

These motor controller are found on some track torch and on some industrial saws for the feed vise
I have had to adjust these controllers before and they can drive you a little nuts or you might want to pull your hair out if you have any only because you might think you have it adjusted correctly but the next time you go to use it the minimum speed adjustment is not what you want to have but it was when you used it the last time

I hope this helps you

[dicky96]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

Thanks guys
Sam got it mostly correct - the motor is 90V

I didn't get around to checking the voltage on that big electrolytic as I had already given it back to the customer to test.

Having replaced the switch for a standard rocker switch (250V no neon indicator) it now works. I didn't need to adjust anything obviously.

[stj]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

you need to put a different switch on it before someone with wet hands gets shocked or killed - rockers are terrible with water

[dicky96]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

Ahhhh didn't think of that!

[stj]

Re: Potters Wheel - Faulty Power Switch, can anyone identify?

yes, wet clay hands and such
the original switch had deep contacts