Ridgid Oscillating Belt/Spindle Sander Trouble


Jwest

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Forgive me if I'm starting a thread that currently exists, but I didn't see it during my search.

I'm having some trouble with my ridgid oscillating belt/spindle sander, and I was wondering if anyone else has encountered this. Hopefully you have a suggestion for a fix out there. Basically, when I turn on the sander it makes a buzzing noise like the motor is trying but cannot turn the spindle. I've tried without the belt attachment or a spindle, and still no luck. Initially, I was able to give it a little help, and it would take off. Now, though it doesn't seem to help. I had this happen on a previous one and returned it, and then new one I got seemed fine until now. The only thing I can say that I might have done was that I had a pancake air compressor running at the same time I was trying to start it up. They were both plugged into the same circuit, 20A circuit. I turned off the air compressor, and got the sander going with a little help. That was a few days ago, today no luck starting it with nothing else going. I thought that circuit was enough to handle both, but ,maybe not. I do have two separate 20A outlet circuits in my shop FWIW. Any thoughts? Thanks for the feedback.

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==>Basically, when I turn on the sander it makes a buzzing noise like the motor is trying but cannot turn the spindle

60HZ hum? Or buzzing like it’s trying to start, but binding on a bushing?

 

==>I was able to give it a little help, and it would take off

When you turned the shaft by hand, did it turn easily or did it feel like it was binding?

 

==>Now, though it doesn't seem to help

So without belt, you can spin the shaft, but when you turn it on with the shaft still turning, it won’t spin-up?

 

 

 

Induction motor?

 

The above questions are to isolate bushings, bearings, start winding and start centrifugal switch.

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I'm going to say the buzzing sounds like a 60HZ hum. I haven't been able to find any evidence of binding. I cleaned it thoroughly before trying to start it up again. Also, I should say that I smelled what I'll call an hot electrical smell; faint, but present.

It turned fairly easily, so I guess my impression was that I didn't think it was binding.

Correct on the third question.

All I know is that the manual lists it as an A-C motor.

 

The only part I can replace seems to be the relay. Not sure if that would potentially be the cause.

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Do you remember what the issue was? I just happened to read some reviews of people complaining about the same type of thing I'm experiencing. Unfortunately, I don't have the receipt or box anymore. If it's the motor, I think I'm in trouble since I don't believe they sell replacements. If it's a relay, that's only 20 bucks. I'm not the most electrical savvy person, so not sure if that's even a potential issue. Kinda bumbs me out, since I bought this one based on a FWW article and this is the second one to do this to me (forgot to mention that in the top, I just thought it was something I was doing wrong). I know lots of other people have no issues with them though, so not trying to bad mouth the product.

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So: universal motor, not binding, but won't continue if power applied while shaft spinning...

So, not bushings or bearings.

The odds would normally be start winding or c-switch, but not continuing to spin-up kind of negates that... It really looks like the main winding. You happen to have a meter? BTW: every homeowner with a shop should get themselves at least a little cheapo meter -- very handy...

The suggestions about voltage are valid. Plug the sander directly into a known good outlet for testing. It would help if nothing else was running on the same circuit just to be sure.

BTW: voltage-starvation is just about the best way to toast a motor over time -- sort of like rotisserie BBQ... You guys with routers+vac setups should pay attention here... When I use my big FT router, I plug the CT into another circuit... I color code my outlets so I know which branch is which...

Edited by hhh
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I don't remember what the cause of the problem was.

My unit wasn't spinning when I flicked the switch. It just sat there and hummed. Some times a bump to start it helped. I didn't have the box or receipt either. They wrote up a ticket, and the store manager actually gave me a second one at a fair discount because I needed the darn thing to get some stuff done. I think it took two or three weeks, and I got it back good as new.

It is certainly worth a trip to HD. Just bring the tool itself. No accessories. 

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It is plugged in at the end of the circuit. I didn't have anything else running. I know that outlet works, but maybe it's too low a voltage at the end of the circuit where I have it plugged in? I'll have to try plugging it in further up I guess. I will get fluke and check it out as well.

I do have two separate circuits, but maybe I have too many outlets on each one or the runs are too long. Hopefully it's not toast yet, and it's just a matter of plugging into a different outlet, but I've used it there for awhile now. I dunno.

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I bought one in Jan that did the same thing.  I had only used it a couple times so I took it back to the same store and they gave me a new one.  Same thing.  I went to another store and exchanged it and this one has been fine (so far).  I think they must have had a bad production run.

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BTW: voltage-starvation is just about the best way to toast a motor over time -- sort of like rotisserie BBQ... You guys with routers+vac setups should pay attention here... When I use my big FT router, I plug the CT into another circuit... I color code my outlets so I know which branch is which...

I sort of assumed that festool  has some sort of nanny-state protection built in...  i don't have the 2200, but I plug my 1400, domino and sanders directly into my CT26.... maybe I should re-think that?  

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==>at the end of the circuit where I have it plugged in?

The few feet between outlets won't make a difference. There are a couple of loss guidelines in use depending on the type of load, but generally you want to stay within a few percent of panel voltage --- let's just use the 5% guideline for argument's sake, but some types of load should be within 2% (I use the 2% guidance in my shop)... For a small load like a benchtop sander, the total run would have to be around 100ft from the panel to hit 5%, assuming the proper gauge wire is run...

Remember high-school physics: resistance generates heat: More resistance = more heat = more loss. Longer, thinner wires have more resistance... So, long thin wires = bad. And: more amps = more heat = more loss... So, long thin wires with more amps = worse... Extension cords count... Which is why they are generally suspect... You may not start a fire, but you may slowly cook your tools...

There are published tables and on-line calculators for amps/distance/gauge/loss:

http://www.calculator.net/voltage-drop-calculator.html?material=copper&wiresize=8.286&voltage=120&phase=ac&noofconductor=1&distance=100&distanceunit=feet&amperes=8&x=0&y=0

With a meter, you can measure voltage at the panel and the tool under load... If the difference is more than 5% (or 2% in some cases), you could be slowing frying the tool -- but worse, you could be generating too much heat in your home's wiring. To fix this, you up-gauge. There are NEC tables for up-gauging. Many up-gauge their shops to account for varying load...

 

Edited by hhh
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Thanks hhh, I'll do some checking when I get back to the shop.  I'm guessing though that it might be the tool. Sounds like several people have had the same exact issue that I'm talking about. However, who knows, but I will check the voltage drop and see what I get.

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Maybe someone needs to do a 'review' of said sander... How many failed units in this one thread alone?

Add another one to the list. I got one delivered a month ago and it did not run right out of the box. Exchanged it and the new one is okay so far. I've only used it twice for a few minutes each session.

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Brendon, I'm glad I bought mine, as I really needed a spindle sander, but frankly it isn't THAT awesome. Its a good tool, and the belt lets me avoid using my belt/disk combo most of the time, but I really feel there are many less expensive spindle sanders on the market of equal or better quality.

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