josh
Novice
Posts: 56
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Post by josh on Oct 11, 2007 10:26:32 GMT -5
Yooo,
Was working on some milk chocolate and all of a sudden I noticed a different noise than usual. Stopped and checked, found nothing then proceeded. Total time to 15mircons only 5hours, top off, acidity dropped by hour six. Hour seven, cleaning and grease was all over the place and worse in the chocolate. The central bearing was leaking upwards onto the central axle. This unit has less than 50hours of use. Comment. Suggestions?
Anyone else had this problem. Santha has yet to respond. Has anyone opened up one of the big ones?? Have pics but don't know how to upload. Also, can't seem to break the bond between the nylon center and the granite-sugaralchemy; they must have switched to 3500psi epoxy per your suggestion, thanks!
Broken hearted and chocolatlelss, lost in the jungle of despair,
Jungle
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Post by Alchemist on Oct 11, 2007 19:12:51 GMT -5
Josh,
Big one? Do you have one of the Spectra 20 or 40?
I have heard of a couple of unexpected bearing failures in this latest batch of 10 lb Melangers. I am checking into it.
Santha in the USA is closed currently. How are you attempting to contact them? I can drop them a note if you like.
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josh
Novice
Posts: 56
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Post by josh on Oct 11, 2007 22:03:59 GMT -5
Thanks Alchemist for your concern,
Spectra 20/old fiberglass body, red, cracked and now broken. Thanks for the thought but I'm not too concerned. I need speed baby, SPEED! Time to redesign. Who puts a bearing in the liquid anyway? Seriously? Will send pics of the mods are complete.
Do you think the grease is harmful? my my milk chocolate looks great and I went to the trouble of tempering before I cleaned and noticed the problem. I guess I'll have to test on the farm hands, as I am morally opposed to testing on animals. Any response on this issue from Santha would be of interest.
Anyone moded one of these yet? I want specs and deconstruction info please. IF not, and are reading this, chances are that I already did. Personal Message me and I will send pics.
The "Caged Chocolate" Jungle
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josh
Novice
Posts: 56
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Post by josh on Oct 15, 2007 20:54:05 GMT -5
So,
Its not the bearing. Santha puts a bunch of grease under the nylon center piece in place of a bearing, though there is a central bearing that did not fail but does leak even though its technically sealed. The pressure from the wheel under load pull the central axle up and the tenuious seal that they designed fails. So, if you start to see black gunk on the central nylon stopper coming up from the axle, smack it with a hammer. You can't hurt it and this is how it was originally placed. Its a really bad design and I have removed the upper of the axle and now mount the wheels on a hovering sub frame that I welded to the actual frame. Or, like I suggest to those who develop this problem, smack it down with a hammer a couple of times.
Back Baby Back
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gap
Apprentice
Posts: 390
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Post by gap on Oct 16, 2007 17:28:38 GMT -5
Josh,
I really do admire your enthusiasm and ingenuity. Good luck with the new design . . .
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josh
Novice
Posts: 56
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Post by josh on Jun 1, 2008 23:23:08 GMT -5
Gap,
Thanks, sorry I haven't responded sooner, the redesign went well. First, I tried making my own bearing and that still leaked so I mounted the motor and wheels above the spinning tub, sealed the tub and wa-la, no oil in the chocolate. The Santha design places the bearing inside the chocolate and while Blenders have solved this problem, Santha has not nor anticipated the speeds and heat at which chocolate move.
Thanks,
Jungle
P.S. That my my belt was the wrong size too and made quite a mess till I nixed it.
Note, for other tinkerer's, I found no benefit increasing the speed other than messing up the stock motor, concentrate on the pressure issue instead (see Alchemists new center parts or SugarAlchemys design)
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