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Anybody know Variable Frequency Drives ?

1 Wild R/T

1 Wild R/T

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I'm getting a real mill, my Rung Fu is gonna have to say good bye...

So the new (used) mill has a 2 hp 3 ph 220v 6.5 FLA motor.... My shop naturally has single phase power.... I've been told I need to up size the VFD but that you can buy to big of a VFD also.... Some websites suggest going 185% over size... that would mean a 3.75 HP drive... Well I have to choose from a 3HP drive or a 5HP drive... Leaning toward the 5HP but thought I'd ask...
 
I went with a 5hp RPC for my Bridgeport and it also supports my Rung Fu drill/mill and South Bend 16" lathe (only ever run one at a time). In other words, go with the 5HP unit.
 
SEW Eurodrive makes a Movitrac B VFD 115v to 3 phase 230v up to 1.5hp and 230v single phase to 230v 3 phase up to 5hp. We use them all the time.
 
1 Wild R/T said:
I'm getting a real mill, my Rung Fu is gonna have to say good bye...

So the new (used) mill has a 2 hp 3 ph 220v 6.5 FLA motor.... My shop naturally has single phase power.... I've been told I need to up size the VFD but that you can buy to big of a VFD also.... Some websites suggest going 185% over size... that would mean a 3.75 HP drive... Well I have to choose from a 3HP drive or a 5HP drive... Leaning toward the 5HP but thought I'd ask...
Click to expand...
I am trying to send you a PM, but your inbox is full. Can you PM me your PH#...
 
My company is a Rockwell (Allen-Bradley) solution provider.
A 3hp PowerFlex4 would be adequate for your mill, but yes bigger is better.
Fuse the incoming line with 30A dual element time delay fuses and mount the drive close to the motor.
Let me know if you need more information.
 
So, I don't know Jack about High frequency drives but I have this laying around from
when I bought a bunch of cabinets from my work. Can it be used in your situation???
Just pay the shipping. Useless to me. It might as well be a Chevy motor! Ha!
20200714_133253.jpg
20200714_133314.jpg
 
Right size but it's a three phase input.
I don't know without checking if a Fuji drive will work with a single phase input.
 
I know money's always a consideration but go with Allen-Bradley if you can. A 5hp won't hurt a thing and you'll have some room to expand to a larger motor in the future, if needed. I don't know if your shop has accounts with any electical suppliers but Rexel is the A-B distributor up there, just fyi.
 
Glenwood said:
SEW Eurodrive makes a Movitrac B VFD 115v to 3 phase 230v up to 1.5hp and 230v single phase to 230v 3 phase up to 5hp. We use them all the time.
Click to expand...
I have also used a few SEW Eurodrive Movitrac units....once I got used to programming it, they work great. Only difference here is that we have a 230V single phase and 400V 3-phase supply to deal with. Real men's voltages. :D

(Testing and setup photos..)
upload_2020-7-15_9-10-11.png


upload_2020-7-15_9-10-43.png


upload_2020-7-15_9-11-18.png


say cheese... :lol:
 
I've installed a bunch of VFD's, can't say I agree about oversizing them though? I've installed plenty of 5hp on 5hp motors with no trouble, oversizing helps when your pushing a motor to it's limits often but for home use and on a mill?Y not going to work it that hard. Might check with Automation direct as well, we've had excellent luck with them.
 
I am using a Teco fm50 202c made by Westinghouse on my vari speed Bridgeport . the vfd is rated for 3hp and the mill has a 2hp motor . been using it for 4 years and never any problems--also has lots of features . I set mine to ramp up start at four seconds - figured it is easer on the machine to start it slow instead of jerking it to full speed start.
Cost was about $130 Pm me and I will send you name and number of company I got it from.
 
747mopar said:
I've installed a bunch of VFD's, can't say I agree about oversizing them though? I've installed plenty of 5hp on 5hp motors with no trouble, oversizing helps when your pushing a motor to it's limits often but for home use and on a mill?Y not going to work it that hard. Might check with Automation direct as well, we've had excellent luck with them.
Click to expand...

They have to be oversized if they are not designed for 1 phase in, 3 phase out. Not the best approach imo, as the current spikes/dips causing faults. It will work, but I would not install a 3 phase drive on a single phase feed intentionally.
 
Glenwood said:
You guys look like you touched the HV buss!
Click to expand...
That was Easter Sunday last year.....too many chocolate eggs possibly. :lol:
We had to add an extra PSU because of only have three phases and an earth supply (plug-in supply for moving between factory units) - needed a neutral - so we ended up with a two-phase 400V - 24VDC PSU in there. I also discovered that the ideal potentiometer for speed/frequency control is 5k.

Sorry I can't offer real experience on a lathe or mill, only motors - which only differs because of lack of gearing.
 
Back in my residential days, we had a client (owners of Chapters books and Onex) building a massive home with 6 electrical furnaces since there wasn't enough nat gas available in the area at the time. This meant bringing an extra phase from the nearest commercial area a few miles away. So they ended up with a 3 phase 400A service to their house. Crazy. The custom transformer took nearly a year to manufacture.
Sorry, off topic.
 
Glenwood said:
They have to be oversized if they are not designed for 1 phase in, 3 phase out. Not the best approach imo, as the current spikes/dips causing faults. It will work, but I would not install a 3 phase drive on a single phase feed intentionally.
Click to expand...
That.. I have no experience with, only installed them in 3 phase applications which I guess isn't exactly on point with the conversation. I assumed you would buy a special VFD to convert to 3 phase? We just put a phase converter together for my garage knowing I'd have a lathe and mill at the very least.
 
Last edited:
zyzzyx said:
So, I don't know Jack about High frequency drives but I have this laying around from
when I bought a bunch of cabinets from my work. Can it be used in your situation???
Just pay the shipping. Useless to me. It might as well be a Chevy motor! Ha!View attachment 975121 View attachment 975122
Click to expand...


I appreciate the offer but yeah, three phase input & higher voltage as well, not gonna help me.... Looks like a Allen Bradley 5 HP should be getting sent to me by my company.. They had one sitting on the shelf from a project that the company who ordered it backed out of.... They paid for our costs & dropped the project.... Free VFD is good.....
 
1 Wild R/T said:
I appreciate the offer but yeah, three phase input & higher voltage as well, not gonna help me.... Looks like a Allen Bradley 5 HP should be getting sent to me by my company.. They had one sitting on the shelf from a project that the company who ordered it backed out of.... They paid for our costs & dropped the project.... Free VFD is good.....
Click to expand...
Nice!


kiwigtx said:
I have also used a few SEW Eurodrive Movitrac units....once I got used to programming it, they work great. Only difference here is that we have a 230V single phase and 400V 3-phase supply to deal with. Real men's voltages. :D

(Testing and setup photos..)
View attachment 975161

View attachment 975162

View attachment 975163

say cheese... :lol:
Click to expand...
Sheesh don't you guys have Panduit over there?
:p:p:poke::poke:
(And if that's an apprentice with you, I hope you fired him for smiling on the job!!)
:rofl:
 
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