Ruh roh.... may be time for a new DC - Update. Problem found and solved

[HowardH]

I have a 5 year old Felder AF-14 DC and I noticed it was making some squealing sounds and then today, it just quit and won't turn on. Thinking back, it sounds like the motor bearings were beginning to go out.  Well, it's locked up solid now and it's probably not worth buying a new motor as that was probably 80% of the original cost and a new motor would be cost more than the entire machine. Time to get a new machine but it's disappointing to have something from Felder only last 5 years of light use. I sent an email to my local rep so it should be interesting to see what he says. 

 

[Cheese]

Well if only the bearings are toast and the armature is not damaged, that should be a fairly easy fix. Yank the armature, check for rub marks, and if there is no sign of metal-to-metal contact, pull off the bearings and press on new ones. A couple of bearings can't be more than $20-$30.

 

[HowardH]

I went back and looked at when I purchased it and it was only 2 years ago.  I'm going fight them to replace the motor if they give me any guff.  2 years is ridiculous. 

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

My memory is that Felder has a 1 year warranty on electrical parts, 3 years on mechanical parts, so it may be worth pitching it as a mechanical issue.....

 

[HowardH]

If they will call me back...  [blink]

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

If they will call me back...  [blink]

If you haven't already, start a ticket on their website, I've found it to be a smoother process if the ticket is already started......

 

[HowardH]

If they will call me back...  [blink]

If you haven't already, start a ticket on their website, I've found it to be a smoother process if the ticket is already started......

Good idea.  No one called me back today.  Not their service dept or my sales guys.  Crickets. In the meantime, it's a good thing I have the Festool CT-VA separator.  I was able to use it with my planer.  Have to empty it every couple of minutes but at least it's something. 

 

[SoonerFan]

Only piece of big equipment I ever had an issue with was a Jet Bandsaw.  I called and they shipped the broken part to me without any questions.  Hope Felder does the same for you.  A lightly used DC should last much longer than two years and they know that. 

 

[HowardH]

Felder called me and he had me take apart the switch and capacitor boxes.  Seems the capacitor blew out. It was deformed.  $51 later, they are sending me a new capacitor and that should fix it. I'm going to pull the hose off of it as well and turn the impeller to make sure the motor itself isn't the problem. 

 

[HowardH]

Felder called me and he had me take apart the switch and capacitor boxes.  Seems the capacitor blew out. It was deformed.  $51 later, they are sending me a new capacitor and that should fix it. I'm going to pull the hose off of it as well and turn the impeller to make sure the motor itself isn't the problem.

Update. And it's not good. They don't have a capacitor for this machine in the US.  Mine is a 40 micro and the only they have is a 35 which would come off another machine they have in Delaware. I was told it could make the machine run hot. Not sure I want to risk putting a substandard capacitor in it but it could be months before the right one can be delivered. Just ridiculous. 

 

[rvieceli]

[member=396]HowardH[/member] nothing magical about capacitors. You should be able to source an equivalent capacitor here in the US. Supply houses and even Amazon have them.

Generally speaking you'll need to match the size and shape and the connectors so it will fit. You also need to match specs of the current one. Those specs should be printed on the outside of the capacitor body. if they are not readable they should be specced in a diagram somewhere.

40 is a 40 microfarad capacitor. You should be able to source one for under $20 with shipping or around15 if you can find one locally.

Ron

 

[rvieceli]

Being in the Dallas metroplex you should be able to find a supply house locally. Pull the capacitor you have and take it in and the counter person should be able to match it.

Here's a supply house from a quick Google search:
https://www.elliottelectronicsupply.com/

There others as well

Ron

 

[HowardH]

Being in the Dallas metroplex you should be able to find a supply house locally. Pull the capacitor you have and take it in and the counter person should be able to match it.

Here's a supply house from a quick Google search:
https://www.elliottelectronicsupply.com/

There others as well

Ron

Thanks!  I wouldn't have thought of that.  Here's the Felder capacitor.  Pretty clear that it blew out. How does that happen? 

[attachimg=1]

 

[Cheese]

Here's the Felder capacitor.  Pretty clear that it blew out. How does that happen? 

[attachimg=1]

Heat, old age or voltage surges. Although in your case old age is probably ruled out.

 

[HowardH]

would this be a suitable replacement?  The specs appear to be the same and it's the same size.
https://www.amazon.com/Aokus-CBB60-...NWX/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2K8K7ESRZRN4Q&keywords=40+uf+450+volt+capacitor&qid=1701789880&sprefix=40+uf%2Caps%2C113&sr=8-4

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

HowardH,

It is my understanding that the primary cause of capacitors failing is due to the user not holding the "On/Start" button long enough. My memory is that my single phase Felder equipment manuals call for holding the "On/Start" button until the machine has fully come up to speed, and that just quickly pressing the start button can lead to premature capacitor failures. Not saying this is what was going on with your machine, but it's a common topic on the other FOG.

This issue is not restricted to Felder. I have a colleague who owns one of the local, chain woodworking stores and shared the story about how the maker of the popular black and red cabinet saws was begging him to stop selling 5hp single phase machines due to the number of service claims they were getting on blown capacitors, and could they please just focus on selling the 3hp version....

If you can swing it, I'd suggest looking at putting in a phase converter and acquiring three phase machines. The motors are more simple, robust, efficient, quiet, and no capacitors to blow/replace.

I hope you're able to track down a replacement unit locally and get back to work soon.

 

[mino]

....
My memory is that my single phase Felder equipment manuals call for holding the "On/Start" button until the machine has fully come up to speed, and that just quickly pressing the start button can lead to premature capacitor failures. Not saying this is what was going on with your machine, but it's a common topic on the other FOG.
...

Those are good points, though in 2023, it is a bit cheap (lazy, incompetent ?) on the tool maker to not be able to design the tool start/stop electronics such that they do not burn themselves up. Erm.

Festool uses soft-start electronics on their power tools for 3 decades by now. So an argument that is is "difficult" does not hold. This is not 1980 anymore and these are no $50 tools.

And that they "do not have the right capacitor in the US". Well. No issue, Have it air-shipped then! Bunch of services provide two-day worldwide shipping.

/sorry for the rant

 

[rvieceli]

[member=396]HowardH[/member] The specs on this one look identical to the one you have . Just make sure the physical size is similar.
https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Capac.../ref=sr_1_3?crid=4J60FMJL9D0A&keywords=uxcell+cbb60+run+capacitor+40uf+450v&qid=1701818712&sprefix=uxcell+CBB60%2Caps%2C148&sr=8-3

The connectors on the original look non US, you may need to save the wires on that one and crimp a connector that will fit the capaitor on the other end of the wire. Or I could be all wrong  [eek]

Ron

 

[HowardH]

Yes, I thought of that myself and that was the plan.

 

[HowardH]

new capacitor arrived today and it wasn't exactly the same size, it was about 2mm thicker in diameter.  The case wouldn't quite fit so I ended up using some zip ties to close the case and that seems to work.  More importantly, it worked like a champ.  It fired up and ran fine.  So nice to have a full sized DC again after trying to use a ct on a router table throwing off huge amounts of dust.