Pro Planer speed control box problem

Forum for Maintenance and Repair topics. Feel free to ask questions or contribute.

Moderators: HopefulSSer, admin

Post Reply
User avatar
tdubnik
Platinum Member
Posts: 545
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 8:04 am
Location: Talmo, GA

Pro Planer speed control box problem

Post by tdubnik »

The speed control box on my pro planer has gone bad. The output to the planer motor works fine but the DC output to the feed motor is dead. There is power getting to the speed dial but it doesn't get out of the little brown box the dial is attached to. I would like to get this fixed without spending the $300+ that a new speed control box would cost.

Can this thing be rebuilt or can I just buy the component I need to replace without buying the whole speed control box?

My planer needs are modest now and I just can't justify $300 for the part when I could buy a new bench planer for about the same price. I know it wouldn't be equal to the Shopsmith but I don't use a planer very much anymore.

Thanks for any advice.
BigSky
Gold Member
Posts: 479
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:16 am
Location: MT

Post by BigSky »

This is one of those situations where I believe Shopsmith has us all by the short hair. Even if you get inside, I'm not sure you can identify a source for replacement parts. Someone out there in the land of sawdust - please prove me wrong.

I have looked for a break down of this control unit to see if it can be worked on; I can not find any details. What is in it? I believe it is a mechanism that varies the DC voltage to the feed motor but I do not know for sure. I avoid playing around with mine for fear of being in your situation.

Please keep us posted on what you find out. All of us who own Pro Planers could find ourselves in the same predicament one day.
MarkFive510
User avatar
tdubnik
Platinum Member
Posts: 545
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 8:04 am
Location: Talmo, GA

Post by tdubnik »

I am a bit of a tinkerer and took apart the control box. I used a volt meter to test inputs and outputs and know that the problem is in the brown box that contains the circuit board and speed control dial. There is power going into the box but no power coming out at any speed setting.

I know that the feed motor works when I connect it to a DC power source. I guess if I have to I could buy a DC variable power supply and hook it up external to the SS box. This means that I would have to control the power seperately from the planer motor but I think I could make it work.

I just hope there is a better way.
BigSky
Gold Member
Posts: 479
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:16 am
Location: MT

Post by BigSky »

It sounds as though you have done all the tinkering necessary to get down to a root cause. Is the little brown box as far as you can dismantle? Is there a part number (or other identifier) on that brown box? I expect not! Proprietary item I suppose. This is known as 'the short hair'.
MarkFive510
User avatar
tdubnik
Platinum Member
Posts: 545
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 8:04 am
Location: Talmo, GA

Post by tdubnik »

markfive510 wrote:It sounds as though you have done all the tinkering necessary to get down to a root cause. Is the little brown box as far as you can dismantle? Is there a part number (or other identifier) on that brown box? I expect not! Proprietary item I suppose. This is known as 'the short hair'.
The box contains a circuit board with a few resistors and a potentiometer. I might can try to find replacement components and swap them out. I'll have to kep working on it.
User avatar
cincinnati
Platinum Member
Posts: 1172
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:40 pm
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

Post by cincinnati »

I would take it to an electronic repair shop and see what they say. We have one here in town that will give you a free estimate if you let them make any repairs up to $50 without an estimate. Over $50 they call and let you know the cost. If it's too much then you owe nothing.

I would think for a repair shop a part like you said is bad would be able to fix.
BigSky
Gold Member
Posts: 479
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:16 am
Location: MT

Post by BigSky »

tdubnik wrote:The box contains a circuit board with a few resistors and a potentiometer. I might can try to find replacement components and swap them out. I'll have to kep working on it.
I'm fighting the temptation to open mine to see if I can offer any constructive comment. The fixed value resistors are probably not the problem while the potentiometer might be. However, I'd bet on the circuit board. If you find that you are able to fix this, you just might have a new part time job. Getting the technical detail required to work on the circuit board will likely be a show stopper.
MarkFive510
User avatar
tdubnik
Platinum Member
Posts: 545
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 8:04 am
Location: Talmo, GA

Post by tdubnik »

cincinnati wrote:I would take it to an electronic repair shop and see what they say. We have one here in town that will give you a free estimate if you let them make any repairs up to $50 without an estimate. Over $50 they call and let you know the cost. If it's too much then you owe nothing.

I would think for a repair shop a part like you said is bad would be able to fix.

Good idea!

I'll check it out.
User avatar
Ed in Tampa
Platinum Member
Posts: 5826
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:45 am
Location: North Tampa Bay area Florida

Post by Ed in Tampa »

tdubnik wrote:The box contains a circuit board with a few resistors and a potentiometer. I might can try to find replacement components and swap them out. I'll have to kep working on it.
If you don't see any IC (Intergrated circuit) chips on the board (which I doubt there is) you can replace the resistors and potentionmeter yourself.

Be careful since some of the newer diodes and capacitors look similar to resistors but aren't! Resistors have colored value bands and are usually the same diameter their entire length. Diodes usually don't have the color band and they usually always have a +- sign to denote polarity. Capacitors usually change diameter or have a edge knocked off. I say usually because I have seen about every combination lately.

If your in doubt go to Radio Shack if your lucky a sales person will be techy if not you might have to hang in the store until a techy does walk in. A good Ham radio or inventor can probably tell you exactly what each component is in a second.
Ed
BigSky
Gold Member
Posts: 479
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:16 am
Location: MT

Post by BigSky »

Ed in Tampa wrote:If you don't see any IC (Intergrated circuit) chips on the board (which I doubt there is) you can replace the resistors and potentionmeter yourself.

Be careful since some of the newer diodes and capacitors look similar to resistors but aren't! Resistors have colored value bands and are usually the same diameter their entire length. Diodes usually don't have the color band and they usually always have a +- sign to denote polarity. Capacitors usually change diameter or have a edge knocked off. I say usually because I have seen about every combination lately.

If your in doubt go to Radio Shack if your lucky a sales person will be techy if not you might have to hang in the store until a techy does walk in. A good Ham radio or inventor can probably tell you exactly what each component is in a second.
Ed
Precision resistors might not be marked with a color band but rather apart number. A picture of this mysterious speed control mechanmism would be most interesting.
MarkFive510
Post Reply