Attn Jim Martin, Michael or Mikey Solution Reel Motor Quit Vortex

[BLewis]

Just after winding up suction hose Saturday the power went out on the V panel altogether. Shut power button off and back on and everything was good to go. However when we went to our Sunday night jobs and after 1st job was complete was getting ready to wind the suctionhose back up we got nothing. Checked all fuses, pulled off cover to motor, and direct wired switch and tried to bypass sylinoid like on the old cars I can't get anything. Seems not to have power at all. Checked brushs on motor (picture enclosed) it seemed fine. Any ideas where this motor gets it power from? Tried to trace the wires but couldn't determine where they went. Any ideas? I'm not an electrician but I am going to take a voltmeter and play around but I don't really know what I'm doing.

 

[AshleyMckendree]

Maybe some Pixi dust got in it?

 

[BLewis]

You seen that too! Lower right hand corner. Ash you have any ideas? wasn't meaning to leave anyone out I just figured those mentioned may have had first hand experience. Somehow I do think that the power shutting off Saturday and this problem are connected.

 

[AshleyMckendree]

Sorry Billy, my Knowledge of DC motors is very limited!

 

[Jim Martin]

Take a test light and start at the motor and work you way back until it does not light up any more...fastest and easiest way to do this........

 

[dealtimeman]

Take a picture of the inside of your panel and I should be able to trace power from there.

call me 817-829-4708

 

[FredC]

Michael,

isn't the reel motor power drawn directly from the battery (+) leaving only the components in the pics except maybe an inline fuse?

 

[BLewis]

Fred , I think you may be right, I crawled all under that fooker for an hour today, only problem was it split near the battery and looked as if it was headed to control panel.
michael had panel apart today and started to take pics of that also but did n't. Have a 10-2 job Tue, then I will get pics and call

 

[FredC]

I could be wrong but earlier versions of the Vortex did have it drawing (+) from the battery and then grounded to the frame. If not getting 12v coming up from the floor I would first look for an inline fuse in the engine bay...also possibly a broken connection at the battery before I started looking at the panel.

If getting 12v you have a bad CB, Motor, solenoidswitch, bad ground...or possibly just a bad connection to one of the components.

It isn't likely the panel and its components are a distributing power to the motor....more likely tandem on the incoming lug...........if it is routed through the panel


but I've only seen a vortex in pics...so wtf do I know

 

[Mikey P]

Im pretty sure Fred is correct. The reel reel motor is wired directly to the battery..look for a short

 

[BLewis]

Michael, here's the pics. Messaged the guy that had a hand in building my 2006 Vortex and he said that that model was powered from the battery. Included a pic of this as well. Is that thingy magigy in the black holder a fuse? Checked ground near there to frame it looked tight however I need to loosen it and retighten to make sure.

 

[FredC]

Is that thingy magigy in the black holder a fuse?

Thats what it looks like.

 

[BLewis]

Yeap, 30 amp fuse but it's good. Took ground wire off and scrapped frame etc etc etc. no luck yet. There is some corrosion around terminal I'll check that next. I need to give up on it for couple days my wife's grandfather passed away and we are going to visitation tonight and funeral tommorrow. Michael I'll call u Wed afternoon or Thursday.

 

[BradFenstermaker]

Billy go ahead and replace that 30 amp fuse anyway. Sometimes they can still be bad. Do the same with any other fuseable relay inline 2 motor. If you have a 12V test light use it on the large post's of the Starter relay in the 2nd picture.

That relay may be bad not letting the 12V thru. 1 side is gonna have 12V then hit the reel switch and it clicks to flow voltage 2 motor. Just an idea to easily test.

Also my condolence's on your loss.

 

[Larry Cobb]

Billy;

Check for 12VDC on both sides of the circuit breaker shown in the 2nd photo just to the left of the solenoid.

It is a part with limited durability.

We have better replacements.

Larry

 

[BLewis]

OK, Brad and Larry
Brad I checked the larger post on the starter relay and I am only getting 3v.
Larry same with the circuit breaker when I touch voltmeter to either post and a ground I get 3 Volts.

Fuse has been replaced and I am getting 12v at the battery and lead to motor and ground at the battery end

With a continuity tester I am getting a light at the switch until I depress the switch then it goes out so I "assume" this means the swith is good.

