Dang electric motors have gotten expensive

[old_man]

My air compressor motor took a crap last night. It is a 220v 5hp. I can get a motor for my jeep for what they want for these. Most are around $500. Harbor Freight used to have them for less than $200, but no more. The biggest they sell is 3hp.

Anybody know a cheap place to score a motor. I have to take a look at the shaft size tonight. I may try to tear it apart and see what is bad. Are their any motor rebuilders around anymore?

 

[YELLAHEEP]

It's the copper. I believe the EPA has made it pretty expensive to mine it, IIRC, copper mining leaves behind alot of nasty waste product. It sure pays huge at the recycle center. It's also why so many new homes have PVC plumbing now.

 

[jimgrms]

Tom if your motor is a capacitor start , it is most likely the centrifical switch is just clogged with dust and needs cleaning or the capacitor is bad , just pull the cover and look. you can test by removing the belt and spin the shaft as you try to stear it ,

 

[old_man]

Thanks Jim. I was planning to pull it off and disassemble it to find the problem. It simply stopped. No noise, no magic smoke. It was pretty darned hot. It was running balls out for probably an hour and a half in 100+ temps. The thermal shut down didn't seemed to be tripped.

 

[xj-grin]

It's the copper. I believe the EPA has made it pretty expensive to mine it, IIRC, copper mining leaves behind alot of nasty waste product. It sure pays huge at the recycle center. It's also why so many new homes have PVC plumbing now.

I have a shit ton of copper I need to take to the recycler, but prices are actually still near their 3-year low... even if that low is really high compared to the prior decade.

 

[YELLAHEEP]

Well ALL recyclable pay out prices are down from a few years ago, but out of all recyclable non-ferrous metals, copper is paying the most.

 

[zith]

I picked up a 5HP Leeson motor for my compressor from this eBay seller almost two years ago: http://www.ebay.com/usr/hodgepdg527

Offers many types of motors but the less expensive ones, which is what I bought, are currently running about $260 with free shipping. Came brand new in box, and supposedly made in USA.

 

[mechbullxj]

Grainger, although expen$$$ive. They've seemingly all.:us:

 

[xj-grin]

Well ALL recyclable pay out prices are down from a few years ago, but out of all recyclable non-ferrous metals, copper is paying the most.

I'm greedy, and waiting for the "bounce" before I take all the old plumbing and romex from my money pit in... :gag:

 

[Frank Z]

http://www.coloradoelectricmotor.com/

 

[old_man]

Turns out it was the run capacitor. It exploded. It cost me $18. Yeah!!!

 

[old_man]

Them pesky electrons tried to get out.

 

[Hypoid]

Damn Tom! You'll never get the smoke to stay in that thing.