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Author Topic: Motor replacement for CFS Super platters Stephen Wilkinson Film Handler Posts: 17 From: Kincumber, NSW, Australia Registered: Oct 2002 posted 03-14-2004 11:09 PM                        Hi All, A few of them have made their way "down under" and I need a replacement motor for 240 Volts. I have searched the archives for info on the infamous CFS (Blue) Platters, many discussions on how crap they are, but not a great deal on the motors. Someone suggested a "lamb?" motor and modification. Are they Ametek? I know that they are basically Vacuum cleaner motors, but I'm having trouble finding specs to get a match. I need info on Wattage/rpms or any model number might help, and details on the mods required would be great. BTW haven't had many problems with them when setup correct. But they are very mechanical, give me electronic ones any day. Thanks  |  IP: Logged Chris Hipp Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1462 From: Mesquite, Tx (east of Dallas) Registered: Jul 2003 posted 03-14-2004 11:12 PM                     99% of the time on my platter motors the problem is just worn down brushes. You may want to look into just replacing the brushes and not the whole motor.  |  IP: Logged Ken Layton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1452 From: Olympia, Wash. USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-15-2004 12:48 AM                     The motors on your platter are all run from a Variac cutting the voltage down to around 30 volts. The raw motor is an Ametek-Lamb model 115750 (here in the USA we get them from www.grainger.com as part number 2M262). You modify the motor by removing it's outer cover and transfering the wiring harness, resistors, and mounting hardware from the old motor to the new one. Of course if you want the motor to be blue in color you'll have to spray paint it blue.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-15-2004 12:49 AM                     Chris, the bushings are more prone to failure than the brushes on CFS motors. Stephen: Lamb Electric (division of Ametek) is the OEM supplier of the motors to LIT (formerly CFS) and Strong. The motors are not available at retail (the Grainger part number 2M262 motor DOES NOT work for CFS or early Potts platters as the shaft lengths are different.) Contact Dick Niccum at Lighting Images Technologies- he can supply factory-new Lamb motors pre-drilled for CFS hardware (they require modification for Strong/Potts) for about US $80 each. Dick's email address is: dick.niccum@lightingimages.com . Too bad you brought this up now, as I had converted several 220V CFS motors to 120V and discarded the unusable 220V parts Good Luck, -Aaron  |  IP: Logged Ken Layton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1452 From: Olympia, Wash. USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-15-2004 12:54 AM                     Aaron: I have been using the Grainger 2M262 motor for several years for the Strong/Potts motors and have not had any problems with shaft size. They work perfectly.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-15-2004 12:59 AM                     You may be right for the later (Alpha, A3) Strong motors, but the 2M262 has a much shorter shaft length making it unuseable on CFS and early Potts motors, as the drive capstan will not fit the short shaft. -Aaron  |  IP: Logged John Hegel Expert Film Handler Posts: 166 From: Lake Mills, Iowa Registered: Sep 2000 posted 03-15-2004 12:59 AM                        My old theater had blue CFS platters and one of the motors would not run as strong as the rest (it would run about half as fast). We took it to a motor repair shop and they said it was fine. We tried putting it on different decks but had the same problem. Any ideas as to what might have been wrong with it?  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-15-2004 01:04 AM                     John it sounds like you got a hold of a 220V motor (we had a bunch of them at one time and they have since been converted to 120V), or someone may have used a wrong size resistor when replacing a broken one. -Aaron  |  IP: Logged Ken Layton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1452 From: Olympia, Wash. USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-15-2004 01:28 AM                     When using the 2M262 motor I keep a stock of the various diameter/length "Drive Hubs" (or capstans as you call them). Here are the Strong/Potts numbers and sizes: 1190 Drive Hub, 1/2" diameter by 2" long 1747 Drive Hub, 3/8" diameter by 2" long 1630 Drive Hub, 3/8" diameter by 1-1/4" long 2931 Drive Hub, 1/2" diameter by 1-1/4" long  |  IP: Logged Stephen Wilkinson Film Handler Posts: 17 From: Kincumber, NSW, Australia Registered: Oct 2002 posted 03-15-2004 10:42 PM                        Thank you for your input. The "Capstan" on my motor is 1/2" diameter by 2" long, this screws onto the motor after removing the original nut that holds the fan on. Is this the correct capstain for the grainger 2M262? The shaft on the original motor sticks out of the housing by 20mm or about a 3/4" The depth of the housing looks deeper also on the grainger. Is this correct? If I can source a motor locally that would be easier than importing one. Stephen  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-16-2004 03:16 AM                     quote: Is this the correct capstain for the grainger 2M262? No. The shaft on the 2M262 is not long enough to engage the threads on the CFS capstan. quote: The shaft on the original motor sticks out of the housing by 20mm or about a 3/4" I would guess around 1 1/4"-1 1/2" with the nut removed. The shaft on the 2M262 is about 3/4" long with the nut removed. quote: The depth of the housing looks deeper also on the grainger. Is this correct? Yes, the 2M262 has a larger impeller housing, it should not be a problem with later Strong/Potts platters. Additionally, the 2M262 motor is 120V. -Aaron  |  IP: Logged Stephen Wilkinson Film Handler Posts: 17 From: Kincumber, NSW, Australia Registered: Oct 2002 posted 03-16-2004 04:40 AM                        Thank you Aaron and Ken for the input. On my "Blue" 220 Volt motor, the shaft, with Capstan and nut removed (not washer), is 1 1/8th" long. So it clears / sticks out past the housing by 13/16th" To be exact. I re-measured it when I found a ruler with inches on it. So as you say Aaron the 2M262 probably wouldn't work unless Ken has any other ideas. I realize that the 2M262 is the 120 volt version, but I thought I might then be able to find an equivalent 220 volt motor. I was talking to a supplier here for Ametek, he didn't think they had any motors with a shaft that cleared the outer case of the impeller? Still searching. Thanks again. Stephen  |  IP: Logged Ken Layton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1452 From: Olympia, Wash. USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-16-2004 10:02 AM                     Stephan: What if you flipped the capstan end-for-end? Would the threads then work? The drive hubs (capstans) sold for Strong/Potts are threaded (internally) at one end only so naturally if you didn't have the threaded end oriented correctly it wouldn't fit. I think the Ametek/Lamb motor number 116111-00 (Grainger 4M901) may be your 220 volt equivalent.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-16-2004 10:06 AM                     Why doesn't one of you guys just send the poor guy a motor ???? Mark  |  IP: Logged Stephen Wilkinson Film Handler Posts: 17 From: Kincumber, NSW, Australia Registered: Oct 2002 posted 03-17-2004 06:28 AM                        I like your lateral thinking Ken. I looked at it, the thread doesn't start at the other end, just in a bit 3/8th", which would be alright, but the internal diameter is smaller and won't go over the shaft. I could try to drill it out to where the thread starts? I sent an e-mail to Dick Niccum the other day to see what input he could add, haven't heard yet. Thanks Stephen  |  IP: Logged

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