Two speed Electric motor question

[grsthegreat]

those pumps use a common and a high and a low wire. you definitely need a wiring diagram, or an electrician with knowledge and a good meter to test line power from controller. i never just swap wires around ..good way to wreck motor. most of these motors will have terminals labeled ..something like a green screw for ground and then 1,2,3 or 4. you need to find out which terminal is meant for common lead (used on both high and low speed) and which are for other two. in the past i seem to recall that most use the white for common, but i dont really recall. more than likely you have the common wire in the wrong spot.

 

[Industrial Toys]

If you have three wires, how many combinations can there be? lol Don't need no stinkin electchicken! I always get called after all the combinations have been exhausted, and find mysterious damage. How could that be???:confused2:

 

[RoyKing]

From what you described, your start switch maybe more that just switch, post pic

 

[beowulf]

RoyKing, thanks for responding. I will try to take and post pics later today -heading to town now. I have a wiring diagram I found on the Internet and will also post that but not sure it is the correct one. I will also try to take a pic of the control panel and label the wires identified to the pump.

I did not originally wire the control panel and pump and so I guess that is an issue - i.e., what options for wiring were selected. Hopefully, I can get this figured out. Still - could be the capacitor or a relay and not the wiring but need to eliminate a wiring issue first. Thanks again for helping me with this.

 

[tallyho8]

I have never even seen a pump motor but I have installed over 2000 air conditioner motors. The vast majority of the 230 volt ones had a white common wire, black for high speed, red for low speed and a brown wire for capacitor if they used a capacitor.

If you ever hooked up the two hot wires to red and black it would immediately let the smoke out of the motor and would be an expensive lesson.

 

[beowulf]

RoyKing, I finally got around to taking the pictures. One pic of the control panel with the wires running to the motor labeled (though likely self explanatory - common/white = A, black/hot + B, red/hot = C), and a pic of the back of the motor with terminals revealed but not hooked up - there are numbers there 1-4 (seems the numbers do not precisely line up, e.g., 3-4 near bottom terminal point? I found a wiring diagram online but not sure it is the correct one for my set up. I can post that as well if it may be helpful.

Note - after I looked at the pic of the control it appeared as if a bare ground wire was not tied in anywhere - I went back and it was only a pine needle since removed - so thought I should mention that.

Again, I appreciate any help you can provide. If I can eliminate a miswiring issue at my end, I can then consider if it is a capacitor or relay or other issue.

 

[Industrial Toys]

So, they just use the timer as a contactor?

Is there no wiring diagram on the motor? Like, on the inside of the cover plate?

Did you talk to the motor shop?

Re-read the OP. Seems like NOTHING is wrong with the motor. Maybe a contact or Solid State relay in the Intermatic. I would hook it up to 240 bypassing the timer. Leave white connected and try applying power to the black lead and then the red lead. Not both at the same time. Do you have a disconnect switch nearby to switch power on and off?

 

[beowulf]

Industrial, thanks for suggestions. There is no wiring diagram on the cover plate. There is a label on the side of the motor but I can't quite see it because of the location very near a wall. I will try to squeeze a camera in there and post that - from what I can see there may be a diagram of some kind there - so your suggestion is a good one - to look for the diagram on the motor.

The control panel - or timer is what controls the times the pump kicks on and off for high speed and for low speed during any 24 hour period. So power from breakers to to the timer/control panel and from there to the motor. I think there is also a line going to a pool light running from that box - but not timed -just to another switch near the pool for the light.

The motor was repaired at a pool supply store - they routinely replace bearings, seals and such. I do no know their level of expertise beyond that - but another good suggestion. I called, but no return call yet. It may be helpful for them if I just take the photos in to them and ask at their store when I go to town in the next few days.

Again, my thanks to you for helping out.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Reading your OP carefully, makes me understand that the motor DOES work, slow and fast if you interchange connections. The start circuits or capacitors must be in the motor. The Intermatic just switches the power, via contacts or using solid state. So, I suspect that it could be the control and not the motor.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I was curious bout that timer. Could not find a PDF. Pricy device! Some people had issues with corroded terminals. Also has to be in a certain mode, for two speed motors.