Reliant/ Essex Failed power supply?

[smwilliamson]

Ok working on my dream stove

Got an AES Essex someone dropped off in my shop. Seriously, I had to remove the hopper to get the combustion motor out!

Anyway...this is the AC/DC model. All motors are 12v DC. I have 13.45v going to the motor from my multimeter but no spin. If I direct a car battery to the motor..I get spin.

Is there not enough line amps or something, how do I check for that? HATE THESE STOVES!

 

[smoke show]

In the car world we like the voltage drop test.

 

[smwilliamson]

Im fairly certain that it has to do with the power supply...just not enough time to tinker with this bad boy. How does one do such test?

 

[mralias]

You can use a shunt resistor to measure current using a common voltmeter.

As Ohm's law states:

I = V/R

Where:

I = Current
V = Voltage
R = Resistance

To implement the formula, simply put a low-value resistor in series with the power or ground connection to the ESC, then measure the voltage difference between each lead of the resistor. The difference can be plugged into the formula to yield a current.

For example, a .05 ohm shunt resistor reads "0.17V" across the two terminals. We simply replace the variables with our known values and solve the equation

1: I = 0.17/.05

2: I = 3.4A

When using this though, take care that the shunt resistor is of the lowest possible value to minimize voltage losses, and by minimizing voltage losses, you are also minimizing power dissipation, as:

W = VI

Therefore:

W = I x I x R

Using this formula we can calculate power dissipation of the given resistor. Suppose the conditions of the above example, 3.4A and 0.05 ohms.

1: W = 3.4 x 3.4 x 0.05

2: W = .578W

Keep in mind that the resistor power rating of your shunt must be a higher number than your calculated dissipation at max continuous current draw you plan to measure.

The above is not my idea. Found this in a search but it makes sense.

 

[heat seeker]

Where are you measuring the voltages? To ground, or across the motor (the leads)? You might have a bad return path from the motor, which would show you voltage to the motor, but not across the motor. It's voltage across the motor that makes it run.

That's a common problem on the old tractors I work on - bad grounds. They show voltage to the starter (measured to ground), but no voltage across the starter itself.

ETA: are you measuring the voltage with the motor trying to run?

 

[Don2222]

Hello

As motors wear out the starting current needed to start the motor increases. Since car batteries can deliver up to 600 amps to get the engine's big crankshaft turning using the automatic starter, you may have proved the motor is no good! However if there are any bad connections to your combustion motor that can also limit the current being delivered to your blower.

 

[smoke show]

How does one do such test?

DVOM set to DC volts, connect red lead directly to power source and black lead directly to load(circuit still connected). You should have a reading real close to zero volts(no drop). Same can be done on ground side(source to load circuit intact and loaded). Its a fast test to determine circuit resitance if system voltage is dectected(as you mentioned it was). That being said I would tend to agree with your guess of the power supply, as corrosion and high circuit resistance seem unlikely in a pellet stove.

That's a common problem on the old tractors I work on - bad grounds. They show voltage to the starter (measured to ground), but no voltage across the starter itself.

This is an excellent example of where the voltage drop test speeds the process of diagnosing circuit faults when system voltage is available.
Keep in mind the circuit needs to be loaded.

 

[Don2222]

Ok working on my dream stove

Hi Scott

This is my dream stove ! ! !
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...-like-in-your-wood-pellet-super-stove.106102/

 

[smwilliamson]

or I can call the guy and tell him to come get his piece o' crap out of my work bay.....this is the winning plan thus far

 

[Don2222]

or I can call the guy and tell him to come get his piece o' crap out of my work bay.....this is the winning plan thus far

Giving up is not a good fix!

 

[heat seeker]

Yeah, hang in there and suffer for your craft! Besides, then we'd never know just what the problem is...