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Post by cheebs on Sept 2, 2008 15:46:13 GMT -5
If there's one thing that needs replacing on the Santha, in my opinion even before you make your first batch of chocolate, it's the belt. It was my unpleasant experience to find this out the hard way: the grinder was bogging down with as little as 3 lbs of chocolate, and was taking a ridiculous amount of time to refine even a passable grade of chocolate. It was achieving no more than 60 RPM. Additionally, the motor was running super hot and audibly straining to rotate the bowl. Even without the rollers attached, it could achieve no better than 100 RPM, and the chocolate would spin to about halfway up the bowl. When I took the grinder apart, I was appalled to find a huge amount of belt "shavings" inside the Santha cabinet. The stock belt was shredded, with little pieces coming off spontaneously. So, today I went to the local belt suppplier, and bought a very nice Semperit (German-made) fan belt, for a paltry $3.50. The difference in fabrication quality is off the charts, especially since the new belt is seamless. As soon as I re-assembled the Santha and ran it, the difference was astonishing. It now rotates at a full 150 RPM and nothing will bog it down. Without the rollers attached, the chocolate spun all the way to the lid! As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to have to go on a comprehensive reinforcement program for the Santha, to match the brawn of the new belt. So, for all of you still running your grinder on the stock belt, go get a new one! Best $3.50 I ever spent!
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Post by kellymon on Sept 4, 2008 10:21:22 GMT -5
Thanks for the tip! I've read of similar problems with other folks posting to this forum.... My new Spectra 10 just arrived, I think I will open it up and take a look at the belt before I use it....... robert
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Post by cheebs on Sept 5, 2008 14:12:11 GMT -5
Thanks for the tip! I've read of similar problems with other folks posting to this forum.... My new Spectra 10 just arrived, I think I will open it up and take a look at the belt before I use it....... robert Do it! You'll be glad you did. I forgot that I had taken some pics of the innards of the Santha, see for yourself what 2 batches did to the belt:
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Post by kellymon on Oct 5, 2008 21:03:19 GMT -5
Yes after about 1 and a half batches my sanatha stop turning and upon opening my belt looked like yours. Fortunately, my local auto supply store had a replacement for it $5 usd. The number is FHP 2380 or it also crosses to 3L380 apparently. I've already talked to John and I'm sure he will let his supplier know about the problem Now for the next batch........ peace, robert
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Post by holycacao on Oct 9, 2008 22:09:56 GMT -5
I too noticed belt shavings under my Santha 40 after my first batch in the machnine. I also just opened it, and will bring the belt to the auto supply store next week to replace it. I bought my Santha dirsect from India, since John doesn't sell international (it cost nearly double the price after customs!) All the best Jo
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mime
Neophyte
Posts: 7
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Post by mime on Feb 15, 2010 14:54:38 GMT -5
I'm so glad I came across this thread! I was adding ingredients to my Santha and it was slow and straining with just 1lb. I stopped everything and took it apart to find a shredded belt like you describe (though not as bad as those pictures). Picked up a new belt for about $8, and the difference was like night and day. Interesting discovery: stores are forbidden to sell auto parts in my city, so I had to go just across the border to the next town... I guess I don't live in the land of do-it-yourself-ers!
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Post by garth on Feb 24, 2010 20:21:44 GMT -5
Same here. I went to my local auto parts store and they let me look through the belts and I found a Gates 7580 that worked. I'm pretty sure that was the #. They got a thank you of some really good hand made chocolate.
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Post by Ben on Dec 28, 2010 12:57:37 GMT -5
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Post by jtoddm on Dec 28, 2010 21:18:32 GMT -5
yup, I can confirm that the powertwist 3/8" v-belt will fit the ultras.
The v-belts from dayton will also fit, but the powertwist seems to be much better / last much longer.
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Post by oaxacalote on Jan 2, 2011 12:02:03 GMT -5
Recently put power twist 3/8 on our Santha Spectra 10. Perhaps a slight reduction in noise, but the biggest improvement is the absence of belt shavings! So far I haven't noticed a real improvement in torque..perhaps that's because the stock belt fit well in our case? The belt shavings were not as extreme as those in cheebs' pics.
An aside on Spectra 10s, we recently gutted a failed drum and made some interesting discoveries. There is a second bearing near the top of the "nipple" on the central plate in the drum. This is a brass bearing (i.e. no balls, it doesn't spin, just holds the vertical shaft in place). In our drum, this piece is generating a lot of heat, which then transfers through the shaft to the chocolate, the bottom bearing, etc. The second discovery is that the area between the bearings is packed with a rubbery material that smells like the devil when heated. I've heard some people say that the belts generate a bit of burnt rubber odor that is perceptible to the connoisseur in the finished chocolate, my bet is that on a Spectra 10, it's actually this packing between the two bearings that's responsible for any off odors. If you don't believe me, slide out the vertical shaft and sniff!
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