The centrifugal switch in the motor of my lathe has packed up and the motor will only start with a bit a bit of a hand spin. I assume it disconnects a capacitor when the armature is upto speed. Has anyone got any experience of bypassing this troublesome switch with a manual or timed one? Any advice would be appreciated

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If your dreams don't scare you, they are not big enough.

Why not just replace the broken switch
surely safer than some bodge job ?

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Feros Ferio

That would've been my first option, but since the switch is concentric with the armature, the manufacturers want to sell me a complete motor.

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If your dreams don't scare you, they are not big enough.

…….and I like fekin about with capacitors to make 'comedy' booby traps

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If your dreams don't scare you, they are not big enough.

Always fun to leave a charged up cap layin' around for someone to pick up.

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Bob Krzeszkiewicz
2012 XR1200X - 2011 Kawasaki Z1000SX - 1999 Buell X1

Just fit a hand crank. It worked just fine for cars 100 years ago. Need to stop it? Pull the plug.

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Bob Krzeszkiewicz
2012 XR1200X - 2011 Kawasaki Z1000SX - 1999 Buell X1

Ah, capacitors,

Off subject a for a bit but I tried to remove a fuse from my guitar amp & accidentally touched one of the capacitors. Stuck my hand to the screwdriver & when it eventually discharged the force of me trying to pull my hand away threw the screwdriver across the room & stuck it the wall. Bloody arm ached all day afterwards as well.

As far as the lathe goes, my grinding/buffing wheel does the same thing, I hand start it by spinning before switching it on. Seems to work ok. I can see the capacitor that needs replacing & it isn't integrated or anything, but F****d if I'm touching one again.
I think you'll be hard pressed to fix it to be honest with it being integrated & as you say manufacturers just want to sell the whole unit.
Sorry but hand starting is probably the solution as you've already sussed, bit annoying but works.

All the best paul.

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Ride Safe & Stay between the hedgerows.

That's why its best to have a mate nearby so you can grab their ear lobe as we did with old magneto bikes, makes em jump


Churchill

Found a company that does a £30 kit that eliminates these pesky centrifugal switches. Never come across them before but apparently these switches are commonly troublesome.

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If your dreams don't scare you, they are not big enough.

sounds like a safer option

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Feros Ferio

Excellent. Well done.
Be interested to see if it works.

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Ride Safe & Stay between the hedgerows.