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15th August 2004, 07:52 PM #1
Shopsmith DC-3300 dust collector question.
Hello all,
I have a Shopsmith DC-3300 dust collector, which I have owned for about 15 or 16 years. It has always served me pretty well, and I had not experienced a problem with it - til now. Recently, I found that the rocker (power) switch, had somehow become defective, and I replaced it with one that was as close to the same physical configuration, as possible. Now, when I turn it on, I find that there seems to be a greater initial electrical draw (which is evidenced by how much more the lights dim upon startup), and that its suction is only about 65 - 75% of what it was before the defective switch problem became an issue. The collector has been very thoroughly cleaned out, so I know that it isn't sawdust clogging anything up. I can't afford another dust collector, just yet, and hope that there might be a simple remedy for this problem.
I no longer have the owner's guide, to the DC-3300, and hope that there isn't a certain "type" of switch which would be called for, as a replacement in this scenario.=========================
~ Blessings ~
SDM
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15th August 2004, 08:35 PM #2GOLD MEMBER
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There are a couple of things that may have gone wrong. Say after me - I AM NOT AN ELECTRICIAN.
OK.
The capacitor starter on the motor could also have died - this is VERY likely, considering its age & that it tries to suck the power station down the line Look for the lump sticking out of the side of the motor about the size of the inside of a toilet paper roll. DISCONNECT THE POWER PLUG FROM THE SOCKET BEFORE GOING FURTHER. SHORT THE WIRES IN THE APPLIANCE PLUG. WRAP IT IN # ROLLS OF DUCT TAPE Shoo away SWMBO , the kids, helpfull neighbours, dogs & cats, eytc who may try to plug it back in
Open the lump - it should have a capacitor - big sparky thing to the un-initiated - with some writing on it. Disconnect the capacitor, noting which wire is connected to the + lead of the capacitor - LABEL IT OR KA_BOOM. Go to the electronics store and get a replacement capacitor - you may have to try a motor specialist if all you have is a Tandy/Radio Shack outlet. Go home, re-connect the NEW capacitor with the + lead the correct way round. NOTE - only some capacitors have + and - leads, some don't care what you do, however most of the picky ones are the large capacity/heavy duty ones.
The other thing that might have happened is that you have mixed up the 'active' and 'neutral' wires when you replaced the switch. Did you have a switch that had 2 wires in & 2 wires out = total of 4 wires? or only 1 + 1? If you had 4 wires going to the switch try opening the machine up again & reverse the 'in' wires - see if this makes a difference. Of course if you have a picky capacitor, you may have killed it already.
Or if you are nervous/cautious, get a electrician/motor tech. to look it over & pay him to get a short in his shorts.
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16th August 2004, 12:30 AM #3
Brslee,
Thanks for your prompt reply, and - you are indeed correct about one thing: I most definitely am NOT an electrician . However, not being one to have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, I am somewhat daring about trying my hand at fixing things, and come out on the winning end - most times.
Regarding this 'switch' situation, I now feel that I should have paid more attention as to how those four wires (two black, two white) were connected to the original one. On the replacement, there was nothing to indicate where these wires were to be connected, and I just took a stab at it (placing the two black wires across from one another, on the top two connectors - and the same for the two white wires, on the bottom connectors). I will try reversing this setup, and see what happens. Hopefully, this will be all that's needed - as it is would be the simplest, and cheapest method of correction.
Thanks again.=========================
~ Blessings ~
SDM
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16th August 2004, 04:45 AM #4GOLD MEMBER
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If you have a few electical gadgets around, make yourself a 'continuity tester' - basically a battery, some wire & a light bulb. Or use a multi-meter if you have one.
This is kid-experimenter stuff. Connect the bits together: wire - battery - wire - light - wire. Connect one end to one terminal, put the stitch in the 'on' position & find out which terminal the power comes out of by testing the other 3 terminals with the other wire. The second test is to figure out which wire is connected to the power plug - same technique. I think you can figure the rest of the story out.
If this fails to fix the light dimming, you have a dead capacitor, which happens a lot more than some 'experts' are willing to admit - said 'experts' are usually trying to sell you a complete new tool/machine instead of a few dollars worth of electrical parts