The infamous pink Thunderbolt restore thread

[AKSoapy29]

I think you shouldn't go with 1 color. Why not tie die? Tie die camo?

[Jim Z]

OT re: the Hitler videos- this is the original clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7PmzdINGZk

(lead-in ad, and might need to click the "CC" icon to get the subtitles.)

[MysteryMachine]

Got my armature back today. Guy cleaned it up, got that lower race off, said he sanded the commutator a little cause it was in good shape and didn't need cut. Said I only owed him $20. Talked to him about the blower motor and he is gonna look for a used motor to build me a phase converter.

Got the chopper motor all put back together. Gonna try to run some power to it tomorrow. Then I gotta take the cap back off at some point to paint and put a cap gasket in.



Ready to go!

[Bryan]

might be cheaper just to get a new single phase motor. I've contemplated that idea of a converter before. Converters will shorten the life of that motor. I'm sure "holler" will chime in soon.

[MysteryMachine]

He said he should be able to hook me up for around 300. The little bit I'm gonna run the blower I doubt I'll have a problem. Plus having a converter if I get anymore sirens that are 3 phase I can run them too.

[holler]

It will be cheaper to build a rotary phase convertor. If you want to go single phase The Surplus Center had a 7 1/2 farm duty for $650 a couple of months ago. I'll see if I can find that link again.

EDIT: here is the link to the motor: https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp? ... e=electric

Here is the contactor you will need to run it: http://cgi.ebay.com/GE-CR305L1-Size-2-T ... 4a96a99ca9

Don't worry about modifiing your RCM and all that crap, just hook the output of the current three phase blower contactor to the coil on the Size 2 contactor. Basically the size 2 becomes a "slave" relay. I wouldn't worry about a heater either, since that single phase motor has it's own overload protection built in.


BUT, since your motor guy is going to hook you up with a rotary phase convertor (lucky), I wouldn't worry about none of that. The only fun part will be dragging that 25 horsepower phase convertor around.

[MysteryMachine]

Well today was a major FAIL! I ran power to the RCM and wasn't getting anything. Messed around some and finally got power to them. The motor starters click but the chopper doesn't spin and the rotator doesn't move.

I'll post the videos later for your enjoyment of my day of failure.

[holler]

First question, are the heaters tripped? Make sure those little squiggly steel coils aren't burnt in half. I've seen several rcm's with rotator heaters that burnt up.

Pretty sure you already know this, but that white button on each contactor is the heater reset. Sometimes they stick and are a PITA to reset with your finger. We had an air handler at work that used Furnas contactors, and resetting the heaters required smacking them with handle of a screwdriver.

[MysteryMachine]

Heaters?

You mean the springs on the motor starters (green things)

I didn't know that about the white things till rick told me about them this afternoon

[MysteryMachine]

Videos of me making a butt of myself yesterday cause this stupid thing not working

I tend to say "hmm" and "that's interesting" a lot during these vids lol

Take 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y-1fK-c ... ture=share

Take 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svLevvCE ... ture=share

Take 3
http://www.youtube.com/user/MysteryMach ... _NlEfCLYkk

Take 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5uaYn0-VRA

Take 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1T5boJvNeg

You can tell on the one video when the motor start tripped it kinda scared me LOL