motor capacitors

Aug 12, 2011 18 Replies

I am repairing a garden shredder and have discovered the capacitor is o/c. The main winding is OK as it will run if *kick* started.



The shredder is German, the capacitor is Italian (although I have mailed their UK outlet) where does one normally go for a modestly priced, one off, replacement?


20mF,450Va/c, 8mm stud mount with spade terminals, tolerances hard to read but the thermal rating is -25 to 85. There is no obvious centrifugal switch so I am assuming this is start/run.

regards


Something like here?

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I needed a replacement motor fan for my shredder motor they were able to find something suitable but I did have the advantage that they are just down the road from where I work.

In article , Tim Lamb writes

Assuming this isn't a trick question[1], CPC do them but you'll get stung another 6quid or so in postage:

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Tested on ac or with a dmm on resistance and reading max immediately (not starting low and rising)?

Some on Ebay.uk Item number: 220796858643 Italian and same spec £3.60 +£2.63 postage.

Try a local washing machine repair shop

Yes. Fiver delivery plus the item marginally more expensive than CPC.

regards

In message , fred writes

Open circuit on resistance range.

regards

In message , Geo writes

Cheapest yet!

regards

>

In message , the_constructor writes

Nowadays I am greatly in favour of letting someone else use up their fuel and time:-) Nearest repair shop about 5 miles.

Thanks.

regards

Isn't that what you would expect from a capacitor?

If the motor can be 'kick started' it's more likely to be duff windings. Moving it round to a different commutator segment connects to a bit of the winding which is still intact - hence it then runs.

You are talking about a brush motor. You won't find a brush motor in a shredder! The OP's fault is NOT indicative of a winding problem. Much more likely to be the capacitor.

Bob

In article , Tim Lamb writes

Still uncertain whether you're testing it the right way. A working cap will block dc so will show infinity on a moving coil meter immediately, usually however a dmm will show low res initially then reading will rise (rapidly or slowly depending on cap size) until you get an infinity reading again.

An ac test may be clearer. A 20uf cap (same size as yours, just a diff convention on cap marking) will have an impedance of 160ohms at mains frequency (50Hz). If you connect your cap in series with a say 60W incandescent light bulb and connect it to the mains then it will still light brightly. If the bulb doesn't light then the cap is open circuit.

Having just popped in to this conversation, I'm sure others have already said that you don't need to replace exactly like for like on motor run capacitors. As long as you get the voltage correct, {the real main point on any capacitor selection} the Farad rating can be varied upward by ten or twenty micro's without detrimental effect on the running of the motor.

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OOPS !!! I have an edit to make.

Having just popped in to this conversation, I'm sure others have already said that you don't need to replace exactly like for like on motor run capacitors. As long as you get the voltage correct and don't go below what is rated for the motor {the real main point on any capacitor selection} then the Voltage can be increased. The Farad rating can be varied upward by ten or twenty, or more, also without detrimental effect on the running of the motor.

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A moving coil meter will show the same - basically the thing will pass current until its charged. So the needle will shoot up and then fall back. The bigger the cap the longer it takes.

In message , fred writes

For absolute clarity.... the test was done with a digital multimeter on several different resistance ranges. There was no initial low resistance followed by a rise to infinity. As with the Grey Parrot, this capacitor is dead:-) The bulging top and sides are a bit of an indication.

New one on way!

regards

In message , Tim Lamb writes

I presume it's not that urgent

How often do you come into Watford, there's RS & Maplin here

In message , Tim Lamb writes

Yes, but does it rise to O/C or just sit there at O/C?

In message , geoff writes

Not urgent. My planning advisors wife is threatening to cut their hedges so it seemed a wise move.

Only on jury service:-(

It is the wrong side of St. Albans. (Gorilla's armpit!)

My efforts at electronics repairs only extends to dry joints on boiler circuit boards although I did replace the power supply capacitors on two Topfield PVRs. Close mounted, large scale integrated chips and microscopic transistors are beyond my eyesight and equipment.

The capacitor resistance started at infinity and stayed there!

regards

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