Motor brushes

Slowpoke

Well-known Member
I got a free treadmll with a permanent magnet motor. Of course it didn't work because a lead broke out of a brush.
I wanted to install the motor on my drill press but I'm not sure if I can get the motor to work at a reasonable cost or if I can even adapt it to the drill press. New brushes are available; a few weeks ago the price for one was $13+S&H, Now it's a pair for $38+ $10 S&H.

Is it possible to refasten the lead to the brush by some means? I found several electricaly conductive epoxys on eBay, but will the stuff stick to the carbon brush? The lead was in about 1/4" and the side of the brush broke out. Any ideas?
Thanks
 
Maybe you could adapt a brush from some other motor? Our local ACE Hardware has a pretty good selection of brushes for appliances and power tools. I have gad good luck in the past adapting them to fit other things. If it is a large brush, maybe an auto electric shop that has been around a while might have something you could work with.

Josh
 
Two thoughts come to mind: You might be able to drill a small hole in the brush and reattach the lead with epoxy or put a small bolt through the hole with and reattach the brush that way. Find a larger brush and carefully sand or file it down to fit. There are many sources for brushes around.
 
I couldn't find a source to replace the brushes for a crapsman shop vac. I just waited for them to go on sale and bought a new vac.

I did get a new set of brushes for my old B&D right angle grinder, but they cost more than I could have bought a new grinder from China. The old B&D grinder is worth fixing.
 
Hello slowpoke,

Are you sure the motor is AC. I thought that the thread mill motors were DC,

Guido.
 
Last year our tilt-n-trim on our boat was acting up, I took it off and took it into Terry's auto electric. They put new brushes in it and cleaned it up for about what the brushes would of cost me from Honda. Someone nearby should have generic brushes, or buy one a little big and file it down!
 
I did buy brushes at Ace, but the leads are offset from the center; the original lead is centered & has a spring and a plastic plate to hold it down. An insulated wire crimped to the lead exits from a hole in the plate.
I think the spring pushing on one side of the brush will cause it to wear unevenly.
 
Guido,
It has a pc board that must convert AC to DC so the speed can vary.
I believe it's to costly to have a variable speed AC motor, even though treadmills are expensive.
 
HI DGinVT
That's what I was thinking, but will electricaly conductive epoxy bond to the carbon brush? They seem very slippery.
Most of these projects are a one try deal and if it doesn't work, the money spent may as well have gone into buying a new part. But by then it's too late.
I've also thought about the mechanical repair with a pin or screw.
 
Hello smallcrawler

There is nothing at MC to fit. Neither does the internet.
My brush size is.370 thick, .675 wide and .820 long with a center lead about 1 1/2" long. A couple treadmill parts stores have it, but prices range from $47 to $60 for a pair.
 
Hi Slowpoke, not trying to beat a dead horse, looked at Helwig#34-377411: .373x.748x1.125; Repco #REP333: .375x.750x1.125; #REP387W same but 1.00 lg; #REP3508: 375x.787x.813; No prices on any.
Advance Carbon:#ACP006 .375x.750x1.125=$9.17
Advance Carbon:#ACP019 similar, shorter=$8.33

All these are close, on the high side so that they can be sanded to fit, unsure if lead position critical. Hope this helps as I don't like being held hostage to manufacturers'
ridiculous prices for a slightly "non-standard" part. Good luck!!
 
Find a larger brush, and sand it down to fit using a belt sander.

BT,DT, many times, got the "T" shirt.

It's NOT rocket surgery.
 
A mechanical repair would be the best. with a small hole thru the brush. There will be heat generated from the electrical current and the epoxy may try and burn off or melt.
 
Hello slowpoke,

YEP! My treadmill board went bad years ago, new one works just fine. DC motor is what mine has as well,

Guido.
 
DGin VT,
A friend suggested cutting a flat piece of copper the size of the top of the brush, silver soldering the lead to it in the center, slip on the spring and install it.
I was thinking of adding some electricaly conductive grease or paste between the brush and copper plate. Something like an automotive EC grease which can stand elevated underhood temperatures.

Slowpoke
 

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