Need help with Keith Monks cleaner.

glynnw · 2030

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Offline glynnw

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on: September 10, 2012, 11:16:35 AM
Hi guys -  I am trying to resurrect a 30 year old Keith Monks record cleaner.  All is now working, but the vacuum motor (this thing has 3 motors, plastic tubing, bottles, even a moving string - meets all my Walter Mitty desires) needs a nudge on the cooling fan to get it started. Cleaning and lubing didn't correct the situation, so I put a 20 Mfd Russian cap in front of it and it now starts (20 was the smallest value that I had that worked).  If I buy a cap with a high voltage rating, can I leave it in line in front of the motor or do I need to develop some kind of switch that takes it out of the circuit as soon as the motor starts?

PC, J River software, opticaRendu, Schitt Ygg DAC,Tortuga Pre, Torta Radu tube buffer, Linear Tube Audio ZOTL10, Spatial Audio X5w/pair of GR Research dual 12" open baffle servo subwoofers tamed by DSpeaker Dual-Core DSP , Audience AU24 SE  spkr cable, handmade silver interconnects,


Offline Jim R.

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Reply #1 on: September 10, 2012, 11:46:28 AM
Glynn,

You can just get a motor start cap from one of the surplus places and you should have no problems.

I'm jelous BTW :-).

-- Jim

Jim Rebman -- recovering audiophile

Equitech balanced power; uRendu, USB processor -> Musette DAC -> 5670 tube buffer -> Finale Audio F138 FFX -> Cain and Cain Abbys near-field).

s.e.x. 2.1 under construction.  Want list: Stereomour II

All ICs homemade (speaker and power next)


Offline Grainger49

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Reply #2 on: September 10, 2012, 12:06:10 PM
Glynn,

Ok, if it takes 50uF to get it running I wonder if a lower value, AC rated cap will get it started.  You can take it out with a SPST switch, or leave it in.  My VPI HW-19 has a 2uF cap, IIRC, that stays in the circuit. 

Just to be sure, the cooling fan is attached to the vacuum motor, right?  Also, I take it the capacitor is in parallel with the motor, not in series, right?



Offline glynnw

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Reply #3 on: September 10, 2012, 12:31:56 PM
Hi Grainger - I just have a 20 Mfd cap directly in line in front of the motor.  The electricity goes from the on/off switch, to the cap and then to the motor.  I guess that is in series.  (Have I mentioned I couldn't build a Bottlehead kit without Doc's great photographs - I know nada about electronics.)

PC, J River software, opticaRendu, Schitt Ygg DAC,Tortuga Pre, Torta Radu tube buffer, Linear Tube Audio ZOTL10, Spatial Audio X5w/pair of GR Research dual 12" open baffle servo subwoofers tamed by DSpeaker Dual-Core DSP , Audience AU24 SE  spkr cable, handmade silver interconnects,


Offline Grainger49

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Reply #4 on: September 10, 2012, 02:13:25 PM
Glynn,

And now I'm not sure.  I thought I remembered that the start/run cap was in parallel.  What you describe is indeed in series. 



Offline glynnw

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Reply #5 on: September 10, 2012, 03:55:01 PM
I just tried it in parallel and no results  - will leave it in series.  Plan to order higher voltage rating motor run cap and hope I don't eventually burn the house down.  I cannot imagine walking out of the room and leaving this unit running - it is much too loud to leave on unless actively cleaning a record.

Thanks for all your input.

PC, J River software, opticaRendu, Schitt Ygg DAC,Tortuga Pre, Torta Radu tube buffer, Linear Tube Audio ZOTL10, Spatial Audio X5w/pair of GR Research dual 12" open baffle servo subwoofers tamed by DSpeaker Dual-Core DSP , Audience AU24 SE  spkr cable, handmade silver interconnects,


Offline Grainger49

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Reply #6 on: September 11, 2012, 01:01:03 AM
In the dark of predawn, "in series" makes sense.  The cap is going to increase the torque of the motor by changing the angle of the current through the motor.  Parallel wouldn't change the current through the motor.