switch for Johannson Mill

1QWK96GT · Feb 22, 2021

Good afternoon everyone,

I have an older Johannson mill. I got it used at an estate sale. it has a standard 110v household plug on it. My issue is the switch on the mill spins the spindle one direction. When I throw the switch the other direction nothing happens, no spinning. Could the switch be bad or maybe its wired up incorrectly? Pic below for reference of what my switch looks like. Any help or guidance is appreciated.

Thanks,

crossthread · Feb 22, 2021

That looks like a pretty standard drum switch. Not much to go bad in those so that would not be my first guess. Take the cover plate off and see if everything is at least connected. Check on the motor end to see if everything is connected there as well. This may sound stupid, but check the nameplate on the motor to see if it can be reversed. Someone in the past may have swapped out the motor with just something they had on hand. It could of course be wired wrong. I have seen more then one person get confused with the wiring on a drum switch.

Mebfab · Feb 22, 2021

Do some research on "start windings". I am assuming you mean when motor is turning one direction already it wont reverse.

1QWK96GT · Feb 22, 2021

Thanks guys! I will update later my findings. This switch goes two ways forward and reverse. Forward works but when I throw the switch to reverse literally nothing happens. I assume something is wired wrong but Im no electrician

Bill D · Feb 22, 2021

From a deadstart can the motor run in only one direction or both. Have you ever seen this motor rotate the other dircetion?
Bill D

1QWK96GT · Feb 22, 2021

Never saw the motor run reverse. Good question. How does one find out if the motor is capable of running both directions?

dalmatiangirl61 · Feb 22, 2021

Open switch and see how its wired, I'd bet it is only wired for single direction of rotation.

DDoug · Feb 22, 2021

1QWK96GT said:
Never saw the motor run reverse. Good question. How does one find out if the motor is capable of running both directions?

Post a pic of the motor nameplate

1QWK96GT · Feb 22, 2021

M.B. Naegle · Feb 22, 2021

I've run into similar problems where the issue was that the drum switch was a 3-phase switch that someone tried to use in a single phase application. They both have the same number of terminals, but the way the switch bridges them is different.

1QWK96GT · Feb 22, 2021

digger doug said:
Post a pic of the motor nameplate

Name Plate picture posted.

Joe Gwinn · Feb 22, 2021

The motor is a single-phase capacitor start motor.

It is not obvious from the nameplate if this motor is reversible, but that kind of motor can usually be reversed, given the correct kind of drum switch. How many terminals or leads does the motor have? There may be a connection diagram somewhere. Or, search by the motor make and model.

1QWK96GT · Feb 23, 2021

Joe Gwinn said:
The motor is a single-phase capacitor start motor.

It is not obvious from the nameplate if this motor is reversible, but that kind of motor can usually be reversed, given the correct kind of drum switch. How many terminals or leads does the motor have? There may be a connection diagram somewhere. Or, search by the motor make and model.

This is the motor terminals:

DDoug · Feb 23, 2021

1QWK96GT said:
This is the motor terminals:
View attachment 314713

Your really not making this any easier.....close up pix, use flash, straight on.
so we can see those other terminals.

We need to SEE down inside that box.

dalmatiangirl61 · Feb 23, 2021

Only 3 wires going to motor, one being ground, it is only going to give you a single direction of rotation, case closed.

1QWK96GT · Feb 23, 2021

digger doug said:
Your really not making this any easier.....close up pix, use flash, straight on.
so we can see those other terminals.

We need to SEE down inside that box.

snapped some more photos. Hopefully these are good. I have flash on.

1QWK96GT · Feb 23, 2021

one more

DDoug · Feb 23, 2021

dalmatiangirl61 said:
Only 3 wires going to motor, one being ground, it is only going to give you a single direction of rotation, case closed.

Not-so-fast.....

mjk · Feb 23, 2021

I'll agree with digger
The colored wires under the incoming may be a clue, but without the motor wiring diagram , a possible crap shoot or smoke stack

dalmatiangirl61 · Feb 23, 2021

digger doug said:
Not-so-fast.....

If he adds more wires, and the motor can be reversed, he might be able to get reverse. What I am seeing at switch and motor is only going to give him single direction rotation, so his switch is just fine, nothing is wrong with it. As for the colored wires under incoming wires, I'm guessing someone put new leads or centrifugal switch in it, he will have to tear motor apart to figure that out.

switch for Johannson Mill

Plastic

Titanium

Diamond

Plastic

Diamond

Plastic

Diamond

Diamond

Plastic

Diamond

Plastic

Stainless

Plastic

Diamond

Diamond

Plastic

Plastic

Diamond

Titanium

Diamond

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