Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Popper issue

This is topic Popper issue in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=003194

Posted by Armand Daiguillon (Member # 10334) on 06-19-2019, 09:51 PM:

Hi all,

I was wondering if one of you theater wizards out there were knowledgeable about Gold Medal Poppers. I just took over a theater with some old equipment..the kettle agitator on our popper (model 2011TM) stopped working, it keeps tripping the internal breaker. I found a the replacement motor online for $695 ...thats a lot. Before I go buy a new motor, is there anything else that could be causing this problem ?

Any help is appreciated !!

Thanks.

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 06-20-2019, 02:40 AM:

A short in the switch or the wiring, perhaps? Those things get pretty hot and greasy so I'd be looking the wiring over very closely.

Posted by Kenneth Wuepper (Member # 1174) on 06-20-2019, 08:32 AM:

Moving parts that have stood for some time may become frozen. If the gears or the motor bearings have locked then the motor cannot turn and will cause the breaker to trip.

Remove the mechanism and check it for lubrication and the ability to rotate before buying a new motor or assembly. If the gears are locked, there will be no point in replacing just the motor.

Posted by Armand Daiguillon (Member # 10334) on 06-20-2019, 11:17 AM:

I'll check that stuff out - Thanks !!

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 06-20-2019, 12:56 PM:

$695! WoW! That does seem like a lot for a popcorn machine motor.
I bought a big new 1hp exhaust fan motor for only abt $200 last year.

> Are you sure it's the motor that's tripping the breaker?
Just a thought (in case you haven't already tried this) :
Try disconnecting the motor and see if the breaker still trips.

If the motor is actually frozen, take it out & see if you can free it up.I had
to do this once with a Creators popper that was in storage for a long time.

Although the motor had an internal thermal cut-out, the extra load from
the stalled motor would trip the breaker on the popper before the motor
cut-out operated. (Possibly because the line voltage at that old theater
was a bit low, so the whole popper was probably drawing extra amps)

But once we freed up the motor, the thing ran great for a couple of years.

until the entire popper was replaced with a new one.

Good Luck!

Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 07-08-2019, 01:07 AM:

Instead of starting a new thread, I figured I'd jump in here.
I too have a 2003 model Gold Medal 2011ENB 32oz. popper I'm having an electrical issue with. I know exactly what it is, but didn't know the best way to remedy the situation.

The flexible conduit / cord from the kettle to the ceiling of the cabinet has a multi wire twist connector that plugs the kettle into the cabinet. I've got several of the pins inside the connector that are loose and when you go to plug the cable into the cabinet, instead of mating with the terminals in the cabinet - they get pushed down into the connector.

I've been able to make it work over the weekend by unplugging it and taking a pair of needle nose pliers and pulling the pins back up into place. I can twist them just enough to get them to stay in place to plug in and make contact. It seems to be a temporary fix as the rotating kettle while dumping seems to pull the wires inside the metal flex conduit just enough to pull the pins back out.

Anybody know of a way to get the pins to lock in place or just bite the bullet and order a new cable assembly from Gold Medal?

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 07-08-2019, 01:38 AM:

Maybe you can take a picture of the terminal and the connector?

Usually, if it's just a bad connector/terminal, I'd simply replace those instead of the whole cable. In many cases, it doesn't even need to be exactly the same connector/terminal, as long as it is rated for the kind of power it needs to handle and is suitable for the environment.

Posted by Kerry Fleming (Member # 1657) on 07-08-2019, 07:41 AM:

Barry

Those AMP connectors go bad, just as you described your issue, over time. Check both the male & female connector mounted in the roof of the cabinet. Unfortunately replacement is the best solution. They are available from GM Parts. Little pricey. But what isn't with them. You have to dismantle your kettle to change the one you described.

Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 07-09-2019, 09:37 AM:

Worked on this some more last night at the theatre. Turns out there are two different model numbers for the electronics inside the junction box on the bottom of the 32oz. kettle. There is a 2027, and a 2027E. My particular popper has the 2027E, which requires the Gold Medal Part No. 48290 Kettle Lead Assembly.

Instead of trying to cobble something together which always ends up costing me more time and money in the long run, I just went ahead and ordered the whole assembly from a vendor on-line. Every vendor I checked, the price was the same. It has simple ring terminals on the cables so it should just be a matter of flipping the kettle upside down and doing a little open heart surgery.