Capacitor Motors are named for the fact
that they require an external component, a capacitor to function. In
the photos above, the capacitor is the cylindrical yellow object
sticking out from the back of the motor. Capacitor Motors have good
starting torque, good running torque, and good efficiency. Generally
they are reversible, and some may have their speed varied. They
are operated on wall current, 120 or 220 volts.
This particular motor is about 50 years old and the lubrication in the
bearings hardened. The motor runs fine, but the loud noise it makes is
the bearings grinding themselves down. Ultimately this would cause the
motor to fail. It can be useful to know what bad bearings sound like.
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Capacitor motors are very expensive when
purchased new, but several surplus suppliers are good sources. Some of
them are H&R, C&H Sales, All Electronics, Marlin P. Jones &
Assoc., and others. See the sources
page for
possible vendors.
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