Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: How do you test a platter motor?

This is topic How do you test a platter motor? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Frank Dubrois (Member # 3042) on 09-18-2006, 11:10 PM:

If I have a platter motor in a box, how do I test it to find out if its good or not (assuming I dont have a platter to hook it up to). We have a platter motor that was apparently new, but when plugged into a platter, it never gets up to speed. I plug an old motor into the same plug, and it works fine. The motor is supposedly new or rebuilt. Can a motor be tested without taking it off the platter? Pardon the noob like question, but I was curious if there was a faster way other than swapping motors around and retiming everything. Thanks.

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 09-19-2006, 01:45 AM:

What make of platter?

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-19-2006, 02:36 AM:

Kinda what I do when I rebuild my platter motors is to plug them into any deck's socket and see what spin I get out of them - both Christies and STRONGS..

...sounds like a brush issue on why the speed differences from the one in the box to the one already mounted for use.

If you're the kind who has an bent for electrical creations, one can built an extension cord to connect between motor and socket to where you can just move the cord around to any motor, plus use the cord as a test cord for a motor that isn't mounted.

-Monte

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 09-19-2006, 02:46 AM:

I ask what kind of platter it is because when I got a new motor for one of my Strong AP-3 platter about 2 years ago a sheet came with it explaining that newer motors were manufactured to higher tolerance and thus I needed to fit the motor with a larger drive shaft (provided). My platter were made in 1997 so I assumed it didn't apply to them but I was mistaken and had to take the motor off and put the different shaft on to get it timed properly.

Posted by Frank Dubrois (Member # 3042) on 09-19-2006, 08:50 AM:

They are strong platters. The motors actually SOUND like their turning slower. When put on the platter, they cant seem to spin the platter as fast. My only option would be to slow down the used motors to spin at the same speed as the new ones, but that just doesnt seem right.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-20-2006, 12:07 AM:

Frank - is your speed concern for takeup or rewind..and which version is your STRONG units - the A3 (with the rotary mode switch), or the AP-3 (with the toggle switch below the film return roller mounted on the tower..) ?

My tip on platter motor rebuilding, I found out, now needs this larger drive collar for the newer Ametek/LAMB platter motor and here is the part number for that spindle drive collar:

P/N 1190 and you have to ask for the 1.94 length spindle collar.

-Monte