New t-7 will not run continuously

[Jgweaver]

Yes, it is running well now and I have sharpened several drill bits this afternoon.  There are no fuses in the unit.

[Jgweaver]

Yes it is running well.  Sharpened several drill bits this afternoon.

[Herman Trivilino]

Glad it worked out for you.  You probably should report the problem with the switch to your dealer.  If you have problems with it in the future you may have to replace it.

[Rob]

Like I said....they now have NVR's (no volt release switch). This is a common feature on "dangerous" machine tools such that they cant be accidentally left on n the event of being unplugged with a mechanical switch left in the on position.  The switch auto switches to off in the event it gets no electrical current.  Thats why I think his problem is electrical not mechanical.  Have you checked the wiring in the plug?

If that tests OK (and by the way blown fuses in the plug are the most common electrical fault), then its off to the dealer or as the boys say, you'll void the warranty......thats 7 years bad luck!!

What you say about the switch makes sense, but I don't understand the part about the fuse in the plug.  Is this fuse in the male part of the plug, or is this something you have in the female part of the plug on your side of the pond?

Hi Herman

In the UK (And I assumed this was also true in the US but might be wrong on that)...all appliances have a plug (obviously) ie the male part.....that plug has within it, not just the wire terminals but also a seperate and replaceable fuse...its a small capsule with the fuse wire completely enclosed....disposable.

The plug then fits into the wall socket as normal.  The wall socket has no fuse since the main is fused at the consumer unit.  The fuse in the plug is rated to the power of the appliance so something like a Tormek would have a 13 amp fuse.  A lamp might have a 5 amp fuse and so on.

Frequently, in the UK, those fuses are the first to blow in the event of a short.  Its like the first weak link in the electrical chain.  Is that not the case for US based appliances then?

Well done to the OP by the way....clearly the switch was assembled badly....the quality control issue is a bit of a worry because our experience of Tormek QA is that its pretty good.

[Jeff Farris]

Rob,

That sounds like a brilliant system, but our (USA) plugs are not so equipped.

[Herman Trivilino]

In the UK (And I assumed this was also true in the US but might be wrong on that)...all appliances have a plug (obviously) ie the male part.....that plug has within it, not just the wire terminals but also a seperate and replaceable fuse...its a small capsule with the fuse wire completely enclosed....disposable.

I hadn't noticed that.  I was aware there's a switch in the receptacle (female part) so that's why I inquired.

In the US we don't have the switches on the receptacles or the fuses in the plugs.  If a receptacle is close to a sink, bathtub, or shower it'll be a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupt) receptacle.  These will open the circuit if the current returning is less than current supplied.  There's a reset button you push to close the circuit once the fault has been corrected.

[Ken S]

This is a most interesting post.  It also illustrates one of my (few) pet peeves about this forum.  Once in a while, someone directly associated with the factory in Sweden should reply. 

"Apparently they do not run these before they are shipped."  I hope (and believe) this was an isolated incident.  What I have not read on this forum is a reply form Tormek AB clearly stating the company's testing procedures for all new units.  It would appear that this unit slipped through the cracks in testing.  It would be reassuring to know (officially) that the cracks are few and narrow.  I don't expect total perfection from any company.  It would be nice to know this is a rarity.

It would be nice for the company to provide a forum post detailing the different switch and plug arrangement for different countries.

For those of us who do not have total GFCI protected receptacles throughout our shops, a simple GFCI short extension cord will do a good job at minimal cost.

Ken

[Herman Trivilino]

For those of us who do not have total GFCI protected receptacles throughout our shops, a simple GFCI short extension cord will do a good job at minimal cost.

Yes, but it won't duplicate the safety feature built in to the new switch.  The new switch prevents the machine from starting when you plug it in.

[Rob]

well fancy that....I had no idea you guys didnt have fused (male) plugs as standard.  Our wall receptacles sometimes have switches and sometimes dont but they are never fused...its only the appliance plug.

You learn something new every day :-)

On Kens point, Tormek QA will be good Ken, just anecdotal feedback from this forum bears testament to that

[Ken S]

Rob, life is sometimes a bit more primitive in the old colonies...........

Ken

[Herman Trivilino]

Rob, the only ones I've seen over there had switches.  Unless I'm recalling incorrectly.  The thing I remember is that the down position was on.  Messed me up worse than having to drive on the wrong side of the road.   

[Rob]

Rob, the only ones I've seen over there had switches.  Unless I'm recalling incorrectly.  The thing I remember is that the down position was on.  Messed me up worse than having to drive on the wrong side of the road.   

Thats funny Herman.....I have the exact same feeling in reverse...when I started travelling to the US on business many years ago....I wondered why the light switches were up not down...I always thought the builder had just wired them upside down at first....then the penny dropped :-)

The wall socket switch thing is just an economic choice.  The cheaper sockets arent switched, bit more money and they are.  Today the vast majority of new build has switched sockets but I just checked one of our biggest online construction supplies catalogue and the non switched variety are still permissable with our building regs. We built our house in 2007 and its got all switched....nice...if you cant reach that lamp last thing at night

[Elden]

The plug then fits into the wall socket as normal.  The wall socket has no fuse since the main is fused at the consumer unit.  The fuse in the plug is rated to the power of the appliance so something like a Tormek would have a 13 amp fuse.  A lamp might have a 5 amp fuse and so on.

Frequently, in the UK, those fuses are the first to blow in the event of a short.  Its like the first weak link in the electrical chain.  Is that not the case for US based appliances then?

Question Rob,

You have no breaker (fuse) between the grid (source) power and the wall socket? What protects your house if the a short circuit occurs in the wiring within the walls before the socket (outlet)?

Our outlets are not protected at the outlet but at the breaker (fuse) box unless it is a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interruptor) outlet. The breaker box can also be called the service panel. Are you calling the consumer unit the service panel (breaker box) or are you referring to the load (i.e. Tormek, lamp, fan, etc.) I'm not saying your all's way is wrong, but am genuinely interested in knowing the differences.

A  GFCI can also be accomplished in a GFCI breaker in the breaker box.
Individual fusing of loads at the load itself is done at times, but is rare. Power strips that are protected are common, particularly for computer type stuff. It wouldn't be a bad idea, however, to have individual load fusing.

I guess that is the way the duck floats on this side of the pond.

[Rob]

Hi Elden

Yup.....consumer unit is Limey speak for fuse box. Each house has one as you say, in between you and the grid. These days they're all of a trip switch design.  In the old days it was big Bakelite fuse carriers with individual strands of wire

Each ring circuit leads back to a breaker that protects that circuit......but we also have these little mini fuses inside the appliance plugs. They're cheap to buy and disposable.  Big power guzzlers (anything to do with heat like your swanky electric oven) has its own even thicker cable (30 amp) with another individual breaker.....all in the consumer unit

Your GCFI things sound like what we call an RCD

[Herman Trivilino]

The other difference is that in the US we have two 115 volt hot wires, each 180^o out of phase with the other.  We have to put them together on occasion for appliances that require 230 volts.

In the UK my guess is that everything residential is single phase 230 volt.

The tea kettles sure work a lot faster over there.  When you double the voltage like that you get four times the power.  I'd sure like to have one of those over here hooked up to a 230 volt supply.  I'm pretty sure it'd be a code violation.