Is the outside of the motor allowed to air-cool, not loaded up with oil or dirt? If it's an open motor, is dust inside? Otherwise, I would suspect high amp draw, maybe as simple as an extension cord that is undersized wire, or too long.

This may sound silly, but I saw a person who had a lightweight 50' extension cord hooked up to a table saw. The motor was burning to the touch. One end was plugged into the receptacle 2 feet away, the other end plugged into the saw, 2 feet away. The other 46 feet was coiled up tightly, in between on the floor. The man couldn't believe me about the cord causing the heated motor, because the saw was only 6 feet from the receptacle.

Also, low voltage from a too-long extension cord, causing high amp draw.

Thanks baymee! I'll hope to get to some examining and experimenting soon.

Such as:

1. Inspect the motor for critter's nest while stored. No oil or grime is on it.

2. Check for air flow from fan attached. Pull motor "Again" to show std 1HP specs.

3. Run it w/o a load of splitting and with a load while checking amp draw.

4. Recent work was w/o an extension. A 50' 12 ga is the max ext I will use.

5. I'll ck the gage of wire to the recpt I suspected when a (35 yr old) breaker went out.

6. I feel it's at least 14 ga (I hope 12) 35' or less long. Is that ga safe for a 1 HP motor?

7. If the Rec wire appears warm, I'll move it to a Rec approx 15' from breaker to notice.

My real question: Will the motor heat above hand's touch due to time running vs load etc? Plus, I feel this has not always been a problem or not noticed.

I think a 1 HP motor on 120V draws 11 amps. A 14 gauge wire can handle that, but I don't know how long you can go with that wire. You need to know how many amps it's drawing under a load and then decide what wire to use.

When you don't have the motor loaded, it should be drawing the lowest amps and be cooling off.

I'll hope to do more investigating soon and hope to find at least 12 ga wire.

1. I was able to take a pic of the motor's specs in a mirror w/o removing it. Then the fun of flipping and rotating the image (attached).

2. I pulled the breaker box cover hoping enough jacket was left to see the ga spec but no. There should be enough wire jack in the recp box or I'll measure vs eye-balling.

3. A glance in the motor d/n show restrictions. No play was felt, air flow fill is next.

4. If allowing the motor to rest more will help, that will be an opt but I doubt the problem.

Looks to me as if there should be some sort of cover
on the end of that motor. Otherwise that fan is not
blowing air into the motor.

1. The motor's fan is minus the grill/guard (in 1st att) that directs the air flow and restricts debris.

2. The wire's gauge measured 14 that mean I'll continue my surch and monitoring.

3. I'll check amp draw with and w/o a load tomorrow vs disturbing my neighbors today.

4. I'll test directly from the recp vs 50' 12 ga extension and at a closer 14 ga recp on the next small job.

5. The major splitting (over 2 hrs) has been in 50-70 degree weather w/o noticing heating. That has even been on a 50' 12 ga extension vs the 2 recent direct recp connections.

6. I'll monitor the motor's temp related to the outside temp since all noticeable heat was in weather above 70.

7. I w/n hesitate to treat it like my chain saws, "use them shortly in temps above 70". I feel splitting below 70 were major differences in the heat that I'm just noticing.

8. Can anyone recommend a reasonable costing Motor Temp Monitor for my simple use?

I got some experimenting and inspecting done today and none seemed favorable IMO. The good part is a 220V receptacle (for a backup AC) is arms reach from the 110V with 12 or 10 ga wire. A 110V could be placed on the Ext Back-To-Back off the 220V. Running the splitter on 220V would be better (from what I saw amp wise) except it's not always handy at that location.

Observations:(1HP Farm Duty Motor showned at Northern Tools)

1. The amp meter showed the motor drawing about 9 amps turning just the pump w/o a load.

2. The amp meter showed the motor drawang about 18 amps or just below splitting a 12" dia log.

3. The motor is sealed. How is a fan helping a sealed motor? My guess is like a sealed body.

4. Dose the 2 draws sound about normal? How does this work under a load if it is rated 13.2/6.6? Is this marginal if monitored since I just noticed in 3 yrs the heat issue "working in heat" ?

5. Should I consider a heavier wired receptacle for the splitters avg 10, 2 hr jobs per season?

Thanks In Advance!

Its an enclosed motor, typical of a farm motor. The fan cools the body casing.

For the motor to overheat now, after running
well in the past, then something has gone awry.
I would contact GE and ask them.
Also, are the bearings okay?

Thanks lbpod!

1. I am very suspicious of the above 70 degree heat I was running the splitter in as a big factor.

2. I will rem the pump to check the bearings good and check the amps w/o the pump.

3. I'll have a good ref to compare any bearing noise to since I ran the motor only and recorded the sound.

4. Initially I looked to no end for a high pitch noise and the motor ran basically noiseless w/o the pump connected.

5. There Is No End To Maintenance Period!!! Lack Of Memory and records can complicate matters, even with Pics and Notes.

6. There has not been a smell of over heating ever and why I like to operate my tools. If loaned, you have borrowed me also for help in return, âÂÂwith only one tool owners" I trust.

Last experiment until it's below 70 degrees and some clean wood to split. I Need A Break!

1. No bearing play or bearing noise from the quiet running motor with the pump disconnected.

2. The amp draw appears to be 6-8 amps. I had to rem the pump since the fingered U-Joint w/n move.

Wow! You've got a nearby 220 receptacle, and a motor that can be switched over. I'd not hesitate to reconfigure the motor to run off 220. It will run cooler, be stronger, and make you a happier logger! That's a TEFC (totally enclosed fan cooled) motor, by the way. They are intended for places where there is a lot of dust and dirt. I agree it doesn't look like that fan could cool a totally enclosed motor, but it's standard on table saws and shapers and other tools that create dust.

In approx. 50-degree weather this morning the log splitter's motor felt "normally warm" to my hand as long as I wanted to feel it. The final feel was after using the splitter approx. 45 minutes. Most notable was the splitter appeared slower in cycling with no load (in the cool weather) than in the past.

My rush to finish before an unknown worker next door showed for work could have influenced this fill but I doubt it. I hate pulling out tools around strangers. The 8-12" dia Red Oak's inside was not as seasoned as the dead bark and checking cracks indicated. The splitter d/n stall/hesitate once vs appearing slower. Good Test & Results!

My next test will be using the splitter on my 50' X 12/3 ga extension in cool weather as in the past vs the trucking (to the house and back to the stack). I feel I will find the same normal warm motor in the cool weather or take breaks (while additional cutting).

I wanted to ask about reasonable costing moisture meters but I need to just keep seasoning cut oak with signs of moisture a year. The recent cut "Dead" Red Oak with seasoning checks and dead bark threw me as seasoned to burn (until I split the 12" dia wood that can season a year). I have learned that Red Oak's thin bark looks deceiving toward the wood being seasoned. Plus, the drought stricken wood seems slower to completely die or dry.

Bottom Line! I'll hope to have fewer quality fires with quality wood to support my central gas unit. The wood and good exercise working it, works well on mild cold days vs hard cold days.

I heated with wood exclusively for about 33 years and about 2 years ago I started using anthracite coal in the winter for 4 months. It's alot easier than hauling wood all the time and dirt cheap too. About $350 for the entire winter.