Genie Motor replacement

Hi all,

I’ve got an almost older than the hills Diamond Pacific Genie that
has been handy for years. But a couple weeks ago, the motor, which
had been running a lot hotter than it used to do, started smoking
and sputtering. I shut it off. Cooled down, now it hums and sparks a
bit when turned on, but doesn’t work, even with a spin to get it
started. So I conclude it’s finally dead.

Now, Diamond Pacific lists a new motor for $450 on their web site.
These are good motors, built by Baldor. But that’s still a bit
steep, at least on my budget. I seem to recall, way back in some
posting years ago, someone mentioned a source for the things cheaper
than Diamond Pacific. I thought it might be Grainger, but can’t
locate anything of the sort on their web site. Does anyone happen to
know? or am I just going to have to get it from Diamond Pacific at
their fully marked up price? Or does someone have one they’d like to
sell?

Thanks.
Peter Rowe
Seattle

Now, Diamond Pacific lists a new motor for $450 on their web
site. These are good motors, built by Baldor. But that's still a
bit steep, at least on my budget. I seem to recall, way back in
some posting years ago, someone mentioned a source for the things
cheaper than Diamond Pacific. 

You might want to contact Kingsley North re the CabKing motor. It’s
similar to the Genie and might be less expensive. The motor is made
in Italy. I learned this from a local gentleman who is one of (I
think) 3 people here in the US who build the CabKing units.

Lorraine

Peter,

Look in the yellow pages for motor repair or motor rewinders. You
can probably get the motor rebuild locally for a fraction of the
price.

Kay

Peter,

I thought it might be Grainger, but can't locate anything of the
sort on their web site. Does anyone happen to know? or am I just
going to have to get it from Diamond Pacific at their fully marked
up price? Or does someone have one they'd like to sell? 

Most major cities have multiple sources for electric motors. Motion
Industries I think has a location in or near Seattle. SOme places
can send a motor out to be rewound. Also, being in Seattle puts you
in the unique opportunity to check out the Boeing used item site
(look up on Google). When replacing a motor you have to match the
mounting pattern, the speed (unless you can change pulleys to match),
shaft dia, and voltage, but not the brand name. Lee or similar might
have a replacement. Lots of motors on ebay.

Best of luck,
Dan Culver

Pull it off, take it into a Graingers or McMaster-Carr. Maybe post
some of the on the Orchid site. If it has a label,
google the numbers and id on the label. Never buy motors retail.
They’re selling at list plus, and even the electrical shops sell at
list minus 20 to 50% From a “cheap” electrical engineer…

Howard Hurley

Peter, Unfortunately I don’t know of anywhere else you can obtain
such a motor other than DP. The Genie motor has special extended
shafts that are not common. I suspect DP has them made special or
modified motors themselves. All I can say is good luck in locating
such a machine.

Cheers
from Don in SOFL.

Hi,

My name is Franklin Miranda Kerl, I am a member of Ganoksin and read
the posts. I am also An authorized Diamond Pacific Distributor. I
believe that I can get you your motor for a lot less. If you are
still interested please email me at offline for your individual
quote. Perhaps you may be interested in new wheels for your machine,
I can get your new wheels or whatever at a great savings as well.

Sincerely
Franklin Miranda Kerl.

I thought it might be Grainger, but can't locate anything of the
sort on their web site 

I don’t know what’s on their web site, but I would take them the
motor with high confidence that they could match it.

Al Balmer
Sun City, AZ

Hey Peter, Don is correct that the diamond pacific motor is
propriatory. I went through the same thing with my ancient genie. If
your machine is older than about 1976 you will have 2 wheels on each
side instead of three with a replaceable two wheel hub making up the
six grits. When mine shut down with plenty of smoke I was sure I’d
burned up the windings so I called a motor repair company and was
quoted about half the price of a new motor to have mine rewound. I
did some reading online and found a lot of the time when motors go
bad it is the start/run capacitor that goes out and they are cheap.

I picked up a new start capacitor and now the motor runs just fine,
a nice 6$ repair. I’d try replacing the start/run capacitor before
doing anything else.

