Clarke Rebel 60 240v capacitor casing has melted

by Mark
(Manchester)

I have a Clarke Rebel 60 240v with a 2.5 HP motor. The capacitor is faulty and the capacitor casing has melted so I can not read the numbers printed on it to order a new one. Do you know what the size of the capacitor should be ie the Uf any help would be appreciated?

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Don’t know the actual value(s), but
by: Doug in s.d.ca.

their part number is FN009200026.

You can call them at 020 8988 7400
or
email [email protected]

They may be willing to give you the value(s) of it, if their price seems excessive.

Good luck and please let us know how you fare.

BTW, the manuals for Clarke compressors are here:

[email protected]

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Rebel 60 Capacitor
by: Mark

Thanks for the reply very much appreciated, I emailed Clarke 3 times over the last couple of weeks but got no reply to emails.

I called them today the guy I spoke to asked me the values of the capacitor as it did not say on their computer when he looked! He had to go and look it up the old way so he said and found it to be 40 uf, it was £25 With postage which I have ordered and will be here on Monday.

Just hope there is nothing else wrong with the compressor as the capacitor has melted for some reason it must have got very hot. But I have had the compressor for 18 years and have done a lot of work with it and its never let me down until now.

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Run capacitor
by: Doug in s.d.ca.

Mark,

It is possible a motor winding is damaged to the extent that it won’t start or stay running, but if that’s the case, it still won’t hurt the new capacitor. You might want to test the new one before you install it, just so you know what it’s supposed to look like on the meter.

Probably the old one developed an internal short which caused the meltdown.

Keep us posted, please.

Rebel 60 Capacitor – still problems!
by: Mark

The New Capacitor arrived from Clarke this morning, I have fitted it to the compressor and the compressor is very slow at turning over keeps tripping the overload breaker switch, I had to reset the switch several times until the compressor finally started, and runs ok.

It started every time I switched it on and off with no problems.

I left it for a few hours and tried it again and it was very slow at starting again tripping the circuit breaker switch, once started and warm it starts and runs with no problems only when cold it becomes a problem.

Would a larger Capacitor help with the starting from cold or is the problem with the Stator/Windings.

I have tried everything I can think of now and run out of ideas, any help would be appreciated.

Clarke Rebel Capacitor
by: Bill

Mark, I’m going to put my .02 cents into this discussion.

If the compressor started OK, and the capacitor had no problem before it finally gave up the ghost, and replacing the capacitor with one of comparable farad rating and voltage does not solve the problem, then it pretty much has to be the motor itself that’s failing… or, the pump is creating sufficient load on the motor shaft that, in trying to start, the motor is pulling too many amps and frying both itself and the cap.

Replacing the cap is a logical step in diagnosing and correcting this compressor problem.

Before embarking on a motor tear down and rebuild, could you triple check that the pump itself is not somehow binding, or the tank check valve is not partially blocked shut, slowing air from the pump from entering the tank, thus backloading the pump and the motor?

Not likely a check valve problem nor the pump loading the motor since you indicate that, once warm, the compressor starts easily.

And one more thing, what’s the ambient temperature of the compressor when you first start it, and could the additional load possibly be cold-weather related?

Clarke Rebel 60 240v
by: Mark

Thanks for your input Bill, the pump spins freely when turned by hand.

I disconnected the motor from the tank so there is no load on the motor and the compressor is kept in a warm area, all have made no difference the compressor is very difficult to start when cold.

As soon as the motor does start if I turn it off and then turn it back on it will start and run with no problems. It’s only when it’s left for a few hours it starts very slow and trips out.

I thought if I put a slightly bigger capacitor on it 45uf instead of 40uf it might help with the poor starting. I know I should not have to go up in of value, but as the compressor is old and has done a lot of work it might be getting a bit tired and the extra boost might help

Oil?

by Anonymous

Any chance a too viscous oil was used?

Cap
by: Doug in s.d.ca.

Can’t tell from the drawing, but see if there’s a switch contact at either end of the motor (maybe near where the cap connects). If that’s a start cap, it may be the contact isn’t “making” after it sits a bit. Clean-up might be all it needs.

Clarke Rebel 60
by: Mark

Thanks for all your help Doug/Bill, I have stripped the motor down, the cap is wired directly into the windings, also all the cables’ outer covers that go into the motor have melted and stuck to the windings but there are no shorts on the wires them selfs.

There are 4 winding wires that are connected to the cap from the windings, and I am thinking that one or more of these wires has failed and that’s why its difficult to start when cold, as the motors not getting the full boost from the capacitor and once the motor is warm it is receiving enough boost from the wires that are ok to start the motor.

Stator
by: Doug in s.d.ca.

So you may want to consider a new one if they aren’t ridiculously pricey.

Clarke Rebel 60
by: Mark

Doug, to get a new Stator or have the one I have rewound is too expensive. I will be getting a new compressor

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