208-230V Single Phase Motor wiring

Look inside the motor junction box cover. There should be a diagram showing the various connections. Bugs

Hey Marc,

It would be simplest to send you a JPG picture than try to write all this so you can read it. If that's better for you, send me a direct email and I will do so, but here is my attempt nonetheless.

First off, you don't mention the horse-power, but I suspect that your "a 230V outlet that I use with my welders" will be fuse or breaker protected at too high an amp rating for a single phase motor. For safety, I'd at least check that out before you go much further.

You also don't mention what voltageS (plural) your motor is labeled. If you are lucky, it will be 115/230. If you are not so lucky, it will be 220/440, and the following won't be correct. And what colours are the wires, other than green?

Two things though.....you don't mention whether there are one or two "bumps" for the capacitors on the outside of the motor, and you didn't indicate a "1" or an "8" as being free or visible. Looking at my US MOTORS handbook, the only diagram I see for a single phase motor where wires 1 and 8 are NOT VISIBLE (or free), and that gets up to a free wire number "7" tag, is for a "Capacitor start, single phase, dual-voltage motor", where:

P1 and P2, or P1 and P2 and P3 are the thermal breaker in the motor (and you didn't mention them either),

2 is half of the main run windings, and the unseen other end of that winding is 1, which is hooked permanently to the thermal breaker (at P3). 3 and 4 are the other half of the main run windings 5 and 6 are one of the run capacitors 7 and 8 are the second of the run capacitors, and the 8 tag is hooked directly to the 1 tag, probably at the thermal overload, so it is "hidden" too.

So, assuming that 1 & 8 are not visible to you because they are hooked internally to the thermal overload, and calling the 230 volt feed wires L1 and L2..........

it looks likes that you have a "High Voltage, CCW rotation", by connecting this way

L1 to P1 L2 to 4&5 Join 2 & 3 together Join 6 & 7 together Insulate P2 (as it is not "used" in this configuration)

If >5 - 4, 5 - 2, 5 - 3: When measuring these I had to crank the meter

Although I can't quite follow it as being what I would expect from what you write, this is what happens when you place an ohmmeter across a capacitor. The current that the ohmmeter uses to "test" with is applied to the capacitor, so you are in effect charging the capacitor to whatever voltage your meter uses, nominally/arguably around 3 to 9 volts. Watch out for the discharge if you reverse the leads.

You might also find this explanation interesting:

Take care.

Brian Lawson, Bothwell, Ontario. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I just wanted to follow up on this, the company sent me a wiring diagram.

I want to try to discribe the diagram, because it is somewhat like Brian's explenation but not exactly.

Wire 2 is half the main winding which connects to internal wire 1 (pink) Wire 5 is half the start winding with the capacitor and a discharge resistor across the cap. in front of the winding. This also connects to wire 1.

7 and 6 are the 2 halves of the cent. switch

wires 3 and 4 come off the thermal protector 3 comes out of P1 and 4 comes out of P3 there is a P2 but the diagram does not show a connection.

Wire 1 goes into P3.

wire 4 is indicated on the diagram as Cust Signal Lead (hand written)

in the lower left labeled For test

Line into 3

5 & 6 jumpered Line into 7 & 2 which are Jumpered

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Hey Marc,

Seems good. Maybe a bit special, but if Franklin says that is the proper way, go for it. Just be sure to have no more than a 15 Amp dual element fuse in at least one leg for a no load test.

Have fun, but take care.

Brian Lawson.