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Author Topic: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors  (Read 8559 times)

Offline Lone

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Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« on: April 22, 2014, 07:22:58 am »
Hello folks,

We bought a 6 frame model from ebay a while back.  It has been doing a fine job of spinning honey out.  But a couple of times I noticed a tingling when I touched the metal switch box.  I had a sore finger so I thought that was the problem, but I mentioned it to a sparky the other day.  He checked it out yesterday and said it is not earthed properly and should never have passed importation inspection.

Also, a couple of wires were not crimped and just fell off.

If anyone has bought a chinese electric honey extractor then please have it inspected and earthed by an electrician.

We notified our mates (Nico) who have the similar 4 frame models, and we'll find out if they have the same problem.

Lone

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2014, 12:38:16 pm »
Good info to spread around.
In the electrical world, we call it being properly grounded. This would cause it to trip a circuit breaker instead of your heart.  :-\
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Lone

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Re: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2014, 05:19:31 pm »
Everytime I read the forum I learn more American.  We call it earth here and apparently the rest of the world does also.  I think the wires are the same colour (color for Jim) in america, green and yellow?

Lone

Offline Geoff

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Re: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2014, 06:09:10 pm »
  Thanks Lone. Have not used mine in anger yet but will have it checked.
Local Area Network in Australia - the LAN down under.

Offline Lone

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Re: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« Reply #4 on: April 23, 2014, 06:54:26 am »
In anger, Geoff?   :shock:  You shouldn't be kicking your extractor in anger when the poor thing can't answer back..

I emailed the vendor and they will investigate right away.

I wish I understood what exactly needs altering, but my poor bee brain has enough trouble working out which end of the hammer to use.

Lone

Offline Geoff

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Re: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« Reply #5 on: April 23, 2014, 07:12:28 am »
  Who was the vendor Lone ?  It just might answer back if its not earthed properly  !!!  Lone Y'ALL should know better  !!!
« Last Edit: April 23, 2014, 06:48:30 pm by Geoff »
Local Area Network in Australia - the LAN down under.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« Reply #6 on: April 23, 2014, 12:15:12 pm »
Everytime I read the forum I learn more American.  We call it earth here and apparently the rest of the world does also.  I think the wires are the same colour (color for Jim) in america, green and yellow?

Lone
Well, I quess I just learned something new. Just sounded like a laymens term. We only use green or bare wires.
thanks.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Wombat2

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Re: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2014, 08:18:37 pm »
Lone - sorry slight hi-jack - is it radial or tangential and if radial is it full depth?
David L

Offline chriso38

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Re: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« Reply #8 on: April 24, 2014, 03:45:23 am »
Yep, I have had the same issue!!! I have had mine for 3 years.. Had to send it to a place that specializes in fixing electric motors. They found similar issues with the wires. Cost me $90 to get it fixed.. all good for now .......

Offline Lone

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Re: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« Reply #9 on: April 24, 2014, 07:07:54 am »
Geoff, I'm assuming the standards, or lack of them, are the same across China. I think it would be advisable to have any Chinese made extractor checked out.  Or usall could be zapped.  If the other two in town who bought the 4 frame model find that problem, I might take more action, such as alerting our bee club.

Jim, I get used to some of your lingo but every so often new misunderstandings arise.  When I went to america, I was looking for minced meat to make rissoles.  It took a while to realise I should have been looking for ground meat to make patties.

Wombat, mine is radial.  Wouldn't all extractors fit full depth frames? Do you have an extractor?

Chriso, I am very lucky to have a friend who is a sparky.  The other day someone here was charged hundreds of dollars to have a fridge fixed because the tradie came out 3 times and charged a hundred or so each time just for the home visit.

It would be a shame if we did not have access to affordable extractors here.  I have not seen anything remotely similar that is made in Australia.  You might pay 4 times the price for a smaller extractor.  Ours cost a couple of cows, but we'd have had to sell the whole herd to buy one made here. 

