Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: I've broken the platter motor

This is topic I've broken the platter motor in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Paul Cunningham (Member # 501) on 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.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 05-20-2001, 07:02 PM:

Most local motor shops can take care of that

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 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...

Posted by Mike Judge (Member # 558) on 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?

Posted by William T. Parr (Member # 677) on 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.

Posted by Will Kutler (Member # 770) on 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.