My PowerPro is down...

easterngray · Post by **easterngray** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 12:36 pm

Here's an update on my PowerPro situation.. After a rest of a few days I found that the PowerPro now functions properly, though it is making a slight mechanical noise that I don't recognize as being present before my "event". That said, let me also share my discovery that I made a horrible error in operating my PowerPro that is undoubtedly responsible for my trouble. In going through the PowerPro speed chart this morning I realized that I had run my molding head at the shaper speed of 10,000 RPM's rather than the Molding speed of 3600 RPM's previous to the breakdown! This was an awful error on my part, and thanks be to God it didn't result in something worse than a mechanical failure. The molding head itself has engraved on it not to run past 4K RPM's, and as stated, the PP Speed Chart moling parameter (found under the "Table Saw" function) has a suggested speed of 3600 for softwoods. I suspect I may have loosened something due to my error and will investigate further. I hope that the real benefit of my mistake here is to serve as a warning to the rest of you so as to not make the same error in operation that I did, not only for the well being of your PowerPro, but most importantly, for your own safety. I am very grateful that my error didn't result in personal injury. I rarely use the molding head and should've been much more mindful of the obvious error in running it at such a high speed. It weighs a lot, and I imagine the stress on the PowerPro was considerable. I do remember that the headstock was very hot afterwards. I will call Shopsmith before opening it up for some direction as to what I might look for. Alec

fredsheldon · Post by **fredsheldon** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 1:03 pm

East, using the CHART forces you to CONFIRM that you want to use the suggested rpms for the type of operation you have selected. I always use the Chart and CONFRIM functions for every operation I perform, not taking any chances that I may select the incorrect speed. So, do you think you just overheated the unit or was it smart enough to determine you might have selected the incorrect speed based on the feedback it was receiving from the operation you were performing? Thanks for sharing with us, you might just save one of us from some serious grief in the future.

Fred

easterngray · Post by **easterngray** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 1:25 pm

Fred I scrolled through the chart to the SHAPER function (10K) and engaged/confirmed. Just a dim-witted move on my part. I was able to run the Molding head at 10K and went on to use the saw function, which is when I had the issue. Alec

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:34 pm

drl wrote:I received a manual with my factory Power Pro. Came in a small three ring binder.
Regards,
Dwight

Is there a Shopsmith part number on the manual? Maybe a picture of the front page. Thanks.

Bill

oldc6 · Post by **oldc6** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:58 pm

[ATTACH]18096[/ATTACH]By moulding head cutter do you mean this thing??

I havent used this for long time. used to have

a sears table saw that i used it with. the first time

i started it up, wow what a noise.

now if you ran that thing at 10,000 rpm it had to have been

louder than an F-15 with both engines on afterburner......

I have done the same thing with jointer, then put bandsaw in place

and didnt check the speed........ sometimes us humans are not thinking.............[ATTACH]

[/ATTACH]

fredsheldon · Post by **fredsheldon** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:31 pm

Here is the outside of the binder and the main inside cover page. Part No on front of binder is 556202 B 01/12

The error messages are in the back section of the binder. They are:

SRM Not Rotate
RPS State Error 0
RPS State Error 1
Low Voltage
PFC Fault
Hardware Fault
Not Connected

And that's all the error messages.

[ATTACH]18097[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]18098[/ATTACH]

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:32 pm

easterngray wrote:Here's an update on my PowerPro situation.. After a rest of a few days I found that the PowerPro now functions properly, though it is making a slight mechanical noise that I don't recognize as being present before my "event". ...

Alec, that sounds like real good news!!! I'm happy that the PowerPro is now again running. WoW!!:eek: Looking back - the sequence was very scary!

As for mechanical noise, I suspect bearing noise, after being run a maximum speed for a while and heating up. I've witnessed several episodes of new mechanical noises at different times with my machine, but they settle down after a while of operating at lower speeds.

I will be very interested in what Shop tells you about your headstock. Hope they get you in touch with Jim McCann.

easterngray · Post by **easterngray** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 11:04 pm

Thanks Chuck. The headstock is running fine, and the noise is subtle, so I am indeed relieved. I tried three times to get through to Shopsmith today with no luck. Twice I was on hold (boy, that song is getting old!!) for over thirty minutes before giving up. I'll try again tomorrow.

Old c6 that is indeed one, though mine is the round Shopsmith brand. Alec

wa2crk · Post by **wa2crk** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 12:18 pm

I have the Sears and the SS molding heads. The only time I ran one was the Sears unit on an old DeWalt radial arm saw. When that thing came up to speed it scared the living be jeebers out of me. But I had to remove the RAS blade guard to mount the head and the thing had to be run without any guards. I put it back in the parts drawer and it has stayed there ever since.
The sound and sight of that thing whizzing around with no guards was really scary. And that was only about 3450 RPM. I can't imagine 10K.

Bill V

fredsheldon · Post by **fredsheldon** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 1:41 pm

It's a good thing it was balanced

I can just see that SS dancing all over the floor before it finally shook itself to pieces otherwise.

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My PowerPro is down...

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