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Help! Mill & MIx motor stopped

sjum's picture
sjum

Help! Mill & MIx motor stopped

Hi All,

Yesterday I was grinding Kamut when my motor started making a different sound.  I turned it off and then tried to turn it back on and nothing happened.  The motor was hot so I let sit overnight and tried again today and to my dismay, it is not working.  I'm devastated.  I've never had a problem before. Did I overwork my 'Millie'?  I'm hoping it can be fixed.  Any advice?  She's a workhorse so I'm surprised.  I thought there might a fuse that tripped but I don't see anything.  

Thanks in advance!

Susan

justkeepswimming's picture
justkeepswimming

I'm new and by no means an expert! I looked up the Mix and Mill, cool machine. I don't know if you might have the original manual to refer to for trouble shooting? I have a Mockmill, another type of stone mill. They recommend that if the stones seize up as you described, to put the mill on the coarsest setting and that should free things up. Attaching the Mockmill video link below in case it helps? I know it's not the same, but perhaps the theory behind it might work? Good luck!

https://youtu.be/njLcY4j18Q4

 

barryvabeach's picture
barryvabeach

Susan,  can you post a few photos of the machine, including the motor, and describe the sound it made before it stopped.  One possibility is that a part of the drive system has broken or is stuck, which would mean the problem is not the motor itself.  The other possibility is that there is a problem with the motor.  

sjum's picture
sjum

Thanks, Barry for the quick response!  The machine is a mill & mix, typically a bowl and kneading arm is attached to the side (via belt drive) but my husband took it apart trying to see if he can figure it out.  It sounded like it was 'konking out', like running out of gas.  It made that sound twice and then died.  The engine was hot.  I figured maybe I overworked it but I'd only ground 3 cups by that time.  I've ground 10 before but maybe I should have given it a break, I don't know.  When we tried turning it on today it didn't budge. Husband wondered if it could be a relay or burnt connection. I bought it second hand but it's been great so far and I think it was maintained by the original owner and then her daughter who I bought it from didn't do much but grind occasional flour for cakes.Front of Mill & MIx

sjum's picture
sjum

Motor

barryvabeach's picture
barryvabeach

Thanks for the photo.  Can you take the belt off so that if you turn it on, the only thing that will turn is the motor?  If so ,  try that .  If the motor is not connected to the rest of the machine, and it does not turn, that should be pretty easy to diagnose.  First,  with it unplugged,  wrap a little rope around the motor pulley and see if you can turn it,  if so, that means that the rotor will move.   Then rewrap the rope, pull the rope sharply so the pulley is spinning ( like starting a gas chain saw or mower ) and make sure the rope is completely off and out of the way, then plug it in -  if it picks up speed, that means that the start capacitor is bad, which is a pretty cheap fix.  Again, be careful with the rope, and your fingers,  you don't want anything near the pulley when it comes up to speed.  

texas_loafer's picture
texas_loafer

But doesn’t start, it is almost certainly the start capacitor. 

MontBaybaker's picture
MontBaybaker

We have a Mill & Mix, so I'll watch your progress on this issue.

Excess heat in an electric motor is usually a symptom of either a bad bearing or a short in the windings.  Reach around to the back and see if you can reasonably rotate the pulley by hand and see/hear the stone rotate.  If that is fairly easy, you probably are okay on the bearings.  As someone above said, if when turned on the motor hums but doesn't turn AND the hand rotating of the pulley was easy, then it is likely the start capacitor, which can be changed by itself.  If it rotates by hand but makes no noise when turned on, you either have a burnt wire, or a short in the windings.  Burnt wire insulation both smells bad and is readily seen by blistering, bubbling, or charring.  If there are no charred wires, it spins by hand, and doesn't hum...it is likely the windings are shorted.  If you have a Alternator/Starter rewinding shop locally, they can test the motor for you and rewind it...or you can buy a replacement Dayton Motor.  They are still widely available, check a company W.W. Grainger or any other general Industrial Supply company for a direct fit replacement.