Good luck, Jim Doherty

check the yellow pages for a motor repair -rewinder shop. Tell them
what you have… They can rebuild your motor (at what price?) It can
come out at good or even better than new. Rebuilding small motors is
usually not too cost effective but you probably have the right case.

jesse

Peter,

I would check local electric motor shops and see what they would
charge to rebuild/rewind the motor. Baldor motors are good motors and
are usually worth the cost of fixing.

Rick Copeland
rockymountainwonders.com

A few years ago I needed to replace my Genie motor. I looked
everywhere I could find and everywhere others told me to look without
success. Rewinding the motor was essentially the same cost as a new
one. The double shaft is the issue. No one seemed to make that one so
the price went up. Maybe it can be found now. I lucked out and found
a good used one over on Bob’s Rock Shop site but they are rare to
find. Good luck.

FredM

Peter you might try a motor repair shop. On the higher end motors
like the Baldor’s it is possible to repair them. I had a place up
here in Bellingham repair a Baldor polishing motor with a Wells
quick chuck that would have cost $750 to replace but was $160 to
repair.

Jim

James Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts

Replacing the starting capacitor is worth trying. It is cheap (I
think I paid about eight bucks for mine) and easy to do (it is
located inside the base - you just turn the motor upside-down and
remove the plate.) My Genie was ancient when I bought it and the
guys at Diamond Pacific suggested that, even though it was running
all right, it would be a smart idea to replace that old capacitor.
So I think it’s worth an eight dollar gamble and maybe you will
solve the problem.

John
Indiana

Peter,

Sounds like the brushes have worn down, and started to drag with the
frame of the brush holder. I would check to see if they can be
replaced, check with motor maker for replacements, or at the least
turn them around to get more graphite on the armature. Thy that
before you just up and replace the motor.

Tom Parish
Handy Man for Designs by Suz

Sounds like the brushes have worn down, and started to drag with
the frame of the brush holder. 

These are brushless (induction) capacitor start motors. No brushes
to wear out.

But the folks who suggested first trying a replacement capacitor had
an economical idea. I’ll try that before anything more costly.

Thanks to all for the ideas.

One thing i don’t think I mentioned in the original posting is that
in addition to quiting amidst smoke and sparking, the left hand shaft
has for some time been slightly bent, enough so that the diamond
grinding wheels “bump”, not nice for stones, and wear unevenly. I’ll
only try to get the motor rebuilt or rewound if the shop can also
true up that shaft, which might be iffy. That, plus the fact that
this is a rather unusual motor with it’s long double sided shafts
and being completely sealed, is why I expect that if a new capacitor
doesn’t fix it, I’ll end up replacing it instead.

cheers
Peter

Sounds like the brushes have worn down, and started to drag with
the frame of the brush holder. I would check to see if they can be
replaced, check with motor maker for replacements, or at the least
turn them around to get more graphite on the armature. Thy that
before you just up and replace the motor. 

The kind of motor used in the Genie is an induction motor, it has no
brushes.

James Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts

Peter,

But the folks who suggested first trying a replacement capacitor
had an economical idea. I'll try that before anything more costly.
Thanks to all for the ideas. 

You will likely replace the motor. Here’s why I know this. I bought a
29 year old Genie that was never used. It overheated and smoked the
capacitor very quickly. The local motor shop replaced the capacitor,
but said the motor was now “overamping” and was not running right. I
was semi-lucky. I can run the Genie about half an hour before I have
to shut it off and let it cool. The DP guy at this years Tucson show
filled me in on the amping problem. The insulation on the winding is
damaged just enough to cause the electrical aberration (which then
causes the overheating) but not enough to stop the motor from
running. Rewinding (not recommended) or replacement are the only
cures.

Ray Brown

Rewinding (not recommended) or replacement are the only cures. 

Thanks for that info, Ray.

Did he say why he doesn’t recommend rewinding?

Pam Chott
www.songofthephoenix.com

I hate to say it, but I’m afraid Ray is right. The fact that it
smokes is the clue that something is burning, probably the
insulation on the windings. Still though, for only a few bucks, it’s
still worth trying the capacitor replacement.

If all else fails I have a Genie that I might be pursuaded to sell.
I haven’t used it since I got my faceting machine six months ago.

John
Indiana