Help with Dewalt RAS Wiring

[jteneyck]

My friend has a 3 HP Dewalt RAS which can be wired to either 120 or 240V.  He got it from a friend who ran it on 240V and had it shipped from FL to NY.  The motor was removed for the move and the wiring to the motor was disconnected to make that happen.  Now we're trying to figure out how it was wired.  Here's a photo of the Dewalt wiring schematic.



And a close up of the connections at the motor.



And for the 240V connections to the magnetic contactor.



The contactor diagram clearly wire C from the motor goes to T1 on the contactor, wire F goes to T2, and D and E are tied together and get connected to nothing.  It also shows wire R which connects to one leg of the capacitor gets connected to T3 on the contactor.  However, that's not how the prior owner had it wired.  Here's a diagram we found which my friend thinks is in the hand writing of the prior owner.  T1, T2, and the line connecting D and E were added by me.  



The diagram shows 4 wires coming from the contactor, however, he only used one with 3 conductors.  Here's a photo the magnetic contactor:



He has a wire connected to T1 and T2 on the contactor and the third (green) wire going to ground on the box. The wires were disconnected from the motor box for shipping so there's no way to know what was connected to what.  However, wire E is connected to a wire from the relay and taped off.  Wires C, D, and F have nuts on them suggesting they were the ones connected to the wires coming from the contactor.  There's no wire R anywhere.  Both wires from the capacitor appear to be connected to the relay.  In any case, there's no loose wire from the capacitor that I can see.  

So, with all that, how should we wire this thing for 240V operation.  Left to my own vices I would follow the wiring diagram, but I can't figure out why there is no wire R and why his green wire is connected to the contactor box and not T3.  Any advise would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

John

[jteneyck]

I think I misunderstood the connections in the contactor box.  The green wire terminated in back of the contactor box must be coming from the incoming 240V power line.  If so, then the connections I thought were on T1 and T2 must be L1 and L2.  I'm still lost on how to wire from the contactor to the motor, however. 


John

[Roly]

<p>

I think I misunderstood the connections in the contactor box.&nbsp; The green wire terminated in back of the contactor box must be coming from the incoming 240V power line.&nbsp; If so, then the connections I thought were on T1 and T2 must be L1 and L2.&nbsp; I'm still lost on how to wire from the contactor to the motor, however.&nbsp;


John

<br></p><p>&nbsp; The relay you are looking at is not part of the starter but uses counter emf in the motor to disconnect the starting winding, used instead of a centrifugal switch. &nbsp; &nbsp; This is not a magnetic starter, it is a manual starter with overload protection to thermally trip the switch if overloaded. &nbsp; &nbsp; From what I can see it looks like the 3 wire from the incoming power come into the starter box behind the stop/reset button. &nbsp; The "R" wiire (which would be green) from the power cable is going to case ground as it should be. &nbsp; I see 5 wires going out the bottom of the starter and to the motor I assume. &nbsp; &nbsp; The "R" wire from the motor should go to T3 which it looks like it does. &nbsp;&nbsp; Roly<br></p> Are the other ends of the leads going into the box with the relay and is it connected to the motor ?

[TDKPE]

<p>With one conductor missing, the “R” to the capacitor must be jumped directly to “C” (“W”) at the motor. &nbsp;I Don’t know why they bothered running the red through the third contact set L3 to T3, as there is no difference for that part of the wiring between 120V and 240V. &nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>D and E are clearly two ends of the two windings, as they’re connected together for 240V operation - the two windings are in series for the high voltage, but the overload heater only has the current for one winding passing through it at 120V, which is also standard when a motor has internal overload protection.</p><p><br></p><p>C and E are the two ends of one winding, and D and F are the two ends of the other. The R wire, presumably red in the cable, is connected to C in the control, but could be connected to it in the motor instead, since you’re light one conductor.&nbsp;</p>

[jteneyck]

Thanks very much guys; you helped confirm what I figured out earlier today, and filled in most of the remaining blanks.  I'll get a photo of the wires in the motor junction box tomorrow.  

Roly, you are right, the power cord comes in the back, and the 5 wire cable is what went to the motor, now disconnected.  D - E are tied off, leaving 3 wires.  Maybe when I get another look at the wires in the motor junction box I'll be able to figure out where R is, or with your help.  

Thanks again. More to follow.  

