Vehicle lift stops under load 2.2kw 1ph motor

[Guinnal]

Have you checked the motor capacitors are healthy?

Does the motor stall or does it trip the overload protection

If you have run the motor to a point where it has stalled I would not expect it to restart

You do not mention what make or model the lift is which may assist in offering you advice on a fix

Are you running the motor through a contactor and overload if so have you set the overload correctly and wired it properly for single phase

The motor stalls- IE stops turning, although it it still trying to turn.
I had a 32A breaker in the consumer unit feeding this. I have just changed it for a 20A breaker.

It does not trip the breaker. I tried the lft again a few times just to see if it would trip the 20A breaker- it doesn't

However- as I did this,I noticed that there was liquid dripping out of the start capacitor (Electrolyte?) and the capacitor was quite warm.

The contactor (I take it that's the up/down control switch?) is the original that came fitted to the lift.
Technically, I don't know if it is wired correctly for single phase or not (I'm not an electrician)
Before wiring it, I opened up the contactor and cleaned up the contacts. I put it back together in reverse order. I checked which terminals made contact when, in relation to the position of the Up/Down handle and wired it accordingly. It takes the lift up and down when unloaded with complete ease. Incidentally- it lifts a lighter car further before stalling.

It's a Cascos C3.2. 2.8tonne. Spanish Manufacturer. 1998 model. One owner before me. I have owned it since 2005 though I have only just assembled it. I saw it working, loaded, several times when I bought it.

 

[High Tower]

Without doubt mate motor is undersized

 

[Guinnal]

Without doubt mate motor is undersized

Why would the liquid be dripping out of the start capacitor?

 

[High Tower]

Probably due to heat generated by strain

 

[Guinnal]

Probably due to heat generated by strain

Thanks-
I think I will get a 3kw motor.

 

[UNG]

The motor stalls- IE stops turning, although it it still trying to turn.
I had a 32A breaker in the consumer unit feeding this. I have just changed it for a 20A breaker.

It does not trip the breaker. I tried the lft again a few times just to see if it would trip the 20A breaker- it doesn't

However- as I did this,I noticed that there was liquid dripping out of the start capacitor (Electrolyte?) and the capacitor was quite warm.

The contactor (I take it that's the up/down control switch?) is the original that came fitted to the lift.
Technically, I don't know if it is wired correctly for single phase or not (I'm not an electrician)
Before wiring it, I opened up the contactor and cleaned up the contacts. I put it back together in reverse order. I checked which terminals made contact when, in relation to the position of the Up/Down handle and wired it accordingly. It takes the lift up and down when unloaded with complete ease. Incidentally- it lifts a lighter car further before stalling.

It's a Cascos C3.2. 2.8tonne. Spanish Manufacturer. 1998 model. One owner before me. I have owned it since 2005 though I have only just assembled it. I saw it working, loaded, several times when I bought it.

I think this is where the problem is as you are not sure it is wired correctly

I don't think a bigger motor will necessarily overcome a problem of an incorrectly wired one

I think your best solution would be to get an electrician to look at it and check it is wired correctly

 

[THE DUKE]

Give your local rewind shop a call they should be able to test motor for you, I suspect the start capacitor is damage by know but the rewinder will test capacitor for you. If motor tests ok it may be under sized you can still get round the problem by changing the pulley on the motor for a smaller one ie. 2.2kw v 3kw aprox 75%
this would make your ramp 25% slower but give you the required torque.

Problems with your electrics phone a spark problems with a motor phone a winder

 

[Steve1412]

Thought I would stick my two penneth worth in...As UNG said earlier I think there is a problem with the rating of the motor...as the motor runs up to speed the centrifugal switch will switch out the start winding..this would normally be after the initial start loading has been over come....as you are using it for a lift the load is basically continuous all the time and as such the motor may not be man enough to cope.....may also be the fact the motor cannot get upto speed because of the load to switch out start winding???....then again I could be just waffling which I have been known to do on many occasions!!!!!more info on original motor type would be handy?

 

[Knobhead]

Just a quick word of warning Guinnal if the single phase motor is newish this isn't a problem, if it's an old second hand one then do not touch the liquid from the capacitor. Some older capacitors contained Polychlorinated biphenyls PCB which is carcinogenic.

Sorry to be a wet blanket

 

[Guinnal]

Just a quick word of warning Guinnal if the single phase motor is newish this isn't a problem, if it's an old second hand one then do not touch the liquid from the capacitor. Some older capacitors contained Polychlorinated biphenyls PCB which is carcinogenic.

Sorry to be a wet blanket

Thanks for the heads up - I thought it tasted a bit iffy! I got a new capacitor from RS, same make and model and fitted it.

I put a small honda civic (900KG) on the ramp and it went up to top and back. I stopped it halfway and put it back up again. The lift/ motor had no problem dealing with it. Worked exactly as it should.

I put my nissan 300zx on it (1400kg) - and it lifted about a foot and stalled as before. I'm sure you chaps who diagnosed the motor being under powered had it spot on. As mentioned earlier- it may be that the 2.2kw version from the lift manufacturer has a special motor or is lower geared/ different pulley set.

I tried contacting Cascos UK office who supplied me with spares a year or so ago but they have closed it and have a garage equipment company covering sales and service. They hadn't dealt with the single phase version and couldn't readily advise on the pulley etc. Besides, I would expect the pulley set would cost nearly as much as a motor

I am going to buy a 3kw motor tomorrow, I think (hope) that will be problem solved.

I will update on progress- Thanks for all your advice and help

 

[benji]

if it,s been lying around for 5yrs it might need a full mech. overhaul ? does it have any hand cranking devise that you could raise it up and down a few times by hand


yours benji

 

[Guinnal]

if it,s been lying around for 5yrs it might need a full mech. overhaul ? does it have any hand cranking devise that you could raise it up and down a few times by hand


yours benji

benji,
It's been stripped and rebuilt with new bearings, load nuts and safety nuts. It's free and is lifting a lightweight car fine. I have pretty much ascertained that the motor needs to be replaced with a bigger one to get it to lift something heavier than about 1 ton.
Thanks

 

[Guinnal]

Quick Update- New 3 KW motor and the lift is working like a dream. heavy cars go up, down and up again with ease.
Many thanks to everyone here for your advice and guidance
Cheers

 

[Knobhead]

Thanks for getting back to us, it’s nice to hear of a good outcome