Help! Problems with scrollsaw switch.

[UK-Blade]

Wondering if one of you electronics gurus can give me a hand.

I have this old scrollsaw, donated by my father-in-law when he upgraded his. I'm just getting round to starting some of my mods (worklogs on the way ;) ) but thought I sort some of the tools out first. The saw is missing its button, at present it has the wires connected in one of those plastic screw blocks. So I popped down to maplin and bought a nice illuminated switch.

Now the problem, I can get the light to light up or the saw to work, but not at the same time. Its been ages since I did electronics (used to work for Mastercare), but the wiring diagram isn't helping (provided below). The 3 wires in the saw are live from the mains, 1 cable direct to the motor and the other through some big silver thing.....(if anybody wants a photo I'll provide it). The switch also has 3 terminals, but using my multimeter the switch just operates between 2 of them.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Once its working I'm also gonna clean up the saw and give it a lick of paint (would anybody like to see a worklog of me modding a modding tool??)

Thanks in advance for the help and the slaps (I'm sure this is easy to fix, but it eludes me at the moment)

http://www.cambridge-computers.com/test/switch.gif

[calumc]

that ''silver thing'' is probably some sort of variable resistor to vary the speed but im not sure what the 3rd wire is though, is an earth?
Anyway before we start on anything with the switch are you sure is can take the current that is going to be passing through it?

Oh and ive just sussed the switch, the middle pole is common to the switch and the light so you would connect one wire to the middle pole and the 2nd wire to the the other two

[xmastree]

The big silver thing will be a capacitor. Current will pass through this to a second winding, to make sure the motor rotates the right way. It's common on single phase motors unless the direction doesn't matter (like the rotating glass plate in a microwave, for example).

As for the switch, live in to #2, load (motor) to #1 and neutral to #3 (are you sure the light isn't permanently connected 2-3?) The motor neutral should also connect to #3.

Before doing this, be sure it's a 220V neon light and not a 12V light in the switch.
Edit, I just noticed you've had the light on already, so it must be ok.)

Photos would help, as would the maplin part number of the switch.

[elbarto241]

brand and model # of scroll saw might help. maybe we can dig up a replacement switch for it from the manufacturer.

[UK-Blade]

Thanks for the advice so far.

I'll try things out and get the requested info when I get back in from work this evening (just finished my night job....yawn).

Fingers crossed.....

[crazybillybob]

Xmas looks like he's on the right track (plus he's also in the UK...so he's already thinking 220V ... not like us 120V yanks state side :) ). But some pics, and some wire colors, and make/model of the saw would be perfect.

Man this is the second illuminated switch thread in the last few days...:think: same basic Q's.... I feels a Tut in the works :)


CrazyBillyBob

:pics: