Reading Stoker Motor

rocketjeremy · Post by **rocketjeremy** » Sat. Dec. 22, 2018 8:06 pm

I'm the new owner of a Reading stoker stove for my woodshop. I started it up a little while ago but shut it down b/c I couldn't get it to idle nice. I timed the rotation of the motor and it would not stay consistent. It would start on "low" on the rheostat, making a rotation in like 90 seconds (high was 40 seconds) and when I'd come up an hour later it would be running in 40 seconds even on LOW. I tried adjusting the potentiometer but it never stayed. So, I got a new rheostat and fired it up again today thinking I was good to go and ready to heat. However, the issue had persisted.

So, what's next? Is the motor bad? Is that why it's reacting differently to to rheostat? I have some time off for the holiday and I thought I'd be up and running and ready to work!

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Sun. Dec. 23, 2018 12:22 am

Pull that motor and bench test by plugging in to a cord.
Stop and start it and watch if it seems consistent and not different each time as was when on the stove.
Spin motor by hand, if separated from gearbox, to feel is drag is noticeable.

Some courageous users have even opened the gear case to redistribute the contained grease.

Those original shaded pole motors take very little use till the sintered bushings start acting up and can slow down the naturally weak shaded pole motor.

Best to have the replacement parts on hand to avoid the drama of when time is so dear...

rocketjeremy · Post by **rocketjeremy** » Sun. Dec. 23, 2018 11:56 am

I pulled the motor this morning and brought it down to the bench. When plugged in directly without the rheostat I get a consistent 35 seconds for a full rotation which is what I was observing on HI with the rheostat. I then plugged it in with the rheostat and it acted the same way where sometimes the timing would be fine and then it started doing it owns times without any appreciable change.

I do notice that there is a slight drag when it is disconnected from the gearbox yet still inside the coils. The geared side does not seem to skip or stop and I can't hold it back. The fan side I can easily stop with my fingers.

rocketjeremy · Post by **rocketjeremy** » Sun. Dec. 23, 2018 1:23 pm

Opened the gearbox as well, don't really know what I'm looking for, I'm no watchmaker, but, it had grease, I could see no metal shavings, didn't see anything missing teeth.

Pauliewog · Post by **Pauliewog** » Sun. Dec. 23, 2018 2:11 pm

You mentioned getting a new rheostat, can you post a picture of it?

Paulie

rocketjeremy · Post by **rocketjeremy** » Sun. Dec. 23, 2018 2:16 pm

Absolutely...

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Sun. Dec. 23, 2018 2:52 pm

What is the gearbox RPM? Might it be 4 RPM?

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Sun. Dec. 23, 2018 3:06 pm

The archives are a great source of information, you were not the first to see this trouble...from 2010...Reading Stove- Stoker Motor

joefode · Post by **joefode** » Wed. Jan. 16, 2019 3:51 pm

Did you ever reach a conclusion on this motor issue? I had a similar issue when I bought my Reading used. It was set up to run a Coal-trol, and I never could dial it in with a rheostat.
Joe