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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Q:
- - By tompit9 (***) Date 02-06-2010 20:35
dumb question here but I have to ask:

is there an easy way to check to see if an armature is good or bad? other that taking it down and getting it tested.
Parent - - By DaveBoyer (*****) Date 02-07-2010 03:03
Yes, No & Maybe. There are some simple tests that will prove an armature bad, but passing these simple tests does not prove that it is good.

With an ohm meter, there should be no reading from the copper bars to the armature shaft or to the iron laminations.

You should get the same reading from any commutator bar to the one opposite it [180 degrees, or half way around the commutator].

As these tests are done at really low voltage, a breakdown of the insulation that causes problems at operating voltage may not show up. A motor shop has a device to test at high voltage.

A growler can detect problems that are hard or impossible to find with an ohm meter.
Parent - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 02-09-2010 18:31
Seems like when I went to school as a mechanic we used a light bulb or some sort of contraption to test armatures on alternators. I get what Dave is saying, using an ohmeter your not loading it, but with the load while it is running something could show up. Have run across this in the repair business on cars. Check wires with an ohmeter and show's no problems, take an old working headlight bulb and test the circuit....light comes on good, no light you have a short or pinched wire. Usually find a loose connection or something, enough for the meter to tell you it's ok but not show the real problem. Make sense? Nothing to do with your machine but that's what I've learned about the electricity side of things.
Parent - By FixaLinc (****) Date 02-09-2010 20:23
Do the basic tests like Dave is telling you with a ohm meter.  A armature growler with a test bulb on it is using 110V direct to test a armature so let someone test it that knows how it can be dangerous doing it yourself with 110V and you never test it with that in the welder.
Parent - - By raftergwelding (*****) Date 02-10-2010 21:32
What the hell did you do now?
Parent - - By tompit9 (***) Date 02-10-2010 23:44
nothing shad, other than trust in people!!! hahaha right!!! DTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just have an armature setting here that I got out of a machine and was told that its a working armature "NOT"! the machine I got from you is in my shop waiting on a good armature. All good in the hizzouse, budd! HOW U IS?
Parent - By raftergwelding (*****) Date 02-11-2010 04:56
i is ok will be better when i get my truck fixed lost the turbo in earlier in the week i got another 1 already just need for the weather to coop.
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Q:

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