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So I was given one of these Harbor Freight Electric Log Splitters !
The person who gave it to me said it was actually a replacement one to replace another dead one !
So I plugged it in and hit the power button, heard a bit of humming, nothing happened.
Tried it again and then it blew a breaker !
Can these things be repaired ?
Or are they just POS right out of the box ?
THANKS !

MowerTedII said:

... heard a bit of humming, nothing happened....

Click to expand...

Usually that is a capacitor on the motor gone bad.
Look for 1 or 2 "bulges" on the electric motor- that is where the capacitor(s) are.

Here is how you can test the capacitor. **warning** discharge the capacitor from the get go. They hold alot of punch if you don't.


https://www.electricaltechnology.org/2013/06/how-to-check-capacitor-with-digital.html

Yes they are a POS.
HF paid somewhere between 10% to 20% of the charged price to the factory that made them.
They are junk for the purpose of separating a fool from his money and destroying the USA manufacturing sector.
If turning it on blows the breaker they the motor has a dead short.
This could be a loose wire in the control box or an internal short in the motor.
I could probably fix it but because of the dangers of playing with electricity I can not give instructions.
Any 1/2 decient electrician should be able to test the electric motor.
It will either be a really easy fix or totally trash .

If the rest of the splitter is well made ( high unlikley ) then you could fit another electric motor or put a pulley on the pump & run it from a stationary petrol engine.