Rotory Motor not running

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ccasciano

Rotory Motor not running

Post by ccasciano »

The rotory motor on my machine does not run when pulling a shot. I detached the RotoFlow and the motor looks clean and spins freely. It's seems like the motor is not being called on.

The machine is 2-3 years old but has only recently been used over the last 2-3 months. Meaning a friend of mine won at a raffle and then kept in the basement for 2-3 years and has since given to me which I use almost every day.

The first 2 months I did not notice any issues; i could hear the motor run on every shot and good crema. It took a couple times of not hearing the motor run before I realized something was wrong. I read some posts and cleaned out the impeller which seems to do the trick. I repeated this a couple more times and each time I did so the motor worked as expected, although I'm not sure now why that would have made difference.

Anyway, the motor is not working at all anymore, well, I'd say every once in while (rarely now) while I'm trying to diagnose.

It seems like it may be the motor, but it looks pristine to me and I'd hate to spend the coin on the wrong fix.

I'm looking for ways to diagnose the problem.
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slo
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Location: Montreal, Canada

Re: Rotory Motor not running

Post by slo »

Well you really got lucky on the machine! Congratulation!

When you say that the motor was not running at all; do you mean that you hear nothing from it? If the motor wants to run but has not enough torque you would hear a humming sound for a while. The motor would only be able to take this for a little while before burning, unless there is a electronic protection. I really don't know if the Vivaldi has that.

Here are a few suggestions, in whatever order they came to mind:

Did you check that the wires are completly inserted? They do come loose some time.
Did you check to bypass the condenser/capacitor (the aluminium tube on top)? The condenser is there to help the start up of the motor, but if the motor is off loaded (no pump) it should work without it.
Did you check that there was a voltage potential between the motor wires when the pump should be activating?
Did you check that the programmed dose is not shorter than the pre-infusion? The pump would never start.
Did you try to complethy reset the Vivaldi? Unplug the machine and replug it.
Did you make sure that the timer switch is in the right position? ON if you have the timer and OFF if you don't.
If you have a timer, did you try to run the machine without the timer (with the switch at OFF)?

Good luck and let us know.
Vivaldi II, Multiple (a collection really) Lever machines
Currently on deck grinders: Mythos and MXKR
Backup grinders: Robur, Major.
Toper Cafemino Electric and Poppery 1 roaster

I have a serious problem ... Can you guess what?
ccasciano

Re: Rotory Motor not running

Post by ccasciano »

Thanks for the quick response slo.

Here's an update:

I attached 110 directly to the motor and nothing. I then by by-passed the capacitor and still nothing.

Here's the whacky part, when I put it all back together it started working again. There are no loose connections. The machine has been reset a bunch of times now. There's no timer.

And the motor has stopped working again. I think maybe the motor is on it's way out. It works now and again, but mostly not now.

I'm at a loss.
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slo
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Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 6:51 pm
Location: Montreal, Canada

Re: Rotory Motor not running

Post by slo »

Well, I cannot say that I am much better than you in knowing what to do...

But my first impression is that these intermittent failure to run are usually indicative of a contact issue. Maybe there is something loose inside the motor itself.

Once we had an intermittent problem with a electronic controller on a test airplane.The fix procedure was to distract the pilots and hit the box with the fist. That would shake the connectors inside the box and more often than not it would re-establish the contact and we could do the flight test. We knew that it was a connector problem but . I am just joking for the pilots, they knew as well but it was part of the game. That was not an essential system.

At least, since the motor was not turning when powered directly, it is pretty sure that it is where the problem is.

Good luck
Vivaldi II, Multiple (a collection really) Lever machines
Currently on deck grinders: Mythos and MXKR
Backup grinders: Robur, Major.
Toper Cafemino Electric and Poppery 1 roaster

I have a serious problem ... Can you guess what?
Endo

Re: Rotory Motor not running

Post by Endo »

This is what I call "Percussive Engineering". Works surprisingly well. :lol:

As you say, sounds like a loose internal connection. A new motor may be required.
JohnB

Re: Rotory Motor not running

Post by JohnB »

Have you checked to make sure all of the connections at the rear of the black box are on tight? Since the machine sat in a basement for several years the problem could be a corroded contact. I'd disconnect & reconnect all the wires in that circuit.
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chas
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Location: Central Maryland
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Re: Rotory Motor not running

Post by chas »

JohnB wrote:Have you checked to make sure all of the connections at the rear of the black box are on tight? Since the machine sat in a basement for several years the problem could be a corroded contact. I'd disconnect & reconnect all the wires in that circuit.
John, Hopefully he has figured this out in the 366 days since the post. :twisted:
Chas
LM GS/3 & LaSpaziale Dream v 1.25 (US 120V)
Mazzer Kony E, Customized Rocky
Hottop P/B
JohnB

Re: Rotory Motor not running

Post by JohnB »

Ya think?? :oops: Guess I'll have to check those dates a little closer.
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