# My Ryobi electric splitter has locked up!



## wahoowad (Feb 14, 2014)

I've had this Ryobi electric splitter since 2006 and absolutely love it. It fits my style of splitting perfectly. Today I was splitting some creampuff maple and oak when the motor seemed to lock up out of nowhere.  It was working perfectly for 15 or so splits, then would not move forward for the next splitting stroke. 

The motor makes a noise like it isn't spinning and circuit breaker on the unit will trip if I hold it down more than a moment. Nothing seems bound up in the hydraulics, motor and wiring look fine. I'm using a heavy gauge 20' extension cord that I have always used.

I'm thinking either the engine has given up the ghost, the big capacitor it has in the control box is bad...or maybe a little melting snow sent a few drops of water into the motor? I did see some water dripping onto the exterior of the motor but not sure if it can get inside.

Man, I hope I can salvage my little buddy. It has been a workhorse.


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## Jags (Feb 14, 2014)

Please clarify - is the motor spinning at proper RPM or is it the motor that is not spinning (locked up)?


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## wahoowad (Feb 14, 2014)

doesn't sound like it is spinning. The little plastic fan moves freely if I spin it


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## Jags (Feb 14, 2014)

So when you power it up, the little plastic fan doesn't turn but the motor hums?  Have you ever tried to power it up and give the little plastic fan a flick with a screwdriver or something?  If this is a capacitor motor - it could be as simple as a bad cap.


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## wahoowad (Feb 14, 2014)

I spun the fan by hand, but not while I had power applied to the motor. It doesn't feel like I should hold the power button down if it isn't going to spin. The fan spun effortlessly so somehow it isn't directly attached to the internal rotor assembl_y. I suspect that has more resistance to spinning._

There is a big white capacitor in the control box. Looks Ok but who knows.

I'm wondering how I can manually give the motor a little spin in case it hit a spot where it is stuck


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## Jags (Feb 14, 2014)

My suggestion above was to determine if the start cap was cooked.  If you apply power and then manually spin the motor AND it starts to run - then you probably have a bad cap.  It is just one of my first steps in troubleshooting.

I have a small motor with a buffing wheel that I have to manually spin to get it to startup otherwise it will just sit there and hum.


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## wahoowad (Feb 14, 2014)

I stripped the head of one of the fan cover screws so I can't get it off yet. I'm gonna go fight that a second time so I can try your advice.


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## WiscWoody (Feb 14, 2014)

Take a look at this page if you don't get it going.

http://elpaso.apogee.net/md/home.asp


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## wahoowad (Feb 14, 2014)

Yup, giving the fan a little spin allowed the motor to run! I just ordered a replacement capacitor at ereplacementparts  

Thanks for the help, Jags!


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## Jags (Feb 14, 2014)

I love it when a plan comes together.


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## WiscWoody (Feb 15, 2014)

wahoowad said:


> Yup, giving the fan a little spin allowed the motor to run! I just ordered a replacement capacitor at ereplacementparts
> 
> Thanks for the help, Jags!


I hate to rain on your parade but it still might be the start windings in the motor. The best way to check a start or run capacitor is by farads or microfarads for small singe phase motors. You can take the capacitor to a motor shop or a starter/alternator repair shop if your multimeter doesn't read MFD's and have it tested. Usually it should test at around 4 MFD. I've worked on many motors but mostly 3 phase 10-800 HP and of  they don't use capacitors but man, if they don't use a variable frequency drive or a soft starter... Starting a big motor with a 6 belt shiv is pretty wild to watch! I've had hard starting refrigeration compressors too and they make special kick starter for them but I'm drifting off....


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## wahoowad (Feb 15, 2014)

I figger buying the cApacitor is cheaper than a repair shop running a test. 

Are start windings repairable in a small motor like this?


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## WiscWoody (Feb 15, 2014)

They'd test it for free I'm sure. It just takes a moment. You'd have to talk to a motor shop to see if it would be worth a repair or better to get a new motor. If the motor has a ID plate look for the frame size and other specs and look online including eBay for a motor. That is if comes to that.... Hopefully for your sake it does turn out to be a bad cap.


