Wires, wires, everywhere.

August 13, 2008 1:33 PM

Electrician Filter: Please help me connect wires on old table saw motor.

I was given an old table saw with the wires disconnected and need advice on connecting the hot (black) and return (white) wires on the left to the color-coded motor winding wires on the right. Green is ground, obviously. Right side Codes are Pink (3), Blue (5), another Blue (8), Yellow (4), Black (1), and Grey (2). One of the Blues (8) and the Yellow (4) are twisted together (intentionally or otherwise?).

Motor is Rexon model RM425. Saw is an old Rockwell / Beaver.
I have a multimeter to check windings. Thanks.

posted by weapons-grade pandemonium to home & garden (15 comments total)

On the ID plate is there any indication/chart/etc? On mine there is (old powermatic).
posted by RustyBrooks at 2:10 PM on August 13, 2008

I think there was some speed controlling switch box between your wires that is missing.
posted by lee at 3:00 PM on August 13, 2008

Not necessarily. Several motors I've had were like this, so you could wire them either 110 or 220. Depending on which you wanted there were different ways to attach the wires together. My ID plate showed which was which, as I recall, or maybe the manual did.

I'm pretty sure there's a way to work it out based on checking which ones go to which winding but I don't really know how to do it myself.
posted by RustyBrooks at 3:10 PM on August 13, 2008

Here are some examples of wiring diagrams

Not that I'm saying any of these is right, but it's just an example of the dozens of ways the windings on a motor can be wired depending on how it's internally set up.
posted by RustyBrooks at 3:14 PM on August 13, 2008

This motor probably has multiple windings that can be connected in various ways depending on what voltage is available. Without a diagram on the motor itself, it will be hard to figure out. Perhaps you could get some help from Rexon? Good luck!!!
posted by Daddy-O at 3:17 PM on August 13, 2008

What do those white labels say on the wires?

The other answerers are correct.
posted by gjc at 6:09 PM on August 13, 2008

The white labels are the numbers I listed with the colors in my post.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 6:32 PM on August 13, 2008

So, really, there's no diagram, or list of wire pairings, on the motor's ID tag? Or is it missing the tag entirely? Typically this is a piece of metal riveted to the motor, that gives some basic info like amperage, horsepower, voltage, model #, etc, etc. I've never seen one that didn't have a wiring chart.

Are the labels "factory" or did someone add them? They look home-made but they might be replacing the original wire labels. Most of the ones I've seen are little metal tags on the wires that have numbers stamped in them, or the wires are wired into terminals, which themselves are labelled.
posted by RustyBrooks at 8:46 PM on August 13, 2008

Factory ID label. No wiring diagram. My Rexon email bounced.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 9:21 AM on August 14, 2008

any chance you could post a picture of the motor's tag (the one with the amperage, hp, etc?)
posted by RustyBrooks at 10:03 AM on August 14, 2008

Sure. Here's a photo of the only ID plate.
Single phase. Doesn't have a 240 volt option. No HP listed--I would guess 1.5 HP; it's heavy.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 12:09 PM on August 14, 2008

Hmm. This is kind of where my expertise ends. If you look in the yellow pages you can find a motor repair shop that can probably give you a funny look and tell you in about 30 seconds.
posted by RustyBrooks at 1:36 PM on August 14, 2008

I know these guys. They'll tell me in about 30 dollars.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 2:44 PM on August 14, 2008

Sorry if the hive mind is tapped out, but you might want to try RIDGID tools forum, SawmillCreek.org, or woodworkingtalk.com. Motor wiring questions come up on each of those forums, and there are people who can dig up owner's manuals and wiring diagrams. Good luck.
posted by BrotherCaine at 4:20 PM on August 14, 2008

I'll try those. Thanks for the help.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 5:13 PM on August 14, 2008