Troubleshooting

1. PROBLEM: Belt runs to one side at given point on structure
2. PROBLEM: Particular section of belt runs to one side at all points on the conveyor.
3. PROBLEM: Belt runs to one side for long distance or entire length of the conveyor
4. PROBLEM: Belt runs off at the tail pulley
5. PROBLEM: Belt runs off at the head pulley
6. PROBLEM: Belt slip
7. PROBLEM: Belt slip on starting
8. PROBLEM: Excessive belt stretch
9. PROBLEM: Grooving, gouging or stripping of the top cover
10. PROBLEM: Excessive top cover wear, uniform around the belt
11. PROBLEM: Severe pulley over wear
12. PROBLEM: Longitudinal grooving or cracking of bottom cover
13. PROBLEM: Covers harden or crack
14. PROBLEM: Covers swells in spots or streaks
15. PROBLEM: Belt breaks at or behind fasteners; fasteners pull out
16. PROBLEM: Vulcanized splice separation
17. PROBLEM: Excessive edge wear, broken edges
18. PROBLEM: Transverse breaks at belt edge
19. PROBLEM: Short breaks in carcass parallel to belt edge, star breaks in carcass
20. PROBLEM: Ply separation
21. PROBLEM: Carcass fatigue at idler junction
22. PROBLEM: Cover blisters or sandblisters

1. PROBLEM: Belt runs to one side at given point on structure

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Buildup of material on idlers
Remove accumulation; improve maintenance; install scrapers or other cleaning devices
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Sticking idlers
Free idlers ands improve maintenance and lubrication
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Idlers or pulleys out-of-square with centerline of belt
Readjust idlers in affected area
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Conveyor frame or structure crooked
Straighten in affected area
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Idler stands not centred on belt
Readjust idlers in affected area
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Structure not level
Level structure in affected area

2. PROBLEM: Particular section of belt runs to one side at all points on the conveyor

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Belt not spliced/joined squarely
Remove affected splice and re-splice
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Bowed belt
For a new belt, this condition should disappear during break-in; in rare instances, belt must be straightened or replaced; check storage and handling of the belt rolls

3. PROBLEM: Belt runs to one side for long distance or entire length of the conveyor

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Belt running off-center around the tail pulley and through the loading area
Install training idlers on the return side prior to the tail pulley
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Off-center or poor loading
Adjust chute to place load on center of belt; discharge material in direction of belt travel at or near belt speed
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Buildup of material on idlers
Remove accumulation; improve maintenance; install scrapers or other cleaning devices
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Idlers or pulleys out-of-square with centerline of the belt
Readjust idlers in the affected area
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Conveyor frame or structure crooked
Straighten in affected area
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Idler stands not centered on belt
Readjust idlers in affected area

4. PROBLEM: Belt runs off at the tail pulley

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Belt running off-center around the tail pulley and through the loading area
Install training idlers on the return side prior to the tail pulley
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Material spillage and buildup
Improve loading and transfer conditions; install cleaning devices; improve maintenance
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Idlers or pulleys out-of-square with centerline of the belt
Readjust idlers in the affected area

5. PROBLEM: Belt runs off at the head pulley

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Pulley lagging worn
Replace the pulley lagging
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Material spillage and buildup
Improve loading and transfer conditions; install cleaning devices; improve maintenance
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Idlers or pulleys out-of-square with centerline of the belt
Readjust idlers in the affected area
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Idler stands not centered on the belt;
Readjust the idlers in the affected area

6. PROBLEM: Belt slip

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Insufficient traction between the belt and pulley
Lag the drive pulley; increase the belt wrap; install belt-cleaning devices
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Pulley lagging worn
Replace the pulley lagging
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Counterweight too light
Add counterweight or increase the screw take-up tension to value determined from calculations
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Material spillage and buildup
Improve loading and transfer conditions
REASON:
ACTIONS
Sticking idlers
Free idlers and improve

