flexispeed lathe motor capaciter start

hi i recently purchased a flexispeed lathe but the motor and capaciter was not wired up and the guy had it wired staraight to a plug so you have to try and pull the belt to start it going. it has a forward and reverse switch and the capaciter to go with it but i cant work out how to wire it properly so you only need to flick the switch to get it to start in either direction. failing that my other option is a motor off a piller drill beleved to be 1/4hp it is already wired up but only goes one way.

here are some photos if anyone can help it would be much appreciated.

below is the switch

motor wires

id plate

below is the piller drill motor

this is the lathe, i will be mounting it on something sturdier soon.

Had a similar problem with my centec mill, what you basicLly need to do it change the polarity of the capacitor to change direction, take a picture of the switch for me, I'm in the process of writing a how to for reversing single phase motors.

Hi there, Alex and Peter,

Peter, the rear view of the switch is shown in Alex' second photo. It looks to me like an ex-USA WW2 surplus component - a four pole change-over toggle switch with centre off. I have one on my bench drill control box.

The wiring shown in photo #2 looks to me as though the mains input should connect to the two strapped pairs of the centre contacts, the running winding of the motor to the outer contacts and the motor start winding (& series capacitor) to the inner contacts (strapped as X).

The switch contacts are probably OK for the motor running current (1/3 HP) but I'd advise against using that switch for on-off control, fit a single phase direct on-line starter with built-in no-volt release up-stream of the toggle switch. (See various threads on this forum concerning the Dupar drum reversing switch.)

The motor frame and mounting bracket and the switch enclosure case must be bonded together and earthed via an adequate size cable.

If the toggle switch has a light coloured plasic insert in the outer end of the toggle, take care - they are filled with a radium-based luminous paint. The phosphor (zinc sulphide or similar) 'wears out' but the radium-based exciter ingredient of the paint has a sufficiently long half life to still warrant care, even this long after WW2! It's OK as long as it's contained but DON'T take it to pieces!!! There was extensive discussion of WW2 instrument luminous dials in the Amateur Radio literature a few years ago.

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

Sound like the start winding is not being energised due to:

• Being burned out
• Not connected up properly
• The internal centrifugal switch is faulty (you will find this inside the end cover away from the pulley).

The start winding will have a higher resistance than the run winding.

Reversing the motor does not entail reversing the polarity of the (non polarised) start /or run capacitor, reversing is obtained by reversing the start windings. Check the reversing switch for burnt contacts, then the starter switch, then the capacitor, and the windings.

Ian S C

Thanks for the replys guys. Have got it sorted now I think. Well it runs backwards and forwards on the switch without having to pull the belt wich is nice. I will hopefully be replacing that switch with a more modern one anyway wen I get the chance. After all the Agro of wireing it up I haven't had the chance to use it yet. Thanks again.