How do I wire a vintage General Electrics motor

[atferrari]

I do appreciate its difficult trying to explain technical terminology to a person who has no knowledge on a particular subject. A similar analogy would be my attempting to explain the workings of a grande complication wristwatch to a person who doesn't understand the difference between a balance staff and a third wheel

I understand your concern. Yet in the clepsydra stage myself.

 

[diatribe]

OK try this:

The motor needs two connections to the mains, live (the brown wire in a mains cable), and neutral (the blue wire in a mains cable).

It is usual to put the switch in the live wire. You could put it in the neutral, but for various reasons it is much safer in the live wire.

An AC motor does not care which way round it is connected, it will turn in the same direction which ever side is connected to live and neutral.

So what I intended was this:
View attachment 113053


JimB

As previously stated, my understanding of electricity, electrical terminology, wiring diagrams et al is extremely limited at best. This is the only sort of diagram that I can comprehend. Logic tells me the two wires with spade connectors go to the capacitor , but that only leaves the yellow wire to go to the switch. Would it be possible to dumb down your diagrams in order that I can understand them, thanks.

 

[JimB]

Would it be possible to dumb down your diagrams in order that I can understand them,

Sorry, but I thought that I was being as simple as possible.
Let me think about that.

Note that I will not be here during the day tomorrow, but should be back in the evening.

JimB

 

[Ylli]

Referencing your 'Primitive wiring diagram', remove the neutral from the switch and connect it to one end or the other of the capacitor. The switch has only one input and one output terminal.

 

[diatribe]

I'm going to have a go with this one. Thank yu' all for your patience

 

[MaxHeadRoom78]

From your previous readings, my choice would be the yellow and brown swapped in the Final Solution.
Max

 

[atferrari]

I'm going to have a go with this one. Thank yu' all for your patience

Are live and neutral meeting at a common point in your diagram?

 

[MaxHeadRoom78]

Are live and neutral meeting at a common point in your diagram?

I assumed the pair are intended to be across the start winding?
Max.

 

[diatribe]

From your previous readings, my choice would be the yellow and brown swapped in the Final Solution.
Max

Hi Max,
Due to the fact that the yellow wire is the only one without a spade connector, its probably a violent presumption that the green and brown were originally on the capacitor, therefore the yellow must have gone to the switch and not the capacitor. I didn't remove any spade connectors when disconnecting the wires.

 

[MaxHeadRoom78]

You can try it the way you have it, if it is wrong, it may exhibit poor performance especially under load.
From my personal experience the run winding is always been lower resistance.
The exception is a PSC Permanent start cap motor under 1hp and these often have equal winding's.
Max.

 

[Ylli]

Per MaxHeadoom78's concern: If the motor turns in the wrong direction, or performance is poor, move the neutral to the brown wire side of the cap.

 

[MaxHeadRoom78]

If the two start & run winding commons are connected internally then you cannot reverse it, only if it is a PSC motor with identical windings.
Max.

 

[diatribe]

Success, the motor is now running perfectly. Thank yu'all for your advice and patience.

 

[MaxHeadRoom78]

Success, the motor is now running perfectly. Thank yu'all for your advice and patience.

So what was the final hook-up?
Max.

 

[diatribe]

So what was the final hook-up?
Max.

 

[MaxHeadRoom78]

I would have liked to see a close up shot of the motor label, there appears to be misleading info in your 1st post.
Max.

 

[diatribe]

Here is all the info on the tag.

GENERAL ELECTRIC
Model 5KPM49FG166
HP 35M RP11 1600/1300 V 230
A 0.25/0.31 CY 60/50 PH 1
CAP 1.5 MFD ROT CCW OCU
TIME RATING CONT
FORT WAYNE IND. NP 205962 AB MADE IN USA.

 

[MaxHeadRoom78]

Something is a little obscure? HP 35M? RP11 1600/1300, should this be RPM?
Do you have CCW rotation? usually looking into the shaft.
Max.

 

[diatribe]

It's just 35M RPII, There isn't any witness, but it is possible there could have originally been a small v joining the II at the top making it an M (RPM, as opposed to RPII) Every letter and number on both the motor casing, ends, shaft and capacitor I have listed on various postings within this thread.

The yellow wire always had to go to the switch with the green and brown going to the capacitor, because the latter two had connectors attached, whereas the former didn't. The motor now runs so smoothly, it is barely audible.