Totally Baffled

[JBKIRBY]

Well, this is my first post, and I am baffled. I recently purchased a Federal 2T dual tone 240v siren in an architectural hardware shop for $65.00 (sitting out in the yard by the parking lot). A 120v test yielded results consistent with low voltage, a solid growl, so I repainted and thoroughly cleaned the unit. Today, I wired it for 240v, connecting the two 120 leads to the two wires leading to the brushes, grounded the unit, and applied power: Nada, nothing, not even a grunt.

Can this unit be run without a starter? If not, how do I go about locating an RC2 motor starter? Any advice to the clueless will be greatly appreciated!!



[/img]http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54 ... lle034.jpg[/img]

[Jim Z]

Can this unit be run without a starter? If not, how do I go about locating an RC2 motor starter? Any advice to the clueless will be greatly appreciated!!

yes, it's a universal motor so you can direct connect it (with proper safety precautions, of course.)

How are you connecting it, and sourcing the mains power? From a 240 volt outlet, I assume? if you pulled the armature out, are you sure the brushes are installed correctly?

[Charlie Davidson]

Welcome aboard!

You don't have to have a motor starter/contactor to run the siren. You can connect it directly to a power source and it should run with no issues. The only reason you would need a motor starter/contactor is if you are planning on controlling it with a Federal AR/AF timer or any other siren controller.

I've got two Federal 2T's myself (both 120VAC models) and a Federal 2 (240VAC version). When I first got mine I had to replace the brushes in one of them which prevented it from working at first, since they were both shot. Check the brushes by removing both brush caps on the sides of the motor at the bottom and examine them both for defects. Sometimes by simply turning the brushes upside down can make a big difference.

So far your restoration looks great, Model 2's are quite easy and quick to restore. Keep us updated on how it turns out!

By the way, nice stoplight and beacons in the background

[JBKIRBY]

Thanks for the great information. There must be a connection issue somewhere as it was working perfectly on 120v. Back to the drawing board...

Yes, just outside the borders of the image are numerous nautical lanterns, a 300mm code beacon (TV tower beacon) that I restored that flashes two 620w bulbs at 30 times/minute (+or-10), and a Crouse-Hinds Type DT four-way traffic light I restored to full operating condition with original small-bead smiley lenses. I am a gadget-freak who loves to see devices others see as obsolete brought back to life. I know of only one location (Oxford, Alabama) that still has C-H type DT traffic lights in regular use and more and more communication and broadcast towers are converting to LED lighting, removing the gentle, winking flash of the code beacon from our night skies forever.

[Jim Z]

Thanks for the great information. There must be a connection issue somewhere as it was working perfectly on 120v. Back to the drawing board...

ok, you say it was working OK on 120v. So go back and check it again on 120v (A-B-A test.) If it doesn't work, something got tweaked when you were refurbishing it. If it does work, something's up with your mains source.

also, you didn't address my question here:

"How are you connecting it, and sourcing the mains power? From a 240 volt outlet, I assume?"

[JBKIRBY]

Sorry, I thought I addressed the voltage in my original post. Yes it is wired for 240v on a 30 amp circuit in the fashion described earlier. All I have done other than cosmetics is remove the brushes and clean them and the commutator according to Federal's recommendations, and still get nothing. Please advise on the proper orientation of the brushes, as I notice one side appeared to be slightly bevelled and the other sharp. Would this affect the direction of rotation in any way? if so, one may be opposing the other each trying to spin the armature in a different direction.

Next, I will go back to testing each contact on 120v and see what I get. Beyond these attempts, I'm not sure what to do, but I'll report in.

Thanks a million for the help, as I am clueless!!

[weasel2htm]

Be sure to check that your 240V outlet has power and that your cord is good, wouldn't be embarrassing if you went though all this just to find out that the breaker tripped or you had a bad cord.

[JBKIRBY]

Good point. The breaker is how I switch the unit on and off, but there may be a glitch in the wiring of the cables. Then, I may have reversed one of the brushes.

[CJ]

Then, I may have reversed one of the brushes.

There is no real orientation for the brushes - the shape there is what has been formed by wear.

In a motor, brushes do not affect the direction of rotation. Are the field windings connected?

[JBKIRBY]

The field windings are connected, but could have loosened in handling. This unit sat in a yard for no-telling-how-long before I bought it.