Decided prevention is better than cure for once.

The on/off switch on my woodlathe was completely FUBAR. I have taken it apart and fixed it twice but it keeps breaking itself. It was one of those old style switches which simply connect or disconnect a circuit using mechanical locking pins, and these pins kept bending too far out of the way to no longer work, or bending in the way to make the lathe be stuck in the on position!

So before getting my clothing wrapped up in the spindle and having my arms broken, I decided to lash out and replace the switch with something a little more familiar to me. An on/off switch with an emergency stop which I can knee to the stop the lathe before it breaks my arms. I got real lucky the first time connecting the wires to the correct point, because really I have no idea. I only know which is in and which is out, but there are two wires for both the in and out. what happens if I get them backwards? The lathe spins the other way??

The timber plate is covering the massive hole left behind by the previous switch. A steel plate would probably be more appropriate, but wood looks better.

Attachment 400394

ADDED BY ADMIN

DISCLAIMER

No liability is accepted by UBeaut or the Wood Working Forum's administrators
or moderators for advice offered by members posting replies
or asking questions regarding electrical work.
We strongly advise contacting a Licensed Tradeperson for all electrical work.
WARNING

Information supplied within posts is not to be considered as detailed formal instructions to complete a task.
Members following such information do so at their own risk

It won't spin the other way but depending on the switch it's likely to deactivate the electromagnetic lock out.

Frist question is, does your switch have a 5th smaller pin?
This must be connected to the activate out to activate the EM lockout and that side of the switch must have the active in and out pair of wires.

If not read on

To test if the EM lock out is working turn the lathe on so that it is running and then turn it off at the GPO.
Now turn the GPO on again - if it runs, the EM lock out has been deactivated and you have to switch both pairs of wires on the switch, i.e. keep the neutral with the neutral and active lining up with the active.

thanks Bob. it seems I have connected it correctly. Initially I connected the 4 wires (two blue and two brown wires). then I had two spare wires which I believe is the earth wire (green and gold banded wire). Those two wires were joined together and just bolted to the steel lathe cabinet (seemed dodgy but that's what it was). I just connected those two wires together and let them hang free. When I tried to turn the lathe on, the lathe would only stay on while I held the green button down. So then I noticed the smaller 5th pin on the side of the switch and figured it would be a good spot to put those earth wires. I did that and now the lathe turns on and stays on. I tested turning the lathe on and off at the GPO and it doesn't turn back on, so the wires must be correct.

Gees Kuffy.......from your narration of your electrical task, You have taken a BIG risk. You are only dead once and electricity will do it for you with out any warning!!! Your "dodgy" statement about the earth wires is testament of your lack of knowledge. Your lathe, motor and stand (if made of metal) HAVE to be connected in case one of the other wires come loose and want to electrocute you.

What ever the cost you need to get a qualified Electrician to do any wiring/checking for you

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kuffy

thanks Bob. it seems I have connected it correctly. Initially I connected the 4 wires (two blue and two brown wires). then I had two spare wires which I believe is the earth wire (green and gold banded wire). Those two wires were joined together and just bolted to the steel lathe cabinet (seemed dodgy but that's what it was). I just connected those two wires together and let them hang free. When I tried to turn the lathe on, the lathe would only stay on while I held the green button down. So then I noticed the smaller 5th pin on the side of the switch and figured it would be a good spot to put those earth wires. I did that and now the lathe turns on and stays on. I tested turning the lathe on and off at the GPO and it doesn't turn back on, so the wires must be correct.

---

DO NOT used that switch or that machine as you have wired.

Disconnect the earth wires from that fifth pin.
Those wires MUST be connected to the steel lathe cabinet.

I won't go into detail regarding what you have done until you do this.

hmm ok. I am not using the machine at the moment. Don't stress too much. I will actually read about how to wire up a switch properly instead of just winging it. And if I still don't understand what is going on, I'll just get a pro to do it. Thanks fellas.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kuffy

hmm ok. I am not using the machine at the moment. Don't stress too much. I will actually read about how to wire up a switch properly instead of just winging it. And if I still don't understand what is going on, I'll just get a pro to do it. Thanks fellas.