Lone


Offline Nico

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Re: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« Reply #10 on: April 24, 2014, 07:39:31 am »
Hi All,
I posted an in depth reply on this problem this AM Aussie time, not printed maybe a glitch in my system.
My extractor's electrics left a lot to be desired.
The frame was not earthed, the power cord was not secured where it entered the electric box.
The motor was not earthed externally.
I earthed the frame via the earth wire in the power cord.
I secured the power cord where it entered the electrical box.
I did not open the motor so it is not earthed externally.
Aussie wiring colours were- active-red, neutral-black, earth- green.  Now we are on the SI system, the colours are active- brown, neutral- blue, earth- green and yellow.
Regards,
Nico
ps
Lone may I suggest hands are dry when handling switches, moisture can and will get into the control box. 
 
   

Offline poited

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Re: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« Reply #11 on: April 24, 2014, 07:47:01 am »
I found the Chinese extractors dirt cheap if you buy them directly from the supplier. From memory an electric 8 frame was about $300 AUD, but the shipping was about the same amount. When comparing Chinese to American extractors the difference is chalk and cheese. Instead of getting a cheap one bite the bullet and spend a bit more and get a quality one it will last a lifetime. But if you do have a dodgy motor on your current extractor just swap the motor over for a better quality one.

Offline Lone

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Re: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« Reply #12 on: April 24, 2014, 08:16:07 am »
Thanks, Nico.  I reckon I'll bring it up at the next club meeting.  I probably had honey on my hands!  I guess honey's a good conductor, hey?

Poited, it would be great to buy american made extractors which are so much cheaper than aussie made, but wouldn't you have to change the motor and the plug and everything to fit our system?  Changing the motor on the chinese ones is likewise beyond my limited scope of understanding.  I wouldn't know the first thing about all that manipulation and where to buy parts.  When Nico was looking for an extractor, the ones within a day's drive were 2 or 3 grand and I think only 3 framer, Nico?


Lone

Offline NewB

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Re: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« Reply #13 on: April 24, 2014, 08:19:44 am »
As a supplier of beekeeping equipment I once purchased a few electric extractors from China to sell. They worked well and I contacted the people that I sold them to at the end of the season to ask how they performed. Without exception they all said that they worked well. With this endorsement I ordered many more electrical extractors from the same supplier. The first person that I sold one to phoned a few days later to say that there was smoke coming from the motor. I tried one of the extractors and noticed smoke coming from this extractor as well. I then tried a third extractor and the same happened. As a result I contacted this major supplier of beekeeping equipment in China to ask for replacement motors. I received an email back saying that I did not know what I was talking about and that he would only replace motors that actually caught fire and not ones that had not yet or only showed signs of catching fire. I pictured myself in a coroners court explaining to a judge why I had kept selling defective extractors even though I new them to be a fire hazard. In the end I removed all of the motors, took them to the tip, and converted the extractors to manual. I now no longer sell anything electrical made in China.

Offline NewB

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Re: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« Reply #14 on: April 24, 2014, 08:22:30 am »
I should have added that I looked into buying replacement motors from elsewhere but to get them to fit would have been a major engineering job. Putting a different motor onto an extractor is not as easy as it appears.

Offline poited

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Re: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« Reply #15 on: April 24, 2014, 08:37:51 am »
Hi Lone
The American suppliers like Maxant and Mann Lake should/will be able to convert all the electrics over to OZ requirements. And they arent that expensive when you look at them for a long term investment. I realised years ago even though cheap stuff is cheap it just doesnt last.
I cant post a direct link but heres where to look.
maxantindustries.com/extractors.html
mannlakeltd.com/beekeeping-supplies/category/page118.html
I have enough electrical and mechanical knowledge to get myself into trouble and not out of it. So I have made some pretty expensive mistakes in my time but you do learn from them.

Offline chriso38

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Re: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« Reply #16 on: April 25, 2014, 05:26:51 am »
I would not worry about the voltage conversion issue from American 110v to Aussie 220-240v as you can buy a voltage converter off eBay really cheap to run it. I got one of those adjustable thermostat honey knives Mann lake sell, and run it off the voltage converter with no worries........

Offline Nico

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Re: Warning: Chinese Electric Extractors
« Reply #17 on: April 25, 2014, 06:55:50 pm »
Hi All,
Yes Lone ,the American and Italian imported models were out of my price range (a hobby bee-keeper) if purchased through an Australian agent, I do not know the price of the freight if ordered direct. The motor on my Chinese unit does not show any sign of overheating at this stage and I am satisfied with the operation of the extractor.
Regards,
Nico.

 

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