Help with Dewalt RAS Wiring

[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

BUT I don't think that is where the "R" wire would connect.     I may have time to did out my old books that may show the old style potential relays and how they connect to the windings.   Maybe Tom may deal with the potential relays for motor starting but going from memory from decades ago they operated off of counter emf in the windings to drop out the relay after starting.  Don't mess with the adjustment until sure of what it is.   I agree the red paint is probably a sealer and not red for "R".    Roly

[jteneyck]

BUT I don't think that is where the "R" wire would connect.     I may have time to did out my old books that may show the old style potential relays and how they connect to the windings.   Maybe Tom may deal with the potential relays for motor starting but going from memory from decades ago they operated off of counter emf in the windings to drop out the relay after starting.  Don't mess with the adjustment until sure of what it is.   I agree the red paint is probably a sealer and not red for "R".    Roly

I figured it out.  The more I looked at the motor junction box connections related to the coil/relay the more I was convinced it was wrong how both capacitor wires were soldered to it.  This is the as found condition, as I showed earlier:



This is the wiring diagram which clearly shows R going to one leg of the capacitor:




This morning I removed the coil/relay from the box.  When I had it out I saw a jumper wire from the relay (left green taped capacitor wire in the photo) to the left terminal on the coil.  Also connected to that soldered terminal was the other leg of the capacitor (right green taped wire in the photo), so both legs of the capacitor were wired to the coil.  Why that was done I have no clue, and no clue how it could have worked that way no matter where the R wire was connected.  So I unsoldered the capacitor wire on the coil and twisted it together with the R wire.  Now it looks like this:



Bingo, it fired right up, and we could see the relay drop out the capacitor after it got up to speed.  Like I said, I don't know how it could have worked the way it was but it seems to work just fine now.  My friend will solder the R wire connection together and then tape up all the connections and move on to get the saw dialed in.  If he finds an issue when he puts the motor under load I'll report back, but I think it's going to be fine.  

Thanks again Roly for all your help.  Now it's time for my friend to make some sawdust with this very nice old RAS.  

John

[Roly]

I figured it out.  The more I looked at the motor junction box connections related to the coil/relay the more I was convinced it was wrong how both capacitor wires were soldered to it.  This is the as found condition, as I showed earlier:



This is the wiring diagram which clearly shows R going to one leg of the capacitor:




This morning I removed the coil/relay from the box.  When I had it out I saw a jumper wire from the relay (left green taped capacitor wire in the photo) to the left terminal on the coil.  Also connected to that soldered terminal was the other leg of the capacitor (right green taped wire in the photo), so both legs of the capacitor were wired to the coil.  Why that was done I have no clue, and no clue how it could have worked that way no matter where the R wire was connected.  So I unsoldered the capacitor wire on the coil and twisted it together with the R wire.  Now it looks like this:



Bingo, it fired right up, and we could see the relay drop out the capacitor after it got up to speed.  Like I said, I don't know how it could have worked the way it was but it seems to work just fine now.  My friend will solder the R wire connection together and then tape up all the connections and move on to get the saw dialed in.  If he finds an issue when he puts the motor under load I'll report back, but I think it's going to be fine.  

Thanks again Roly for all your help.  Now it's time for my friend to make some sawdust with this very nice old RAS.  

John

Great .    It always gets interesting when there was creative wiring done.    It will work fine now.   Roly

[Tapper]

John,

Glad you were able to help your friend get this old classic running again! Any pics of the saw itself? GA, GE, GR?

Doug

[jteneyck]

John,

Glad you were able to help your friend get this old classic running again! Any pics of the saw itself? GA, GE, GR?

Doug

It's a Dewalt GA, Doug, with the 3 HP dual voltage motor.  1" arbor and takes blades up to 14".  He had a 14" combo blade on it when we first ran it and it sounds like a jet taking off.  Amazing how noisy that blade is.  I think he'll move to a 12" cutoff blade though for most of his work which should be substantially quieter.  





My friend and I have different ideas about table size, fences, and dust collection so I take NO credit or criticism for what you see or its final form.  He'll learn soon enough.  In any case, it's a great saw and in excellent shape from what I can see. 

John

[Tapper]

Thanks for the pics John. Looks like a medium arm. If so, I have the same model near completion of a refurbishment, i.e. new bearings, new Mr. Sawdust table, etc. Will post pics when finished, probably this winter.

Your friend should get lots of usage out of this saw; quite versatile. Lots of options for dust collection. I'm considering copying the system Tommy Tompkins has posted online, along with the other improvements he made to a Dewalt he inherited from his grandfather - pretty clever guy!

Doug