---

Before doing anything else put the earth wires back on the steel case so that you and your machine will at better protected.

Then you have both neutral and active connection on the switch the wrong way around.
The 5th pin needs to be connected to the active out pin by a short length of wire.

Like this - the dotted lines are internal to the switch.
Attachment 400418

The reason the switch was working was because you had the the EM lockout connected in reverse with the active being provided internally and your earth wire connections son the other side acting as a neutral. Apart from your cabinets not being earthed, earth wiring should not be used as a neutral as this can be dangerous.

The circuit diagram is usually on the switch itself although they can be tricky to interpret.

Both Bob and YouTube were singing the same tune so I gave it a crack. Connected the green/gold wire to the cabinet, jumped what I believe to be active out (brown wire) to the little A1 pin (i dunno why the switch doesn't this internally????) and hooked up the other wires. It didn't zap me or give a buzzing sound so that was good. But it only spins the lathe while holding the start button.

I will try again tomorrow assuming the blue wires are active instead of the brown wires. The motor and wiring is not original to the machine. It had a 3 phase motor at one point, now it is single phase. I think I will need to run new wires from the motor to the switch because now they are 100mm short because I screwed up when stripping the outer casing and cut into a wire :(

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kuffy

Both Bob and YouTube were singing the same tune so I gave it a crack. Connected the green/gold wire to the cabinet, jumped what I believe to be active out (brown wire) to the little A1 pin (i dunno why the switch doesn't this internally????)

---

Some do that, but on your one I guess they just want to give users the option of being able to use the switch in a non-EM lock out form.

Quote:

---

But it only spins the lathe while holding the start button,

---

That means the EM switching is not latching?

Do you at least have a 250V meter so that you can check what is what?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kuffy

jumped what I believe to be active out (brown wire) to the little A1 pin (i dunno why the switch doesn't this internally????

---

This is done so that you can connect a separate large (normally closed) emergency stop switch between the active out and the A1 pin.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bohdan

This is done so that you can connect a separate large (normally closed) emergency stop switch between the active out and the A1 pin.

---

Forgot about that, I have a couple of mine hooked up to cabinet microswitches etc.

the EM was working when I had the earth lead connected to the little pin.

I have one of these, I don't really know how to read it or what it is rated to, says max 10amps. I used it for checking a burnt commutator on one of my routers a while back.
Best Buy Multimeter - Digital, 12V, Automotive - Supercheap Auto

I thought about using a meter to check which wire is hot, but I can't quite picture how I would do this to a wire which at the moment is basically an extension lead with one end cut off, without zapping myself.

The plug on the lead to my lathe isn't one of those DIY'ers plugs. It is press fit or molded, the store bought kind, no idea what they are called. It was probably an extension lead at one time, or a lead to another broken power tool. So that makes me believe the hot wire is the brown wire on the IN side atleast. perhaps the OUT wires running to the motor were installed wrong.

Kuffy,
Shannon I would really like to see you get a sparky in on this one.
It's not funny playing with,⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️ this stuff, they will get it done in under an hour.
Your house insurance will still be valid.
It's not now ,if that thing burns your house down.
And you get to make our next gtg.
Instead of us making you a cheap nasty box to bury you in.

Matt[emoji20]

Shannon, I'll wander down and clean out your shed.

Get a sparky to wire your switch, you dunderhead.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Simplicity

Instead of us making you a cheap nasty box to bury you in.

---

Thankyou for your concerns fellas, however if things do go pear shaped. Don't waste good wood on me, just kick me to the kerb and let the street sweeper take care of it :D

Lol, I was so happy with myself this morning thinking I finally fixed something BEFORE it attempted to injure me. Usually things will hurt me a dozen times before I even consider "wasting time" to fix it. It's funny how this thread changed from a successful installation of a switch so that I can stop the lathe without my hands, to a OMG that lathe is now deadly!!!! Luckily I am willing to share what I do so that people have the opportunity to say, "uhm....dood...ya know what ya did there...thats real bad" :D

I am gonna give it another crack tomorrow morning for no more than 2 hours. If it isn't working by then, I will get a sparky to do it after I get a job which pays actual money. To get a sparky to do it now will cost me approx 3 weeks wages...sad but true.