Log splitter

[Dave Thornley]

I have one of the cheapo electric/hydraulic log splitters. What has happened after a year outside it was reluctant to start but finally got it going. It has a motor which operates an hydraulic ram. Now what I am finding is that sometimes when I press the start button the motor it goes clockwise and sometimes anticlockwise. The only problem is the hydraulic pump only works if the motor is spinning clockwise. If it is spinning anticlockwise the pump does not work and hence does not move.
I cannot recall if this motor rotation was always random and the pump worked in either direction of spin or if the motor always went clockwise.
Now for it to change direction it needs the connections on the start winding to change around but this thing is not that sophisticated in my mind. Any ideas?

 

[mattylad]

make/model/photo? (photo of the splitter - not your cat).

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Old electric synchronous clocks had a pawl / ratchet system, which when the motor was first powered up, would force the motor to only run in the correct direction. Might it be something like this mechanism which has failed, so it can now start running either way?

Sounds a bit unlikely though....

 

[Dave Thornley]

Its the cheap badged chinese job mine is marked Woodstar LH65 from Lidl but is same as Sheppach ones. I have watched all the You Tube videos and from what I have seen the motor does tend to run clockwise so no idea why mine runs 50:50 direction wise.
Am awaiting a reply from Germany ie Sheppach.

 

[lostinthelight]

Have you checked the start capacitor?

 

[Burnerman]

+1 if the machine has one.
John

 

[Dave Thornley]

I reckon the capacitor is in circuit during stating and running. I did forget to mention one crucial fact that is that often on pressing the start button it just hums and there is no rotation. Here is the link to the manual showing the circuitry, https://www.thehandy.co.uk/sites/default/files/THLS-6-PLUS 193894002 IM 21-07-2016.pdf
Page 11 shows the circuit diagram and is obvious that the problem must be caused by the start winding receiving no power and who looks the likely culprit? yes the capacitor so that is going to be replaced.

 

[Burnerman]

The capacitor ‘kicks’ the motor into life, resulting in the correct rotation.
It looks easy enough to get to, inside the switch housing......should be an easy repair!
John

 

[Dave Thornley]

Just ordered one so fingers crossed.

 

[lostinthelight]

It may help others who have the same issue if you come back with the outcome?

 

[Dave Thornley]

I always tidy up any topics I start in any of the forums I belong to. I hate threads where one never knows the final outcome.

 

[bernardgreen]

Being pedantic.

The capacitor is a run capacitor, it and the winding it is connected to create a pseudo second phase in the motors magnetic circuits. The motor is in effect a two phase motor

 

[Dave Thornley]

Not being pedantic at all. Id agreeas a start capacitor is disconnected from the circuit when the motor has kicked in. There is nothing in the diagrams I have seen to indictate any type of switch, usually centrifugal, in this arrangement. Remember is a cheap Chinese job rebadged by every man and his dog

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Not being pedantic at all. Id agreeas a start capacitor is disconnected from the circuit when the motor has kicked in. There is nothing in the diagrams I have seen to indictate any type of switch, usually centrifugal, in this arrangement. Remember is a cheap Chinese job rebadged by every man and his dog

It looks to me like the idea is to change the phase in the second winding, so as to reproduce produce a second phase.

 

[Dave Thornley]

Changed the capacitor a short while ago and all is fine.Have started motor up a dozen times and goes clockwise each time. Success