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L&r Watch Cleaning Machine Ultasonic Vari-Matic

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clockboy Distinguished Member

clockboy

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Picked up today an old L&R Watch cleaning machine ultrasonic VARI-MATIC.

 

It is really dirty but all seems to working but not sure if the ultrasonic part is working correctly but the valves are lit up so I presume it is working is there any other way of testing.

 

Also does anyone know if it is OK to clean the jars in a dishwasher.

 

A new experience but like a kid with a new toy at present.

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bobm12 Distinguished Member

bobm12

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Put some pieces of aluminium foil into the tank and run the ultrasonic for 10 mins or so. If the ultrasonic is working then cavitation should erode ragged holes  in the foil.

 

 

That's why this forum rocks! I'll try that trick in mine just for the sake of it! :)  Thanks for the tip, Marc!

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clockboy Distinguished Member

clockboy

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Thanks guys will try.

PS cleaned jars out with white spirit dried them & then run them through the dishwasher. They came out real sparkly & new.

Problem now is the dishwasher smells of white spirit. Oh f**k

Hoping the dishwasher cleaner gets rid of the smell before I get a severe reprimand !!!!

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Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

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Problem now is the dishwasher smells of white spirit. Oh f**k

Oh you bad man.

My good lady was less than amused when our cooker ended up smelling of aged Castrol oil. I had used it for heating up my old BMW motorbike cylinder heads to allow me to shrink in new pushrods tubes.

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Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

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Put some pieces of aluminium foil into the tank and run the ultrasonic for 10 mins or so. If the ultrasonic is working then cavitation should erode ragged holes  in the foil.

This shows how powerful ultrasonic cleaning is, and why you shouldn't clean watch dials ultrasonically.

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clockboy Distinguished Member

clockboy

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<script src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/e67e874b/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js" type="text/javascript"> </script> PROBLEMS PROBLEMS

I knew it was to good to be true cleaned it today switched it on and it just gives two bleeps and smoke comes out of basket motor and does not spin. Have stripped motor and nothing obvious wrong. Does anyone know who repairs these motors. I have attached picks but a bit cheesed off at present. The second pic

is the smoke wafting out of the motor

 

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<script src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/e67e874b/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js" type="text/javascript"> </script>

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DJW Super WRT Addict

DJW

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wow, sorry to hear about the motor! I have the same system, except it being a 120V setup for the US market. Mine seems to be Bullitt proof! I've had no problems with the motor at all. I know L&R are still in business, but I doubt they can or are willing to supply you with directions on how to repair this.

When these work, they are brilliant!

Maybe you can find a motor repair shop locally that can repair it?

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clockboy Distinguished Member

clockboy

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It might not be the motor. Yesterday it was working fine then in the afternoon I cleaned it & when I started it up the basket was not turning but I had not plugged in one of the cables so I just guessed that was why and I just unplugged it.  I am wondering if this has screwed something else electrically as it is almost as though the polarity of the motor is the wrong way around. It now bleeps twice before starting which i presume is a warning sound and it is free when turning by hand but its as if the electronic unit under the motor is stopping it spinning.

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Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

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Thank you for posting the pictures, what a beast of a machine.

That's a proper nuisance that it's stopped working. I see that there are are a couple of brush holders at either side of the motor, remove these and see what condition the carbon brushes are in, also have a look in while the brushes are out to check the state of the commutator. If the brushes are worn right down they will arc with the commutator and cause burning. Make sure you unplug it first!

Best of luck.

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clockboy Distinguished Member

clockboy

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Thanks Geo,

Checked the brushes and they are good & nice & long. I also took the motor apart and there is nothing obvious wrong. The seller told me he had the motor re-wired and the machine serviced 10 yrs ago. There is a sticker on the side of the machine by ALGO SCHETRONICS with a test date of 6.6.02    I.e. 12 yrs ago.

 

I will give them a call (if still in business) tomorrow but if it is too pricey I might have a machine for "spares & repair"

 

I have contacted the ebayer who sold me the machine but as yet no reply.

 

Still cheesed off as it was working fine yesterday and thought I had a real bargain.

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bobm12 Distinguished Member

bobm12

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Sorry to hear about the machine! I hope and wish you are able to fix it soon. I understand they are top of the line and if fixed right will make you and your watches real happy. Hang in there and let us know of the outcome.

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RosscoInOshawa WRT Addict

RosscoInOshawa

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Sorry to hear about the problems, especially when the machine is recently acquired.  The new brushes may be an indicator but did they change the brush holders as well at some point?  Used to be common in repairing the commutator and brushes/holders in industrial power tools.  Guy's would buy and replace the brushes as needed but near the end of service life on the tool, when it needed the commutator turned and undercut, even new brushes would sometimes produce arcing and smoke.  Good luck, I hope you get it sorted soon!

Edited by RosscoInOshawa
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RosscoInOshawa WRT Addict

RosscoInOshawa

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Have taken it today to a local electric motor specialist who says that he thinks it has lost it's field. Have not got a clue what this means.

Contacted ALGO SCHETRONICS who say it will need re-wiring £400 +

Ouch, that's the worst case scenario sadly.  The field coil can short out wire to wire in the windings or wire to laminations and then it has to be replaced or, if no longer available, repaired which is labour intensive.  That scenario is maybe why it was arcing and burning so badly.  Shorted windings cause more current to be drawn, causing the brushes to arc, melting the brush holder.  So many ways to kill a motor.  Sounds like its a quality machine worth repairing though?

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