Michael, I left you a message, I will be here the rest of afternoon and have all panels open to access.

Frank or Larry the fact that I can only find 3 volts at the relay and the circuit breaker which would it suggest is bad?

I have a guy that can look at it next week it's just he's on vacation in vegas

 

[Jim Martin]

OK, Brad and Larry
Brad I checked the larger post on the starter relay and I am only getting 3v.
Larry same with the circuit breaker when I touch voltmeter to either post and a ground I get 3 Volts.

Fuse has been replaced and I am getting 12v at the battery and lead to motor and ground at the battery end

With a continuity tester I am getting a light at the switch until I depress the switch then it goes out so I "assume" this means the swith is good.

Michael, I left you a message, I will be here the rest of afternoon and have all panels open to access.

Frank or Larry the fact that I can only find 3 volts at the relay and the circuit breaker which would it suggest is bad?

I have a guy that can look at it next week it's just he's on vacation in vegas

correct me if I am wrong but you should have no continuity at the switch until you press the button.....when you press the button you are closing the circuit.........are you testing it with it wired up or did you remove the wires first....have you taken the wires off the switch and touched them together and by pass the switch....

you need to start a power of elimination.....find your power sorce and start checking it from there all the way to the motor until you lose your 12 volts......

make yourself a jumper wire and start jumping out everything......if all you are getting is 3 volts..it could be a blead over/back from something else....so dont concentrate on it to much....it will just take you places and waste your time.........call me if you need to...pretty sure we can figure it out.....


are you getting 12 volts at the switch....and then when you press it are you getting 12 volts to the other side of the switch........

have you tried taking a piece of wire and running a separate ground from somewhere and then to the motor to by pass the other one...

something made the whole machine shut off..........then it stated back with out you having to reset anything......that's the thing that sticks out the most........

 

[BLewis]

Thanks Jim. I will follow up with each of these suggestions tomorrow

 

[BLewis]

Jim, I did take the switch wires off and jump them, nothing. I thought I had found the problem today, I was wiggling the ground wire on the battery end today and it snapped off, I actually got excited because I thought this has been the culprit all along. Replaced with new wire end, new washers on both sides of frame, nothing.
What's wierd is yesterday I was getting 5 volts where I was getting 3 v two days ago, today I am getting 7.6 volts, at one side of switch, at the big terminals on the starter relay and at the circuit breaker. Michael and I have been trying to hook up but he's coming back from his trip and one of us is busy when the other has time. My friend will be back from Vegas this week, so I'll have him see if he can help me find it.

Worked on both about as long as I can today, have to get ready to head out for several jobs scheduled a little later today/night

 

[Jim Martin]

At this point I would run a wire from the battery to the switch and see what happens....

and I would run a new ground....

 

[dealtimeman]

I am on the road now and can talk give me a call when you get a chance. Will be on the road till 2 am.

 

[BradFenstermaker]

Billy I may not have explained correctly. The side where you got 3Volts, should be 12 Volts when you hit the switch for the reel to roll. May take a helper. The switch tells the relay to open flowing the 12V over to motor.

Hope you get it fixed soon, bet your shoulder's are getting big.

 

[dealtimeman]

He tested the switch for continuity and the switch is good. I am thinking loose wire, bad or corroded ground, or burnt up wire.

 

[BLewis]

OK Mr. Jim, I finally got around to running a new Hot wire from battery to switch. Reel purred like a kitten. Funny thing is when I put the voltmeter to bottom of switch I am now getting 12v on original wire but it won't engage. I tried piggy tailing the fuse link and got nothing. I ran the extra wire from where the fuse hooks to battery and everything works. Soooooo, now I need to run a new hot wire and either use old fuse link or add in a new one correct ?
Probably easier than trying to find the break in old wire, which I looked for the other day to no avail.

 

[BLewis]

Ok, ran new wire, wired into fuse and to bottom of switch, so far so good. \

Thanks to all for your help in tracking down the problem, I will keep my fingers crossed!

 

[BradFenstermaker]

No go take some Ibuprophen. Glad you got it fixed.

 

[steve g]

ok I have to say it call shawn yoork and get him to fix it