Overload reset on old starter

rke[pler · May 25, 2021

I've got an old AB starter that's popped the overload and I can't figure out how to reset it. It's a 609AAWA. There's still power to the starter, just blocked at the OL. There's a bar at the bottom that seemed to ratchet when pressed in with a screwdriver but bottomed out it still doesn't activate. I'm assuming that there's some trick to these that I don't know/can't see. Perhaps the bar needs more pressure? It's old and appears to be something like Garolite so I don't want to put too much pressure on it. Yet.

Just a Sparky · May 25, 2021

I'd lock out incoming power and pull the heaters to get a look at them just be sure they're not screwed up. Two screws and they pop right out. Sometimes they can burn up and fail under locked rotor current. IIRC that style AB heater uses a ratcheting wheel held in place by a solder alloy which melts from the heat generated by a sustained overload.

Have you tried resetting it by pressing the stop button firmly?

rke[pler · May 25, 2021

The heaters were OK. Ohm out at something like .21ohms. I'm somewhat familiar with this type of overload but can't see how to get to the ratchet - I felt it move with pushing in a cross bar with the screwdriver but wasn't comfortable hitting it much. Stop button won't go in further, but it's a little mangled (maybe melted?) and that could be the problem. Poked around and it looks like the contacts were closing, checking with the meter showed that they were. Plugged it back in and everything is working again. Thanks for the pointers.

Might have to replace this sometime...

Just a Sparky · May 26, 2021

It's an old style starter with only two heaters for three phases. Worth replacing when you get a chance.

Doozer · May 26, 2021

Just a Sparky said:
It's an old style starter with only two heaters for three phases. Worth replacing when you get a chance.

Good thing it is only being used for single phase.

-D

calvin b · May 26, 2021

To the OP , Sir
Those are known as 'heaters' and after they have drawn to many amps ( thus heating up ) they trip. After things cool down they should reset themselves. You need to look at the amp draw of your circuit and determine what the load is and size the heaters accordingly.
Hope this helps
Stay safe
Calvin B
PS one of the most common problems is when sometime gets a 440 machine and hooks up 230/240 to it. Will run ( sometimes) with no load but as soon as a load is applied. POP goes the heater.. Can be real frustrating iff'n one doesn't know....

TDegenhart · May 26, 2021

calvin b said:
To the OP , Sir
Those are known as 'heaters' and after they have drawn to many amps ( thus heating up ) they trip. After things cool down they should reset themselves. You need to look at the amp draw of your circuit and determine what the load is and size the heaters accordingly.
Hope this helps
Stay safe
Calvin B
PS one of the most common problems is when sometime gets a 440 machine and hooks up 230/240 to it. Will run ( sometimes) with no load but as soon as a load is applied. POP goes the heater.. Can be real frustrating iff'n one doesn't know....

Sorry, but you are wrong on the auto reset. The AB's use a solder pot OL with a ratchet wheel attached to the stem of the solder pot. Resetting involves allowing the solder pot to cool, then pushing the reset to close the NO contacts and reset the release bar on the ratchet wheel. If a heater is damaged, the OL can be checked by holding the reset bar down, the machine should be able to run, but will only run so long as the reset bar is held down. Check the heater units to make sure the ratchet wheels do not turn with the heaters are cold.

Tom

rke[pler · May 27, 2021

calvin b said:
To the OP , Sir
Those are known as 'heaters' and after they have drawn to many amps ( thus heating up ) they trip. After things cool down they should reset themselves. You need to look at the amp draw of your circuit and determine what the load is and size the heaters accordingly.

Yeah, I should have mentioned that I'd already changed the heaters to something close to the right spec for the motor, I might need to add an amp or so as I didn't expect them to pop the OL with an hour on the drive. I think most of my use before that was in shorter bursts or lower needed power.

But the OL is the ratcheting type and not auto-reset. I've got very similar units on my 10EE main contactor but there the OL reset is a big -ass button labeled "RESET". These might reset with the "OFF" button as "Just a Sparky" suggested but it looks like there might be something wonky with my off button preventing it from depressing all the way.

Search

Largest Manufacturing Technology Community on the Web

Search

Overload reset on old starter

rke[pler

Diamond

Just a Sparky

Hot Rolled

rke[pler

Diamond

Just a Sparky

Hot Rolled

Doozer

Titanium

calvin b

Hot Rolled

TDegenhart

Diamond

rke[pler

Diamond

Similar threads