Check them brushes!

Date 07-02-2012 23:33

Well I'm learning the hard way,,again! Start the machine Friday morning and it doesn't idle down and no digital readout. (Vantage 400) No arc,nothing. Take it to our local Lincoln repair facility and its the brushes. Its worse he says, brushes wore right to nothing and the brush holder made contact with the rings and poof! New rotor required. Hours on the machine are just 3650 but SHOULD'VE replaced them at 3000hrs. Likely a week in the shop and a $5 grand touch. This shop has a Vantage 400 with just 44hrs to rent ($50 a day) so I can keep going, and my remote and cable connections will fit perfect.

Oh ya, new brushes,,$65! Bob.

By rcwelding (***)

Date 07-03-2012 02:02 Edited 07-03-2012 04:54

I only have 1100hr on mine but how do you get to the brushes to check them..? Do you just drop the face panel..?

By up-ten

Date 07-03-2012 02:22

Remove the panel that has the louvres. Kind of a tight spot, get a flashlight and mirror to check.

By Rafter_G_Weldin (***)

Date 07-03-2012 03:10 Edited 07-03-2012 08:53

5000.00 repair I'd just. Buy another machine and any reputable shop would loan yoou a machine if you're getting.g 5000 in repairs done. Vantage smantage ill never own 1 of those. Sorry that happened to you Bob.

By up-ten

Date 07-03-2012 03:28

I expect genuine Lincoln parts made in the USA do cost a bit. Cant part with the 400 Shad, its been love at first arc strike.

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 07-03-2012 04:34

I expect a motor rewinding shop could replace the slip rings and the job would cost a whole lot less.

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 07-03-2012 22:28 Edited 07-03-2012 22:32

Sorry you arced them out ...man that sux. Dave may have a real good point about redoing the slip rings. A motor generator shop does that kind of work all the time....just a little lathe work once it is out. If you pull it your self I bet you can get it fixed pretty reasonable. Certainly a lot less then 5k. I am paranoid and check my brushes frequently...they get down to around 3/8 and I replace them...brushes are cheap.

I am amazed that replacement on your machine is called for at 3k hrs....they must not be very thick. Older stuff the brushes last till about 5k hrs and they still got a ways to go.

By up-ten

Date 07-03-2012 23:42

Thanks for the sympathy guys.
Mentioned to the shop about pulling the rings, said the work involved and the chance of cracking the coating? and fitting them back on would change the tolerance(lesser) on the next set of brushes. I dont know, it turns into gobbledeegook lingo for me and I try to understand. Its the friggin labour, $95hr that adds on to this job and it doesn't matter how good looking you are either.

On the other hand, the rental Vantage is a real charm and it being brand new and super shiny makes me think of buying another.....

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 07-04-2012 02:15

Dang, that sucks! It's them unexpected things that get me, just when you think your doing good, Whammo!! Here comes a $5000 repair!

Thanks for the reminder though, need to replace the brushes in my machine while I'm sitting around twiddling my thumbs.

I agree with Shad though, $5000 repair you would figure they'd let you borrow the machine, man, getting you from the front and the rear!

By up-ten

Date 07-04-2012 03:35

Its funny how typically a guy can stay on top of things,like keeping the lawnmower blade sharp or remembering garbage pickup and I'm usually pretty good concerning maintenance on my equipment. And thats why I thought I'd post this up on the board for guys to keep an eye on your bread and butter cause these parts in the newer machines ain't coming cheap.