John

[jteneyck]

I was at my freind's house today and completed most of the wiring of the RAS.  I used a 3 conductor wire from the plug to the switch box, and a 5 conductor wire from the switch box to the motor.  The switch box is essentially a carbon copy of how it was before:



At the motor junction box there is a problem with where the R (Black) wire from T3 goes to.  The diagram shows it going to one leg of the capacitor; however, both wires from the capacitor are soldered to the relay.  I put green tape on them for this photo:



I don't see any obvious alternative location for the R wire to attach to in the junction box.  There are no studs, etc. just begging for a wire to be attached. You will note another black wire coming off the relay to the right of the one capacitor wire.  It has a piece of gray tape on it near where it connects to motor wire E.  It is shown on the wiring diagram, and that is how we found it, but that would be the only "loose" wire that could attach to R.  

Your further collective help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

John

[Roly]

<p>

I was at my freind's house today and completed most of the wiring of the RAS.&nbsp; I used a 3 conductor wire from the plug to the switch&nbsp;box, and a 5 conductor wire from the switch box to the motor.&nbsp; The switch box is essentially a carbon copy of how it was before:



At the motor junction box there is a problem with where the R (Black) wire from T3 goes to.&nbsp; The diagram shows it going to one leg of the capacitor; however, both wires from the capacitor are soldered to the relay.&nbsp; I put green tape on them for this photo:



I don't see any obvious alternative location for the R wire to attach to in the junction box.&nbsp; There are no studs, etc. just begging for a wire to be attached.&nbsp;You will note another black wire coming off the relay to the right of the one capacitor wire.&nbsp; It has a piece of gray tape on it near where it connects to motor wire E.&nbsp; It is shown on the wiring diagram, and that is how we found it, but that would be the only "loose" wire that could attach to R.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Your further collective help would be greatly appreciated.&nbsp; Thanks in advance.

John

<br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>&nbsp;Where is the capacitor ?&nbsp; The R wire is the same as the C wire but goes thru T3 contacts. ( maybe to reduce pitting on L1-T1 contacts)&nbsp; Is there more than 2 wires connected to the capacitor or other connections near the capacitor ?&nbsp; Roly<br></p><p><br></p>

[jteneyck]

Thanks for the quick response Roly.  The capacitor is the gray cylinder you can partially see on the left side of the junction box.  I didn't remove the capacitor to confirm but it looks there are only two wires coming out of it, the two I marked with green tape.  There is at least one additional wire in the junction box.  It is soldered to a lug just below the left capacitor wire on the relay.  You can see it against the left side of the junction box if you look closely. That wire is shown on the diagram going from the relay into the motor.  There might be another but I can't remember for sure and I don't see any in my photos.  Here's another photo which shows the capacitor and the black wire I just described.  I don't see any more.  



Thanks.

John

[Roly]

Thanks for the quick response Roly.  The capacitor is the gray cylinder you can partially see on the left side of the junction box.  I didn't remove the capacitor to confirm but it looks there are only two wires coming out of it, the two I marked with green tape.  There is at least one additional wire in the junction box.  It is soldered to a lug just below the left capacitor wire on the relay.  You can see it against the left side of the junction box if you look closely. That wire is shown on the diagram going from the relay into the motor.  There might be another but I can't remember for sure and I don't see any in my photos.  Here's another photo which shows the capacitor and the black wire I just described.  I don't see any more.  



Thanks.

John

I am having trouble understanding what they did.  Some where one of the capacitor wires has to see the C wire,      Unless there is another connection on the one capacitor wire that is not connected to the relay contacts, I am not understanding how it works.   On the last picture on the bottom of the relay stack is that a screw for a connection ?  Roly

[jteneyck]

I am having trouble understanding what they did.  Some where one of the capacitor wires has to see the C wire,       Unless there is another connection on the one capacitor wire that is not connected to the relay contacts, I am not understanding how it works.   On the last picture on the bottom of the relay stack is that a screw for a connection ?  Roly

You and me both, Roly.  Yes, there is a screw and nut.  I thought it was an adjustment screw for the relay since there is some red paint on it, like you see on adjustment screws on some equipment, but red could mean that's where the R (red) wire is attached.  I think that would complete the circuit to one leg of the capacitor.  I'm going to go up tomorrow and get a closer look at the wires in the junction box and see if that screw is the missing link.  Stay tuned - and thanks very much for all your help.  

John