150TE. Turn it on nothing happens

[sabre]

Except the fan, which i would have thought only started when, or if it started to get warm?
But regardless thats the only thing that works. I bought it with the knowledge that some thing was wrong, just don't know where?
I have taken the board out to see if i could visibly see if some thing was melted or loose. The relay looks in brand new condition,not a mark on the faces of the contacts. The wire feed knob moves freely, but the relay doesn't move when you pull the trigger. so if any one can shed a little light and help would be appreciated. Where is the thermal overload device located? but then nothing works if that has tripped. I have spent a good couple of hours trying to find what could prevent it from starting.
Feel very cheeky as whilst i have been reading the forum for some time, apart from my introduction post my first post and i'm asking for help
Thanks
Gareth

 

[Endacy]

Start simple, is the switch in the torch working correctly? Also the fan should run all the time, this is normal. I think the power switch lights up if the thermal overload has cut in, so if that isn't lit then I doubt it's that.

 

[sabre]

The on off switch works, and it is live at the contact to the board, but thats as far as it goes there is no current on the out put terminals. The trigger in the torch seems ok as i buzzed that back to the multi pin and there doesn't appear to be a break.
i have a feeling that the regulator on the board has gone and i am not getting any low volt to actuate the relay.
Am i correct in assuming that unless the relay makes, nothing works. Only on my mighty mig the unit is on as soon as you turn it on, but this has a constant live torch and the Clarke one is only live when you pull the trigger.(Very sophisticated for me)

 

[Welderpaul]

Bang it hard on the top.
That's what we do!

 

[Wozzaaah]

Paul, he's talking about a mig welder not a 1970's telly!

Sabre, it might be worth you sending a PM to weldequip, he is a clarke dealer and will probably be able to assist you.

 

[sabre]

Will PM Weldequip geting frustrated now
If i banged my tele there would be hell to play in my house from the wife and kids, i'm glad i have a shed

 

[chris67bug]

Hi reading this post with interest. Having a similiar problem with my own 150TE. A couple of nights ago the wire feed became very slow and then finally stopped altogether. Tried pressing the trigger again last night and the motor worked again but very slow and then it stopped.

Just wondering if anyone has any ideas where to start looking- bit of an electrical dunderhead so please keep any suggestions idiot proof!

chris

 

[peterd51]

Hi,

sounds like a dust/rust build up in the liner or torch...

It's only a few screws to take the torch apart and, with no wire in, blow out the liner.

I found that mine had blocked up in a short flexible metal 'spiral' in the torch and I cleared most of it by pushing a bit of mig wire in the opposite way round and then blowing the rest out by mouth.

If you're not sure then take special note of where things go as you take it apart...make notes or sketch it on paper, or take a few digital photos for reference.

Regards
Peter

 

[Wozzaaah]

Hi reading this post with interest. Having a similiar problem with my own 150TE. A couple of nights ago the wire feed became very slow and then finally stopped altogether. Tried pressing the trigger again last night and the motor worked again but very slow and then it stopped.

Just wondering if anyone has any ideas where to start looking- bit of an electrical dunderhead so please keep any suggestions idiot proof!

chris

If you take the tension off the wire feed and press the trigger, does the motor then turn at full speed or does it still slow down? Sounds like more than just a blocked liner to me. Hopefully weldequip will spot this thread and be along to help, he's a clarke dealer and knows them inside out. Might be worth sending him a PM just in case. He keeps a good selection of clarke spares.

 

[chris67bug]

Yeah I lifted the upper roller off the wire, so no tension but same thing happened. There is a definite 'click' everytime I pull the trigger but either the motor turns very slow and then stops or doesn't move at all.

Just wondering if it is realistic for someone with little 'electrical' knowledge (me!) to repair or should I start looking for someone to repair it for me. Any thoughts?

chris

 

[Wozzaaah]

The only thing I can suggest off the top of my head is to open the machine up and check for any obvious dodgy looking connections or anything that simply doesn't look right. Also, take the torch apart and check the switch contacts. Like I said, weldequip's yer man for Clarke stuff, I'm sure he would have come across this before .

Another thought but have you tried holding the trigger in and turning the wire feed control backwards and forwards to see if it makes any difference? Might be as simple as a dirty contact.

 

[malcolm]

Sounds a lot like a high resistance contact to me too - dirt or corrosion in one of the connections heating up as current is passed through it.

Voltmeter on the motor connections would be a good check. Another thing to try is connecting a car battery up to the motor and see if it works (12V is within the normal motor supply range).

 

[weldequip]

Hold the wire feed roller between finger & thumb and press the torch trigger. You shouldn't be able to stop the feed roller turning with fairly firm pressure... if you can stop it the gears inside the gearbox have stripped.
You can test the feed motor itself by running a couple of leads off a 12v car battery, if it starts to run it's fine & your problem is elsewhere... possibly a loose connection or a dry joint on the circuit board.
weldequip

 

[malcolm]

Do post back and let us know what you find with this - would be useful info if it doesn't work so we can point you in a different direction, but also really cool to know if it does work and if so which terminals were the problem.

 

[chris67bug]

Got the side cover off last night and the motor did turn slowly for the first few presses of the trigger but then stopped altogether. I am guessing that the motor is the grey 'cylinder' with red and black wires attached to it via spade connectors? There is a hole in the side of it were I can see what I guess to be copper windings.

I did notice when the motor turned that sparks seemed to be appearing inside this hole and I think I saw a small puff of smoke! I did try turning the wire speed knob and the motor did run faster before it stopped altogether!

Knackered wire feed motor perhaps? I'll try connecting the battery up to it as suggested- take it the red wire is the positive side??

chris

 

[peterd51]

Hi

I'd check the winding for any short circuit first...

or connect the car battery via fuse!

A car battery can deliver a fair few amps instantaneously...a car-starter might need 350A to get it turning, and you can vaporise thin wire across the terminals of almost any car-battery.

I'd be tempted to wear goggles and gloves too!

Good luck.
Peter

 

[Robotstar5]

If the motor sparks & smokes I would NOT connect a car battery to it until you have had a look at the brushes & commutator as it sounds like they are worn, if so replace the brushes and undercut / clean the comm before trying the battery test.