The Home Machinist!

I seldom need to use my Enco 12x36 in the highest spindle speed, but when I did the other day, the motor sounded like it was skipping or missing - if that makes any sense.

I powered down checked the belts and went to turn it back on, and nothing. No forward, no reverse.

I opened the power box and see that everything is well labeled, but I don't know what the parts are.

In from the power cord - PE (green), N (white), U3 (black)
To the motor - U1, N1, K1, and PE
To barrel switch - 3, 5, 6, 7, and 10
To emergency stop switch - 2 and 6

There is a bus bar and 4 components. A transformer, something that looks like a relay, and two components that each have a black button, the buttons on those will run the motor forward and reverse when pressed. Those still work. So I believe the motor is ok.

I really am not an electrician and don't know where to begin - but I don't have the money to begin randomly buying and changing parts to see if that works.

Any help or advice?

A picture sure would help! But ,see if there is a red [maybe] small button on the relay that is tripped[out] and push in. Wired 120-240? Extension cord ? If pushing the buttons on the contactors makes the spindle turn it sounds like your issues are in the control circuit not get power to energize the contactors. Could be a switch -the transformer-fuse/breaker in the control circuit -wire issue. Operate the emergency switch several times just for luck. That's the thoughts from a total electrical dummy.

Mine did that, check the main contactor, mine will stick once in a while.

How do I upload photos? Happy to!

well you have proved the motors work so start looking for a safety switch or the stop button

Yes, possibly the stop/jog button switch. The Enco 12X36 were not all the same, so a "barrel switch" may be a "drum switch" on many. Mine has the F/OFF/ R at the right of the apron. This is to control a traverse rod mounted to a switch at right of QC box. I've read these can fail with flood coolant or flat wore out. Either way, it powers the motor contactor.
The Jog/ Emergency stop/ red button is in series with a contactor or two. If powered and direction set mechanically, the button will power the operation until released. If under power, by the traverse switch, the button switch drops a contactor and shuts it down.
That Stop/Jog button switch is in the head with belt particles,gear grease and oil possibly dropping from the spindle bearings..AFIK

whisperfan wrote:How do I upload photos? Happy to!

Simple. Below the box in which you type your post, there's a section for adding attachments. Click the browse button, which will allow you to go to the place you store your photos. Select the one you wish to post, then click the appropriate buttons to add the picture to your post. If you have a specific problem doing this, please ask for more help.

H (moderator)

Here are photos of the inside of the electrical box ad one of the lathe

Disregard the rotary phase converter I made (on the floor next to the lathe) ... it powers the mill and surface grinder

Oh- its wired single phase, 220v. Someone had asked

And my terminology could be way off on some of these parts ... i.e. drum switch vs. barrel switch etc.

Yours is newer design but still uses that same switch. Take off the little cover, check the contacts and connections (mine had some loose ones) Also, mine is wired for 115v so the electrics are different in the contactor box.

I had this issue with a mini-lathe. Drove me nuts. I changed the brushes and got no improvement. Turned out it had a ridiculous kill switch that was supposed to turn the motor off whenever the chip shield was up. Needless to say, that got bypassed.

I think my next step will be to bypass the 'kill switch' and then if that dosen't do it, then jumper the forward/reverse switch. Basically, I bellive I can work form the switches toward the box. I know the motor spins ... if I can make sure the switches are working, then I can isolate the issue to the power control box.