Had an eye opening moment yesterday. I have an older BirdView mount and it has a Von Weise motor. The motor has shorted winding's in the armature. Well it's just a simple DC motor, I'll have it rewound I'm thinking. You can't get that kind of stuff done around here anymore. I called shops within a 200 mile range and they can't be bothered with a little job like that. They will send it out to be done for around $200 or more. I asked where they get it done and it's like " Oh we send them to California and every so often they gather up a bunch of Mexicans for a day and they sit around and hand wind these little motors." Yikes! What is wrong with this country? We don't want the illegals but we won't do the work they provide for us. So it looks like I will try my hand at rewinding an armature. Now, where to find some magnet wire...
Motor rewinding
- Thread starter Magic Static
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Most if not all electronics parts suppliers have it. Amazon, eBay, etc also has it.
Just search for magnetic wire or enameled wire(although they no longer use enamel).
First you need to figure out the gauge of wire used and go from there.
Just search for magnetic wire or enameled wire(although they no longer use enamel).
First you need to figure out the gauge of wire used and go from there.
magic, if you are able to do this, I hope you'll post a picture or two, I've never tried doing anything like that and it might be something handy to know.
A few options :
1) I just did a search on eBay for "Von Weise Motor" and came up with quite a few results. You might be able to find a motor that would work.
2) Fry's Electronics sells magnet wire. I bought some for making a long wire antenna for the 80 meter ham radio band. But the cost for the amount of coated copper wire that you would need could be a lot
3) I live about 5 miles away from "Rosenau Motors" -- http://www.rosenaumotors.com/". If you would like I can call them and get a quote. If they don't do jobs mailed in, you could send it to me and I could take it to their shop and mail it back to you.
1) I just did a search on eBay for "Von Weise Motor" and came up with quite a few results. You might be able to find a motor that would work.
2) Fry's Electronics sells magnet wire. I bought some for making a long wire antenna for the 80 meter ham radio band. But the cost for the amount of coated copper wire that you would need could be a lot
3) I live about 5 miles away from "Rosenau Motors" -- http://www.rosenaumotors.com/". If you would like I can call them and get a quote. If they don't do jobs mailed in, you could send it to me and I could take it to their shop and mail it back to you.
I thought about finding a replacement motor. Two concerns about that though, the motor is mated to the gearbox and the primary drive gear is cut into the armature shaft. These things make it difficult to attach a different motor to the setup. Also this one I have is a rare one. it is a 167:1 gear ratio making it one of the most powerful BV mounts out there. I really want to salvage this unit but without being ridiculous about the cost. I built a Van de Graaf generator kit when I was in the 5th grade. The kit included making a DC motor which included winding the armature. It really isn't rocket science and winding an armature like the one I have should be simple. But I don't have the winding tools and will need to make up something to use for the job. I'm sure the spool of wire I will need probably will be enough for 5 of the motors.
Not hard to find motor rewinding shops, but it's like going to a bakery and asking them to bake you a custom cupcake, just one. They don't want to do it. And if you talk them into it, the cost would buy a wedding cake.
Not hard to find motor rewinding shops, but it's like going to a bakery and asking them to bake you a custom cupcake, just one. They don't want to do it. And if you talk them into it, the cost would buy a wedding cake.
We have a local motor shop that was the ONLY place which was able to fix a nearly seized blower motor in a 3.5kw FM transmitter. The transmitter company wanted $800, a company SELLING rebuilds wanted $750 with exchange, these guys did our motor in under an hour while I waited for $75. Still working, 1.5 years later, 24/7 use. We sold the transmitter and it's humming along nicely. Ionia, MI is the area if you're not in a hurry, glad to check with them. I'm having them rewire a brass-bladed desk fan for safety, and rewind a classic westinghouse art-deco floor fan, too. Good people. (would also be curious since I have (3) Birdviews if they can help.
I wonder if they serve Tequila to ease the boredom?
Getting back to seriousness..... Just checked and Amazon is much cheaper than Frys for magnet wire.
If you do it yourself and post photos of the process here, I'm sure it would help others who will eventually face the same problem with their motors. Satellite Guys contains an invaluable knowledge base of BirdView information. Without this place, there is no way I would have figured out how to fit mine with a magnet wheel / reed sensor for positioning.
