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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    13

    Default Can't start my lathe.

    I recently bought a brand new Hafco AL-335 lathe. The lathe had been stored away for six years and never started, when I plugged it in the power light comes on but I can't get the motor to turn. I checked all switches and seem to be ok. I manually pushed two of the relays in the electrical box and the motor started. There is a third relay , when I manually push it nothing happens.
    Can anyone help me figure out the problem or should I pay big bucks to get it looked at?
    Thanks in advance
    Tony

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Toowoomba Qld
    Posts
    401

    Default

    Hi Tony

    Just making sure you have checked the obvious things
    This appears to be the lathe in question
    L183 | AL-335 Centre Lathe | For Sale Sydney Brisbane Melbourne Perth | Buy Workshop Equipment & Machinery online at machineryhouse.com.au

    when you give power to the machine it won't run straight away. You will need to toggle the reset button, it should rotate clockwise to pop out, the machine will probably also have a micro switch on the chuck guard, make sure this is installed / adjusted (or bypassed as a last resort)

    From there if it still won't start but the motor is obviously good as you can get it to run, check if all your switches are working. UNPLUG the machine from the power point before going in to check the switches. if you remove the handles from the head stock top section then the screws you may be able to get to the back of the panel, you may need to remove the front off the reset / power and inching buttons / light. check the switches from the back. There is probably also a rotary switch on the fwd / rev shaft.

    I have a similar lathe but slightly different model, you can hear the power relay click in ?

    Does the manual you have for the machine have a wiring diagram ?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    13

    Default

    Thank you very much Masterspoon for your very detailed reply.
    I have tried most of the probables you have mentioned, but no success
    I will look at the switches inside the head-stock tomorrow.
    When I turn the power on at the power point the only things I get are the power light on the head-stock and the light over the tool post. No clicks from the relays.
    Do these have a switch on the for/reverse lever?
    I will let you know how it went later.
    Thanks
    Tony




    Quote Originally Posted by MasterSpoon View Post
    Hi Tony

    Just making sure you have checked the obvious things
    This appears to be the lathe in question
    L183 | AL-335 Centre Lathe | For Sale Sydney Brisbane Melbourne Perth | Buy Workshop Equipment & Machinery online at machineryhouse.com.au

    when you give power to the machine it won't run straight away. You will need to toggle the reset button, it should rotate clockwise to pop out, the machine will probably also have a micro switch on the chuck guard, make sure this is installed / adjusted (or bypassed as a last resort)

    From there if it still won't start but the motor is obviously good as you can get it to run, check if all your switches are working. UNPLUG the machine from the power point before going in to check the switches. if you remove the handles from the head stock top section then the screws you may be able to get to the back of the panel, you may need to remove the front off the reset / power and inching buttons / light. check the switches from the back. There is probably also a rotary switch on the fwd / rev shaft.

    I have a similar lathe but slightly different model, you can hear the power relay click in ?

    Does the manual you have for the machine have a wiring diagram ?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Rockhampton, QLD
    Age
    68
    Posts
    454

    Default

    Welcome to the forum Tony.

    Ross

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    13

    Default

    Thank you Ross


    Ross[/QUOTE]

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Toowoomba Qld
    Posts
    401

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by sicanotony View Post
    When I turn the power on at the power point the only things I get are the power light on the head-stock and the light over the tool post. No clicks from the relays.
    Do these have a switch on the for/reverse lever?
    When you cycle the purdy red reset button when there is power running to the machine can you hear anything click ?

    Not sure how I missed it last night, manual for your lathe is available from the Brochures & Manuals section of the Hare & Forbes site
    http://images.machineryhouse.com.au/...n%20Manual.pdf
    It's too late in the evening for me to try decipher the wiring diagrams right now but they are fairly primitive wiring setups on most of these lathes, nothing more complex is required, I'd just step through and check each switch, if its been sitting for 6 years and never started it could be anything.

    It should have a fwd / rev switch at the end of the bottom rod running along the front, moving the fwd / rev level you may even be able to hear the switch clicking into position. Try the inching button on the front tho as it bypasses the fwd / rev switch. If you can't get the main relay to energize tho I'm thinking either the reset button (had one go fault on my CNC half way through a cut the other day, that was fun...) or the chuck guard switch would be where I would start.

    If you were local I'd offer to come have a look for you, bit too far away tho.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Toorloo Arm, VIC
    Age
    39
    Posts
    1,270

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by MasterSpoon View Post
    or the chuck guard switch would be where I would start.
    That's a good call, the way the chuck guard is retained onto its shaft allows for it to rotate a bit, and not operate the switch when the guard is down. When you lower the chuck guard, you should hear a clink inside the machine as a contactor engages, and again when you lift it.

    Likewise, there is also an inhibitor switch inside the fibreglass cover over the change gears, and going by the sloppiness of the fit on mine, it would be quite possible to not have that one not actually depressed by the cover.

    Aside from that, the only other switches I can think of off the top of my head are the E-stop and the fwd/rev switch.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    13

    Default

    Thank you for the reply. I will go through it all again and see. I will be in touch.
    Tony



    Quote Originally Posted by Jekyll and Hyde View Post
    That's a good call, the way the chuck guard is retained onto its shaft allows for it to rotate a bit, and not operate the switch when the guard is down. When you lower the chuck guard, you should hear a clink inside the machine as a contactor engages, and again when you lift it.

    Likewise, there is also an inhibitor switch inside the fibreglass cover over the change gears, and going by the sloppiness of the fit on mine, it would be quite possible to not have that one not actually depressed by the cover.

    Aside from that, the only other switches I can think of off the top of my head are the E-stop and the fwd/rev switch.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    13

    Default

    Thanks again Masterspoon. I wish you were closer as my knowledge of electric gear is virtually non existent. However I will pursue it until solved.
    Tony

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    9,088

    Default

    Welcome
    Assuming its the same as my lathe! they do come with different wiring looms
    The third relay is part of the safety side of things. The Jog button won't work unless the FWD/OFF/REV lever is in OFF.
    If the lathe is stopped any other way than moving the lever to OFF(brake pedal, e/stop, power failure) the lathe wont restart until the lever is first returned to the off position.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    13

    Default

    Hi all,
    Spent all day yesterday taking the switch panel apart checked and rechecked all but alas, disappointment.
    I cannot work out the problem. apart from the power light and the tool post light nothing else is happening.
    Today I asked an electrician friend to look at it but he tells me this type of problem is not the sort of thing he deals with.
    Who can I ask? any suggestions?
    Thanks guys for all your help, I have to look elsewhere to solve this.
    Tony

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    near Rockhampton
    Posts
    6,216

    Default

    This might be a dumb question, but you have checked the fuses so the relays can get power. That is where the problem is getting electricity to the relays.
    Gold, the colour of choice for the discerning person.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    13

    Default

    Thanks mate for your reply. Fuses/ I don't know if this machine has any. It has 3 tripper switches and they are ok.
    Tony

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Norwood-ish, Adelaide
    Age
    59
    Posts
    6,542

    Default

    I'd be checking the chuck guard switch as those things are fiddly in the extreme - we had some fitted at one place that required the power to be cycled/ reset after lifting the guard - so the switch may be made but there could be a contactor that is not playing nice.
    Hare and Forbes used to sell these things so probably have a reasonable idea of how they work. It may be worth a phone call to their Sydney office to the service department, explain the situation and see if they can run you through the obvious - it may be as simple as switches need to be in certain positions to first start the lathe as a safety thing.

    Michael

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    13

    Default

    Thanks Michael, I will call them Hope they can help.

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