Turntable spins the wrong way, fixed but ...

[visconti]

Hey,

I own a Pro-Ject Debut III turntable, and a while ago I heard a strange noise from the motor, hard to describe, a scratching/dragging sound sort of. I tapped the motor a few times, not to hard but it disappeared. Didn't hear it again for some days.

Then suddenly when I switched the tt on it turned the wrong way ! I assumed it was the motor of course. But someone told me I could try replacing the phasing capacitor first. But that didn't help. (put back the original cap)

Today I read somewhere I should try to switch two of the wires on this 4-pole AC motor. It worked !
Now this is great but I can't really figure out exactly why this worked, did a coil get damaged and has a different impedance maybe, therefore turning the motor the wrong way ? (don't know that much about these motors )

Can anyone perhaps explain what could have happened to the motor ? Cause I worry I might do more damage than good and better just replace the motor.

It's a simple 16V AC motor with 4-poles with a phasing capacitor (metal polyester film 8.2µF) between the two wires I've switched and a ceramic, what I believe is a interference capacitor over the power switch ?

thanks

[kevinkr]

Check both motor windings for an intermittent or open winding. I can't imagine it came from the factory wired the wrong way if it previously always ran in the right direction.

[Stuartarm]

occasionally but less frequent over the years the motor would just gyrate and not spin until it had a load on it or forced to spin ...like it was stuck between two poles??

[GloBug]

My microwave oven does the same thing. 95% of the time it spins clockwise, some times it spins the other way. Some motors work both ways, it just depends on which way it is started.

[barrymagrec]

Originally Posted by GloBug

My microwave oven does the same thing. 95% of the time it spins clockwise, some times it spins the other way. Some motors work both ways, it just depends on which way it is started.

Perhaps I`m fortunate, my microwave oven stays stationary, making it easier to get the food in and out...
Some small synchronous motors will start up in either direction but types with a phase shift cap should always start up in the same way. The only obvious explanation is as already mentioned, some sort of winding fault.

[GloBug]

The funny thing is I heat my stuff for 2:22 or 3:33. (I'm ADD & OCD), the mug always ends up where it started, handle still facing me.

[marcuswilson]

Originally Posted by GloBug

The funny thing is I heat my stuff for 2:22 or 3:33. (I'm ADD & OCD), the mug always ends up where it started, handle still facing me.

Maybe the motor doesn't go at all!
I had to replace mine when only about a year old.