My Chargemaster started acting up this evening.
It would start out in high gear, just a ripping. Then it would slow down, then start ripping again. Not just slowing down for the trickle but sporadically during the throw.
It also sounds like the gears inside aren’t quite meshing the way they ought to.
I took it apart thinking it was the motor.
Turns out there is a tiny gear box attached to said motor.
Neither of which seemed to be in bad shape. There are only two visible gears, they also looked good.
It was when I separated the drive gear from the driven gear I noticed the aluminum tube that catches and drops the powder was binding up on the spring.
The shaft of the driven gear is actually a spring and it catches on the bearing that holds the aluminum drop tube in place.
I also noticed it was only binding while spinning counter clockwise.
Spinning clockwise, the spring wouldn’t catch, and thus wouldn’t bind up.
I’ve been running this setup for well over ten years and it probably doesn’t have much life left so I said screw it, and I reversed the motor leads to change direction of the motor.
I did a test run and although it is operating much smoother, occasionally it still catches. Only not nearly as bad.
Not sure if pics will post as they don’t seem to be loading.
It would start out in high gear, just a ripping. Then it would slow down, then start ripping again. Not just slowing down for the trickle but sporadically during the throw.
It also sounds like the gears inside aren’t quite meshing the way they ought to.
I took it apart thinking it was the motor.
Turns out there is a tiny gear box attached to said motor.
Neither of which seemed to be in bad shape. There are only two visible gears, they also looked good.
It was when I separated the drive gear from the driven gear I noticed the aluminum tube that catches and drops the powder was binding up on the spring.
The shaft of the driven gear is actually a spring and it catches on the bearing that holds the aluminum drop tube in place.
I also noticed it was only binding while spinning counter clockwise.
Spinning clockwise, the spring wouldn’t catch, and thus wouldn’t bind up.
I’ve been running this setup for well over ten years and it probably doesn’t have much life left so I said screw it, and I reversed the motor leads to change direction of the motor.
I did a test run and although it is operating much smoother, occasionally it still catches. Only not nearly as bad.
Not sure if pics will post as they don’t seem to be loading.
