Thread Number: 26510
3 wire Tristar motor 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 296930   9/3/2014 at 18:15 (3,516 days old) by Lothar ()        

I have a two-speed burgundy tristar CXL (1982?) and the completely and very suddenly stopped working. I removed the motor hoping that I could just replace it but I am having trouble finding a 3-wire motor. Everything I see on ebay is two wire. If I don't care about having two speeds, can I just use a two-wire motor and not connect the speed switch at all? I have also had trouble finding a wiring diagram for the three wire motor. I have found the two wire diagram.

Any help here?

Post# 296935 , Reply# 1   9/3/2014 at 18:30 (3,516 days old) by eurekastar (Amarillo, Texas)        

eurekastar's profile picture
You might try searching for a 2 speed Filter Queen motor. I've seen those on Ebay and it should work. Just make sure it's not too long.

Post# 296937 , Reply# 2   9/3/2014 at 18:33 (3,516 days old) by eurekastar (Amarillo, Texas)        

eurekastar's profile picture
Well, now I don't know. I've been looking at those motors and they're all four and five wire motors. I honestly wouldn't have a clue about how to make it work.

Post# 296957 , Reply# 3   9/3/2014 at 20:40 (3,516 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)        

super-sweeper's profile picture

Yes, you can have a easy 1-Speed Tristar! Just pick up a 1-Speed switch at a hardware store to replace the 2-Speed switch. Buy the motor your saw,and From there it's simple electric wiring, but if you have any more questions, feel free to ask! laughing
Post# 296961 , Reply# 4   9/3/2014 at 21:25 (3,516 days old) by hydralique (Los Angeles)        
Using a four-wire FQ motor . . .

It can be done though I didn't do it. Some two-speed Filter Queens have a "performance indicator" light and that is evidently where the fourth wire goes. My two-speed D-33 does not have that feature so I assume it has a three wire motor but have never taken it apart. The link below is to a thread started by Dustin here who had the same problem you do, a dead two-speed TriStar. He successfully installed a four wire FQ motor by capping off one of the wires.

 

Two-speed TriStars are rare and it would be a shame to bypass the switch and regress back to only one speed.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO hydralique's LINK
Post# 296971 , Reply# 5   9/3/2014 at 22:32 (3,516 days old) by sbakerde (Millsboro, DE )        
It's an overheat light not a performance indicator

The fourth wire is the lead to an over heat light on too of the vacuum from the thermal switch in the motor. If working properly it would only come on in the event the motor overheated and was shut off by the thermal switch. I have seen these malfunction a few times where the light stays on constantly. Don't try to retrofit a five wire motor. That wiring is far more complicated. With that said it's very possible you don't need a motor just a new set of carbon brushes. That would also be quite a bit cheaper. Now if by chance your brushed and armature are fried but the field is good it's quite easy to replace a two wire field on a new motor with the original 3 wire field.

Post# 296976 , Reply# 6   9/3/2014 at 23:17 (3,516 days old) by Lothar ()        

Sbakerde, is there a way I can determine if the brushes are bad?

Post# 297035 , Reply# 7   9/4/2014 at 12:10 (3,515 days old) by sbakerde (Millsboro, DE )        
Yea you can

Each brush should be held on with either one screw or two screws and a metal bracket. Just remove the screws and bracket. I recommend using a small flat screwdriver to carefully push the lead terminal out of the brush holder first. Then to move the brushes and inspect. If there isn't much brush left beyond the spring they are bag. Carbon brushes can also become stuck from dust getting into the holder cousing them to not push out they way they are supposed to.

Post# 297038 , Reply# 8   9/4/2014 at 12:58 (3,515 days old) by BBFvac76 ()        
3 wire motors

3 wire motors are hard to find. I will be soldering 3 new wires on the hi-lo switch & when I get a 4 wire more, I would capped off the red wire & know where the 3 wires would go but where on the hi-lo switch would the blue & yellow wires go? Also, the hi-lo switch have 3 wires & are the low, center, & high side. If you help me on where the yellow & blue wires go to which on the hi- lo switch, then I will know where 1 remaining wire goes. bought the same vacuum sometime ago & the hi-lo switch was bypassed with 3 wires cut & has a 2 wire motor in which I swapped into a tristar DXL vacuum.

Post# 297046 , Reply# 9   9/4/2014 at 14:28 (3,515 days old) by DesertTortoise ()        

Here are some three wire vacuum motors being sold:

www.google.com/shopping/p...

www.amazon.com/Filter-Queen-Speed...



Post# 297060 , Reply# 10   9/4/2014 at 15:39 (3,515 days old) by sbakerde (Millsboro, DE )        
DT they won't work.

The new filter queen motors have three wires but the third is for the red overheat light on top of the vacuum. The lower speed is made possible by use of a printed circuit board and resistors.

Post# 297065 , Reply# 11   9/4/2014 at 16:50 (3,515 days old) by DesertTortoise ()        

Ah, I see. Sorry.


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