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Topic: I've broken the platter motor

Paul Cunningham
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 146
From: Melbourne, Australia
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 05-20-2001 06:31 PM

One of our Speco LP-270's has been driving everybody crazy because it has a motor that squeaks very loudly and annoyingly. I unscrewed the little plug which holds the brushes in and blew out a whole heap of dust which has solved the problem.

My new problem is that when I unscrewed the plugs one came out easily while the top of the other just disintegrated leaving me with no slot for the screwdriver. This is OK for the time being as it is working fine but what happens in the future when the brushes need changing? Suggestions please.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 05-20-2001 07:02 PM

Most local motor shops can take care of that

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 05-20-2001 10:04 PM

There are a couple of ways it can be removed without dismantling the motor. I was able to back them out with a very small jeweler's screw driver and a very small "tapping" device, i.e, a hammer...

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Mike Judge
Film Handler

Posts: 50
From: Seattle, WA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 05-21-2001 04:56 AM

Interesting topic, I know a person who never check the brushes on the motor. They believe it's a "tech's job." I say screw that. It's ultimately your responsibility if you go down for a reason you could prevent, unless of course it's like a power outage and we've all been though those, anyone looking forward to the engergy crisis here on the west coast? How often should you check brushes? I check every 3 to 4 months My company's policy is 6 months, but I try and stay a bit ahead of them. Any other advice?

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William T. Parr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 823
From: Cedar Park, TX
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 05-21-2001 10:43 AM

Paul,

If you need only one cover for the brushes I can send one over to you from a couple of spare motors at the Howard. Drop me an e mail with mailing address.

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Will Kutler
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1506
From: Tucson, AZ, USA
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 07-24-2001 08:03 PM

Here is another old topic that I would like to comment on.

Now, according to the Christie books, they recommend that the brushes be cleaned--I believe--every 6 months otherwise you risk the motor shorting out from excessive carbon dust.

Well, I went to do this on the AW3. I believe Christie uses FASCO motors that have a cast composite stator magnet. I removed the brush caps and went to blow them out with some compressed air. Well, it just so happened that the magnets were cracked--like shale--and when I went to blow the motors out the debris got up into the motor between the rotor and stator. Obviously, the rotor would not turn, and the motor needed to be serviced! I tried to speak with Christie about the situation, and the response that I got was that I was full of ! So, this is just a warning to y'all to beware!

Other than cost being a factor, it would be nice to see variable speed dc brushless can motors being used on this equipment!

Another note for y'all. If any of you have a problem with AW3 platter gyration, part of the problem could be the "hockey pucks". Christie had purchased and installed some bad ones with flat spots. New, higher quality replacements have been aviable for quite some time.

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