Table Saw bad switch?

[BrianBDH]

Need some help from you guys who are more electrically inclined than me.

I have a very old Delta XL-10 direct drive table saw. It is a model 36-380, 10 Amps, 1/120/60, 3450 rpm. I'm not sure what size the motor is, guessing 3/4 HP.

Using the saw today with no problems, then all of a sudden it won't start. When we engage the switch, we get a hum, it will turn about 1/4 turn, then stop. The hum continues as long as the switch is engaged.

This is a capacitor start switch. Uses a Baldor EC1270A02 capacitor, 270-324 MFD, 110-125 VAC.

I am thinking that I need to replace the capacitor.

Hopefully this is a good enough description to diagnose, but if you have other questions, please ask.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Brian

 

[Mark Gottesman]

Capacitors are always suspect and in all likelyhood that is it , but before you replace anything you might want to pull the motor and crack it open. It may be that sawdust has gunked up the internals. Some motors have an internal spring loaded starter circuit that can jamb open or closed and some have external start relays. also good to check all the connections.

also check out and clean the overload protection switch.

If you pull the blade off, turn on the saw and give the arbor a spin will it run? If it does, it is probably the capacitor.

 

[BrianBDH]

Thanks Mark. I believe I can get a capacitor for under $10 and change it out in 20 minutes. I can blow out my motor from below and through the throat plate hole pretty well, so I am going to not disassemble anything until I have to. That would be a half-day job including getting the blade back parallel with my miter slot.

I forget to mention that my son and I both caught a distinct smell of what I thought was burning coal right about the time of the first non-start. Smell lasted about 30 seconds and then was gone.

I will post if the capacitor change out does the trick. I will have to admit, my first thought when this old saw wouldn't start was "now's my reason to buy a SawStop".

Brian

 

[BrianBDH]

Update on switch: I got a new capacitor at Grainger that was a different brand, but was the exact size and spec. Took 15 minutes to install.

Switch and saw now work like they always did. I also took the opportunity to blow out the switch box and motor as well as I could.

Thanks for the help.

Brian

 

[patlaw]

The brand is irrelevant so long as the ratings are the same. (The voltage can be higher, not lower.)

 

[ehpoole]

The brand is irrelevant so long as the ratings are the same. (The voltage can be higher, not lower.)

I would not go so far as to say "irrelevant". There are cheap brands that will have short lives and premium brands that will last decades.

But, otherwise, voltage (equal to or greater), capacitance (as close as possible), and form factor (dimensions -- it must still fit) are the most critical variables to be concerned with.

Aluminum electrolytic capacitors are responsible for more electronics (and motor starter) failures than any other component.

I'm very heartened to hear everyone's advice has you back up and running so quickly.

PS - At 10A your tablesaw is likely somewhere in the 1HP to 1-1/4HP range (assuming this is 120V, about 2HP if at 240V).