7. PROBLEM: Belt slip on starting

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Insufficient traction between the belt and pulley
Lag the drive pulley; increase the belt wrap; install belt-cleaning devices
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Counterweight too light
Add counterweight or increase the screw take-up tension to value determined from calculations
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Pulley lagging worn
Replace the pulley lagging

8. PROBLEM: Excessive belt stretch

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Improper belt installation, causing excessive belt stretch
Pull belt through the counterweight with tension equal to at least the empty running tension; break belt in with mechanical fasteners
REASON:

ACTIONS:

Improper initial positioning of the counterweight in its carriage, causing apparent excessive belt stretch
Check the Goodyear Engineered Products’ “Handbook of Belting” for the recommended initial position
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Insufficient counterweight travel
Consult Goodyear Engineered Products’ “Conveyor and Elevator Belt Selection Manual” for recommended minimum distances; consult the Goodyear Engineered Products’ Belt Engineer
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Tension too high
Increase belt speed at same tonnage; reduce tonnage, maintain same belt speed; reduce friction with better maintenance and replacement of damaged idlers; decrease tension by increasing arc of contact or go to lagged pulley; reduce the counterweight to minimum amount
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Counterweight too heavy
Lighten counterweight to the value required by calculations
REASON:
ACTIONS:
System under belted
Recalculate belt tensions and select proper belt

9. PROBLEM: Grooving, gouging or stripping of the top cover

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Skirt boards improperly adjusted or wrong material
Adjust the skirt board supports to a minimum of 1” between metal and belt, with gap increasing in direction of belt travel; use skirt board rubber, not old belt
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Belt spanking down under load impact
Install cushion idlers
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Material hanging up in or under the chute
Improve loading to reduce spillage; install baffles; widen chute
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Impact of material on the belt
Reduce impact by improving the chute design; install impact idlers

10. PROBLEM: Excessive top cover wear, uniform around the belt

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Dirty, stuck, or misaligned return rolls
Remove accumulation; install cleaning devices; use self-cleaning return rolls; improve maintenance and lubrication
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Cover quality too low
Replace with a belt of heavier-cover gauge or higher-quality rubber
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Material spillage or buildup
Improve loading and transfer conditions; install cleaning devices; improve maintenance
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Off-center loading or poor loading
Adjust the chute to place the load on the center of the belt; discharge material in the direction of belt travel at or near the belt speed
REASON:

ACTIONS:

Excessive sag between idlers causing the load to work and shuffle on the belt as it passes over idlers
Increase tension if unnecessarily low; reduce idler spacing

11. PROBLEM: Severe pulley cover wear

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Sticking idlers
Free idlers; improve maintenance and lubrication
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Slippage on the drive pulley
Increase tension through screw take-up or add counterweight; lag the drive pulley; increase arc of contact
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Material spillage and buildup
Improve loading and transfer conditions; install cleaning devices; improve maintenance
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Material trapped between the belt and pulley
Install plows or scraper on return run ahead of tail pulley
REASON:

ACTIONS:

Bolts heads protruding above lagging
Tighten bolts; replace lagging; use vulcanized on lagging
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Excessive forward tilt of trough rolls
Reduce forward tilt of idlers no more than 2 degrees from vertical

12. PROBLEM: Longitudinal grooving or cracking of bottom cover

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Sticking idlers
Free idlers and improve maintenance and lubrication
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Slippage on the drive pulley
Increase tension through screw take-up or add counterweight; lag the drive pulley; increase arc of contact
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Material spillage and buildup
Improve loading and transfer conditions; install cleaning devices; improve maintenance
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Pulley lagging worn
Replace pulley laggingey
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Bolts heads protruding above lagging
Tighten bolts; replace lagging; use vulcanized on lagging
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Excessive forward tilt of trough rolls
Reduce forward tilt of idlers no more than 2 degrees from vertical

13. PROBLEM: Covers harden or crack

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Heat or chemical damage
Use the belt designed for the specific condition
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Improper storage or handling
Refer to Goodyear Engineered Products for proper storage and handling instructions

