If the 3 commutator sections came loose from the base, but are still attached to their respective wires, and the copper pieces are not bent, kinked or deformed, it may be possible to epoxy them back in place...maybe. You must get them back in the EXACT same position and they must form a perfect circle (when looking at it from the end). Usually commutators are trued on a lathe to ensure they are smooth and are a perfect circle (not egg shaped, rough or uneven). Don't try to lathe turn this armature, you will destroy it (believe me I know by experience). It is not the same as the loco armatures (I've done many of these). If you successfully epoxy them in place, then you could gently sand them, shoe-shine style while spinning in a lathe or drill press. Start with 400 grit, then finish with 600. Afterwords, be sure to flush it thoroughly with electrical contact cleaner to get all the grit out. Make sure the slots between each segment of copper are clean.
All this being said, I would check with several dealers for a servicable replacement armature first. The above should only be considered as a last resort. Steve Blancard --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "wintermutedm <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Learn something new every day... that said, the 3 segments actually > separated from the rest of the armature... but the wires did not come > off. Is there a way to fix that? > > > --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], Chuck Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Be careful. > > The "communicator", actually commutator, should show 3 separate > > segments. This makes it a 3 pole motor. Commutator segments= number > of > > poles. If you have a meter check the armature windings pole to pole > > with rushes off to see if it is open or dead shorted. Ditto for > field. > > Assuming you need an armature, ask Doug Peck at Portlines via email > to > > be sure he has no armatures. > > > > "wintermutedm " wrote: > > > > > > Hi everyone, > > > > > > I have an interesting situation. I discovered that my 2 year old > has > > > figured out how to turn on my layout (I now need to put the power > > > stip above 5 feet). At any rate, I had mistakenly left my 312 SIT > > > engine on the layout, and while I was at work he fed track- power > to > > > it. It started up in neutral and was left there, full throttle, > > > until I got home maybe 4 or 5 hours later. Being a SIT unit, the > SIT > > > had been running full steam until it died. When I opened it up > and > > > disected it, I found that the communicator (the copper circle) on > the > > > armature had split into 3 parts. Everything else looked ok... but > > > now I am stuck with a dead armature. > > > > > > I have three questions for this: first, does anyone sell > replacement > > > armatures for SIT units? I checked Portlines and RFG and couldn't > > > find any (not that they don't have them, I just couldn't find > them). > > > If no one sells them, is there a replacement unit for them (I am > not > > > worried about keeping the engine original: it is a repaint). And > > > finally, is there a way to repair the communicator? I had a wild > > > idea that supergluing the three pieces back together might work. > I > > > haven't tried it yet though. > > > > > > Let me know what you think. It was my only engine that smoked and > > > worked before this, so I really want to get it fixed! > > > Thanks > > > > > > Denny Merritt > > > -Chicago > > > > > > S-Trains list sponsor: http://www.americanflyertrains.com > > > All the Flyer you desire...books and accessories too! > > > > > > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list send a note to s-trains- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > -- > > Chuck Smith of the NASG, Rochester Area S Gaugers (RASG) > > and the S Gauge Chemung Valley Lines. http://home.eznet.net/~cesmith > > > > "It is often wiser to remain silent and be thought a fool > > than to speak up and remove all doubt." Mark Twain S-Trains list sponsor: http://www.americanflyertrains.com All the Flyer you desire...books and accessories too! To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list send a note to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
