Reducing motor speed - how?

[dpm]

I've got a winding machine that uses an AC universal motor, the problem is it runs at 4x the speed I'd like. Will reducing the voltage to the motor reduce it's speed? The winder has 4 electronically controlled speeds. I get a 100-120v reading with the motor running at all speeds.

[R.G.]

They're probably chopping the voltage at varying duty cycles. The supply voltage is 100-120V, but the motor sees that as the duty cycle times the voltage. You can do much the same thing with a cheap router speed control from Harbor Freight.

[dpm]

Thanks R.G.

I'd been looking at those speed controls... that was going to be my next question

Assuming the winder is altering the duty cycles, is it safe to run one of those and also use the original speed switching as well?

[dpm]

By the looks of things this winder uses an electromagnetic brake. Pretty cool. I can't believe I missed this the first time I looked inside

[David Schwab]

By the looks of things this winder uses an electromagnetic brake. Pretty cool. I can't believe I missed this the first time I looked inside

Where is it? The thing on the left? That looks like the counter sensor on the right.

BTW, you want to use the speed control on just the motor, not the whole winder, since it has other circuitry.

Also since the winder has programable speed settings, you are going to figure out how to rewire it. Obviously it already had some kind of speed control. By passing the built in circuitry, and you will loose the soft start and ability to have the winder stop at a count. I doubt you can put one motor speed control after another.

Your best bet is to make a belt and pulley setup external to the winder, and attached to the arbor, to slow the speed down.

I have one of those router speed controls from Harbor Freight, and they work great on routers. I don't think that will work on this unit.

I'll trade you my Schatten winder!

[dpm]

Yeah, the big thing on the left.
Agreed about simply getting a bigger pulley and belt. It's already using a pulley system. Can't seem to find the right size... though it would interfere with the position of the power switch and footswitch socket (which could be moved). 'Spose I could just make a pulley.

[ken]

I'm thinking about buying one of these myself - is there any other real issues with these machines, besides the speed problem? I had no idea these were so advanced.

Ken

[David Schwab]

I'm thinking about buying one of these myself - is there any other real issues with these machines, besides the speed problem? I had no idea these were so advanced.

Where do you find these? Same guy on eBay?

[dpm]

Yeah, ebay from Hong Kong. Takes under 3 days to get to you, it's crazy.

It's actually a really solid unit, I'm quite impressed. There's no play in the shaft or any problems like that, smooth rotation, I think it was a good buy.

I came across model tugboat motors with modular stepdown gears that appear to have the same size shaft. Checking into that option too.