Mark Thorson wrote:
> Janet wrote:
>>
>> I've had my ACMC machine since about 2001. I've replaced the motor
>> two or three times, and the baffle at least once. I bought an extra
>> bowl when the originl started to flake black paint badly. I've had
>> to replace both porcelain sockets in the last year (I have a friend
>> who is a retired electrical ingineer who did this for me.). I
>> recently had to replace the ring, because their newer motors do not
>> fit on older machines with the older ring. But all of this has been
>> a lot cheaper than replacing the entire machine.
>
> Thanks for your experience. I wonder who
> makes the motors? A friend of mine working
> at an electronics company had a problem with
> their temperature cycling machine (used to
> study reliability of assemblies) burning out
> motors frequently, and they cost about $1000
> each. He figured out who made the motor,
> and he could buy them direct for about $300.
>
> About how much use does your machine see,
> say, in hours per week?

Some week probably 70+ (before Christmas), some weeks none (middle of the
summer). Most of the time, probably about 20-30. But it is very hard to say,
because when actively working one often leaves them on 24 hrs a day for
several days. For example, I'll leave it set at 99F, not rotating,
overnight, so that the chocolate stays melted and I can go back to dipping
or molding quickly in the morning. So the lightbulbs and fans are in use
many more hours than the kettle motor is actually rotating.