14. PROBLEM: Covers swells in spots or streaks

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Spilled oil or grease; over-lubrication of idlers
Improve house keeping; reduce quantity of grease used; check grease seals

15. PROBLEM: Belt breaks at or behind fasteners; fasteners pull out

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Fastener plates too long for pulley size
Replace with smaller fasteners; increase pulley size
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Wrong type of fastener; fasteners too tight or too loose
Use proper fasteners and splice technique; set up schedule for fastener inspection
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Tension too high
Increase belt speed, same tonnage; reduce tonnage, maintain same belt speed; reduce friction with better maintenance and replacement of damaged idlers; decrease tension by increasing arc of contact or go to lagged pulley; reduce the counterweight to minimum amount
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Heat or chemical damage
Use belt designed for specific conditions

16. PROBLEM: Vulcanized splice separation

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Belt improperly spliced
Re-splice using proper method as recommended by Goodyear Engineered Products
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Pulleys too small
Use larger-diameter pulleys
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Tension too high
Increase belt speed, same tonnage; reduce tonnage, maintain same belt speed; reduce friction with better maintenance and replacement of damaged idlers; decrease tension by increasing arc of contact or go to lagged pulley; reduce the counterweight to minimum amount
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Material trapped between belt and pulley
Install plows or scrapers on return run ahead of the tail pulley
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Improper transition between troughed belt and terminal pulleys
Adjust transition in accordance with Goodyear Engineered Products recommendations

17. PROBLEM: Excessive edge wear, broken edges

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Off-center loading or poor loading
Adjust chute to place the load on the center of the belt; discharge material in direction of belt travel at or near belt speed
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Material spillage and buildup
Improve loading and transfer conditions; install cleaning devices; improve maintenance
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Belt hitting structure
Install training idlers on carry and return run
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Bowed belt
For a new belt, this condition should disappear during break-in; in rare instances, the belt must be straightened or replaced; check storage and handling of belt rolls

18. PROBLEM: Transverse breaks at belt edge

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Belt edges folding up on structure
Install limit switches; provide more clearance
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Improper transition between troughed belt and terminal pulleys
Adjust transitions in accordance with Goodyear Engineered Products’ Handbook
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Severe convex (hump) vertical curve
Decrease idler spacing in vertical curve; increase curve radius; consult Goodyear Engineered Products for assistance

19. PROBLEM: Short breaks in carcass parallel to belt edge, star breaks in carcass

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Impact of material on the belt
Reduce impact by reducing the chute design; install impact idlers
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Material trapped between belt and pulley
Install plows or scrapers on return run ahead of tail pulley

20. PROBLEM: Ply separation

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Insufficient transverse stiffness
Replace with the proper belt
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Pulleys too small
Use larger-diameter pulleys
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Heat or chemical damage
Use the belt designed for specific condition

21. PROBLEM: Carcass fatigue at idler junction

REASON:
ACTIONS:
Improper transition between troughed belt and terminal pulleys
Adjust transition in accordance with Goodyear Engineered Products’ “Handbook of Belting”
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Severe convex (hump) vertical curve
Decrease idler spacing in curve; increase curve radius
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Excessive forward tilt of troughed rolls
Reduce forward tilt of idlers to no more than 2 degrees from vertical
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Excessive gap between idler rolls
Replace idlers; replace with heavier belt
REASON:
ACTIONS:
Insufficient transverse stiffness
Replace with the proper belt
REASON:

ACTIONS:

Excess gap between idlers, causing load to work and shuffle on the belt as it passes over idlers
Increase tension if unnecessarily low; reduce idler spacing

22. PROBLEM: Cover blisters or sandblisters

REASON:

ACTIONS:

Cover cuts or very small cover punctures allow fines to work under the cover and propagate between the cover and carcass
Make a vulcanized spot repair or a self-curing repair
REASON:

ACTIONS:

Spilled oil or grease, over lubrication of idlers; improve housekeeping; reduce quantity of grease used; check grease seals
Decrease idler spacing in curve; increase curve radius