Check this out. http://www.southernwinding.com/services.html
Check this out.....http://www.southernwinding.com/services.html
Our Services
In addition to providing quality service to these direct to end users, we have also remained one of the leading outsourced suppliers of quality rewinds for all full service electrical apparatus repair and motor management service providers.
Quality rewinds and motor management support
With having been in business since the mid 1940’s, we have just about seen and wound it all. We specialize in rewinding:
Can you post a photo of the armature with the measurements? I have a Von Weise motor up in the building. I'm sure it's good, and if it will work for you, you can have it.
Check this out.....http://www.southernwinding.com/services.html
Our Services
In addition to providing quality service to these direct to end users, we have also remained one of the leading outsourced suppliers of quality rewinds for all full service electrical apparatus repair and motor management service providers.
Quality rewinds and motor management support
With having been in business since the mid 1940’s, we have just about seen and wound it all. We specialize in rewinding:
- Fractional to 750 horse power
- DC Armatures
- Random & Form Coil
- AC/DC Rotors & Fields
- 3 Phase Stators & Motors
- Low to Medium Voltage
Can you post a photo of the armature with the measurements? I have a Von Weise motor up in the building. I'm sure it's good, and if it will work for you, you can have it.I have started into the job. There are 10 winding's of 51 wraps each. About 300 ft of 24 AWG Mag wire by weight. When the armature was wound at the factory they started in the middle and worked both sides out at the same time. The wire connections on the armature commutator are to facilitate machine winding and not indicative of how the electricity flows through the armature. I have disassembled the winding and ordered some mag wire. I made a little jig to hold the armature while I work on it.
Just an FYI for you, it is no longer politically correct to use that term! Years ago, we in the Machinist trade had to start referring to them as a "fixture" instead!
LOL okay thenJust an FYI for you, it is no longer politically correct to use that term! Years ago, we in the Machinist trade had to start referring to them as a "fixture" instead!
I must have lived a sheltered life. It took me a little while to figure out what was "politically" wrong with that. Learn something new every day.
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Same here had to research that one.. Ridiculous if you ask me but whatever.LOL okay then
Please try to take time and remember to stop and take pictures throughout the whole thing, start to finish.
Very curious to see how it turns out.
Very curious to see how it turns out.
My fingers are sore just looking at the picture!
Fixed a couple of starter motors many years ago by re-winding the fields and armature. Was a lot of time spent. Much too lazy to do that now. There is a shop nearby that still does that sort of work quite reasonably.
Good luck with your re-winding!
Fixed a couple of starter motors many years ago by re-winding the fields and armature. Was a lot of time spent. Much too lazy to do that now. There is a shop nearby that still does that sort of work quite reasonably.
Good luck with your re-winding!
Well that didn't go well While I learned how it was wound I didn't learn any techniques used to do the job. I did not wind it tight enough and it shifted and shorted right out. I was debating weather or not trying to wind tighter would hurt the insulation. But definitely needs wound tight.
While I learned how it was wound I didn't learn any techniques used to do the job. I did not wind it tight enough and it shifted and shorted right out. I was debating weather or not trying to wind tighter would hurt the insulation. But definitely needs wound tight.
Is there some type of resin or varnish that you could pour/brush onto the windings to help hold them in place?Well that didn't go well
There may be something like that, but I think If I just pay attention and do it the right way it should be fine. One thing I noticed about this wire, the insulation doesn't melt. I was thinking about baring the wire where it contacts the commutator and tried to burn it off with a Bic lighter and it wouldn't melt.
In page 22 of this document (24 in the PDF) they talk about various bonding agents (including epoxy) to reinforce or unitize the windings in motors. Just an option to consider.
Here is the link if you're interested: http://www.intemag.com/pdf/Henkel-Loctite_Magnet_Bonding.pdf
Here is the link if you're interested: http://www.intemag.com/pdf/Henkel-Loctite_Magnet_Bonding.pdf
Just an FYI for you, it is no longer politically correct to use that term! Years ago, we in the Machinist trade had to start referring to them as a "fixture" instead!
I use jig heads when I go fishing. I never heard of anyone using a "fixture" head to fish with.
You'll get all sorts of weird looks when you ask for a fixture head among fishermen.- Status
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