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## Jags (Feb 15, 2014)

It could be a bad start winding for sure, but I thought a cap start had to be around 75% of run speed before it would disconnect and run on the primaries.  Willing to learn, here.


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## razerface (Feb 16, 2014)

The shops around here test caps for free too. Takes 5seconds with a meter. In some motors(engines are combustible fuel) there are start caps, and run caps. My air compressor has 3.  I think they cost me 6 bucks each last time.


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## Pennsyltucky Chris (Feb 18, 2014)

I happen to be a fan of ryobi products. Is that a 4 or 5 ton? How old? Looks like you probably got your $300-$400 out of it already. Now you're on free money time. I never saw a ryobi splitter before, Whats the cycle time and alleged split diameter?


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## DougA (Feb 18, 2014)

I've got that exact one and they're $250 on sale here. I got mine for $50 used.
If you can't get it going, you got your $$$ out of it.
I will keep an eye on this in case it happens to mine.
What the heck is a creampuff maple???


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## ironpony (Feb 19, 2014)

wahoowad said:


> Yup, giving the fan a little spin allowed the motor to run! I just ordered a replacement capacitor at ereplacementparts
> 
> Thanks for the help, Jags!


 

make sure to discharge the cap before removing it, it will zap you.


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## wahoowad (Feb 19, 2014)

ironpony said:


> make sure to discharge the cap before removing it, it will zap you.



That is a tip worth remembering! How do I do that? Undo one wire first and touch it to the frame?


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## WiscWoody (Feb 19, 2014)

wahoowad said:


> That is a tip worth remembering! How do I do that? Undo one wire first and touch it to the frame?


Just short it out with a screwdriver. They lose there charge after being disconnected from the power source for a minute also. Just an interesting fact, power companies use huge caps in the power grid to condition electrical power. I see them all the time. They help to even out spikes and flow.


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## ewdudley (Feb 19, 2014)

ironpony said:


> make sure to discharge the cap before removing it, it will zap you.


You must be thinking old-school televisions or some such, motor capacitors will drain through the windings.


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## WiscWoody (Feb 19, 2014)

ewdudley said:


> You must be thinking old-school televisions or some such, motor capacitors will drain through the windings.


I was wandering why I never saw a sparky when I'd short them out.


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## ewdudley (Feb 19, 2014)

WiscWoody said:


> I was wandering why I never saw a sparky when I'd short them out.


Then again, it's probably simpler and safer to just go ahead and be leery of all capacitors rather than waste time worrying about it and taking a chance on getting it wrong!


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## WiscWoody (Feb 19, 2014)

What would really hurt from a misplaced hand at work is when I hooked onto 277 volts! Yoyza! It never threw me down but it's much, much more painful than a 120 volt shock! IIRC 277 is one leg of 480 volt 3 phase.


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## Jags (Feb 21, 2014)

Wahoo - parts come in yet??  Keep us posted.


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## wahoowad (Feb 21, 2014)

No...I could really use it this weekend as my shoulder is acting up and don't need to be swinging a maul...


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## wahoowad (Feb 25, 2014)

The new $18 capacitor fixed my problem! Here is where I got it in case anybody else develops the same issue:

http://www.ereplacementparts.com/capacitor-p-218443.html

Thanks for your help Jags!


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## jillybeansisme (Feb 26, 2014)

I was going to suggest you eat the maple cream puff and saw the wood instead of the other way around!   But I'm glad you got the problem fixed.  Have you had this problem with the Ryobi Electric splitter before?  Anything us newbies should know about it before we consider buying it?


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## wahoowad (Feb 26, 2014)

This was my first problem. The Ryobi (and now the Homelite which appears to be same model) has been pretty reliable. I've heard of more issues with other brands. Mine was 9 years old. Hopefully good for a few more. 

I wonder if the on/off design where you push the button down for each split causes more wear than a different design where the motor runs continuously?


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## Jags (Feb 26, 2014)

wahoowad said:


> Thanks for your help Jags!



Glad it worked out.


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## WiscWoody (Feb 26, 2014)

Yes, it is good that it works now and the motor is good. May it spit out slits for another 9 years to come!


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