Power Pro headstock cooling

[JPG]

I have not been able to find authoritative answers for the following:

1. Is the PP cooling air intake filtered?NO
2. Are the PP electronics all shielded from dust and contaminants?NO
3. What is the maximum operating temperature specified by OEM TeknaTool/StriaTech?
4. What are the SS PP operating temperature test results?
5. What is the OEM Teknatool/StriaTech MTBFDesign Spec for Motor and Electronics in SS application?
6. What is the PP actual failure rate experienced by SS over the past 10 years?

Given the anecdotes shared in this forum, it would be great to know these facts before taking the PP plunge!

Ely

Good Luck finding the other answers!

[Hobbyman2]

I have not been able to find authoritative answers for the following:

1. Is the PP cooling air intake filtered?
2. Are the PP electronics all shielded from dust and contaminants?
3. What is the maximum operating temperature specified by OEM TeknaTool/StriaTech?
4. What are the SS PP operating temperature test results?
5. What is the OEM Teknatool/StriaTech MTBFDesign Spec for Motor and Electronics in SS application?
6. What is the PP actual failure rate experienced by SS over the past 10 years?

Given the anecdotes shared in this forum, it would be great to know these facts before taking the PP plunge!

Ely

=========

Could also ask if there could be potential for related failures in any geographical locations ?

The motor should have a tag on it describing the parameters in heat range .?

https://www.plantengineering.com/single ... f2f7d.html

[JPG]

I have not been able to find authoritative answers for the following:

1. Is the PP cooling air intake filtered?
2. Are the PP electronics all shielded from dust and contaminants?
3. What is the maximum operating temperature specified by OEM TeknaTool/StriaTech?
4. What are the SS PP operating temperature test results?
5. What is the OEM Teknatool/StriaTech MTBFDesign Spec for Motor and Electronics in SS application?
6. What is the PP actual failure rate experienced by SS over the past 10 years?

Given the anecdotes shared in this forum, it would be great to know these facts before taking the PP plunge!

Ely

=========

Could also ask if there could be potential for related failures in any geographical locations ?

The motor should have a tag on it describing the parameters in heat range .?

https://www.plantengineering.com/single ... f2f7d.html

Doubt it would include outdoor operation in Antarctica.

[Hobbyman2]

LOL that would be a heating need issue not a cooling issue ?

[rjent]

I have not been able to find authoritative answers for the following:

1. Is the PP cooling air intake filtered? No
2. Are the PP electronics all shielded from dust and contaminants? No
3. What is the maximum operating temperature specified by OEM TeknaTool/StriaTech? Power Supply built and designed by SS
4. What are the SS PP operating temperature test results? No data given by SS, probably unknown. The controller is by Teknatool and is programmed by them
5. What is the OEM Teknatool/StriaTech MTBFDesign Spec for Motor and Electronics in SS application? None given. Warrantee is 2 years
6. What is the PP actual failure rate experienced by SS over the past 10 years? Pretty low based on a thread started here.

Given the anecdotes shared in this forum, it would be great to know these facts before taking the PP plunge!

Ely

I replied by editing your post, and my answers are based on my conversations with Jim McCann SS head engineer. They are aware of most of these/the problems. I know the PS failures are common to just a few components.

As far as making the plunge, make it. I have issues with the headstock itself because of problems I have had, and I have issues with how the company is currently run, but when the dust settles, it is still a great, unique, functional machine. The PP is going to be expensive to maintain over the long haul, but it gives a lot of function over the Mark V.

JMHO

[rat1932]

I had bearing knock and heating.

The heating was measured with an IR thermometer at various places around the headstock with the cover removed so as to get access to the belts and bearings on the left side. The upper belt was running above 180 degrees and the motor belt was runnig about 140 degrees after about 30 minutes of running. This is without even a saw blade attached. The tension on the belts were equalized as specified in the instructions.

I had bearing knock even when I turned the quil by hand in the direction the blade would turn. Turning the quill in the reverse direction produced no bearing knock.

The high heat from the belts and the knock sound made me suspect the belt tension was too high. I adjusted the idler shaft so the short belt had less tension (a very slight give when pressed) and adjusted the motor so it's belt had a slight give when pressed. Then I equilized the tension on both belts as described.

The bearing knock when turning the quill by hand was gone. After running for 30 minutes produced a belt temperature of less than 140 degrees.

I have not done any sawing yet, don't know if I will get belt slippage but when the belt equilizing was done, the machine was as quiet as it has
ever been and the headstock temp was good. I won't know how good until I run an afternoon session with the plainer, which produced the "inverter overheat" message that started this quest origionly.

Bob

[ChrisNeilan]

A very good solution. Many of us feel the need to tighten belts to the point of being able to play them like a harp. No need. Belts should have some deflection.

[rat1932]

After thinking about what I had done in adjusting the belts, I wondered if I had considered or even knew everything that was necessary to set up the belt tension to reduce internal heat.

In the 'Checking Belt Tension' section of the Mark V Manual it instructs: 'To check the belt tension of the poly V-belt that connects the idler and the drive shafts , remove the belt cover from the headstock. With your fingers, lightly push in on the poly V-belt. If you can push the belt in more more than ¼ inch when applying light pressure, it may need to be retensioned.' I know that SS has changed the part number on the upper belt for the PP but I can't tell if it is the same belt.

The upper belt on my PP headstock was so tight that no deflection took place when I pushed on it. It smelled hot, in fact, the belt temperature was above 180 degrees after 30 minutes of run time without even a saw blade connected (belt cover removed).

I decided to ease the tension on the upper belt. I adjusted the belt tension by adjusting the eccentric on the idler shaft to provide 1/8 inch deflection when pushing on the belt, then clamped the eccentric bushing so that adjusting the motor belt would not change the upper belt tension.

I adjusted the motor belt for approximately the same deflection as the upper belt and adjusted the angle of the motor pulley to align it's plane of rotation with the top of the motor belt as it goes around the idler shaft. I also checked that there was no offset in the grooves of the belts as they ran around their pulleys (in other words, the belts would not approach or leave their shaft pulleys at any change in angle). I then adjusted the eccentric to equalize the tension on both belts.

As a result, the temperature of the upper belt after 30 minutes of runtime has gone from above 180 to 122 degrees. The motor belt has gone from 140 degrees to 119 degrees, the upper bearing was 145 degrees to 99 degrees, and the electronics box was 96 degrees. The ambient temperature in the shop was approximately 72 degrees.

I will monitor the temperature with the headstock buttoned up, but then I will not be able to measure the belt temperatures directly. The only significant point will be the top left corner of the headstock.

The next problem will be solving added cooling for those times when it is needed. My current thoughts are: use a filter canister from a shop vacuum to filter the air, a 12 volt fan, size to be determined, as a standalone assembly and tubing from this assembly to the inspection port on the back of the headstock. Fan power will come from a 12v AC to DC converter rated at 0.5a or better or if you have a small AC motor driven fan you don't need a converter. I have given up installing this assembly on the back of the headstock because of interference that it presents with operations unimageable at this time. This is still a design in progress.

Bob

[Tom735]

I'm going to research this issue and post a report after I find an answer worth posting.
I do know over heating is sometimes an issue with all electrical motors.
Tom

[Tom735]

Hi,
I ran your problem past a friend who knows a lot about electric motors and he said " If you cant leave your hand on the motor for more than 5 seconds it is hotter than 120 degrees".
If that's where you are we thought you may try installing a computer exhaust fan in the side of the shroud of the motor which might draw enough air from the hole you opened to cool the motor.
Just a thought - I hope it helps.
Tom