MetalworkingFun Forum

Full Version: VFD Questions that have no doubt been asked before
Pages: 1 2
Im thinking about using a VFD to power the new to me drill press. It on the far side of the shop so it would probably cost half the price of one to run conduit and wire over there. I'd have to walk and wiggle around stuff to go over and turn on the phase converter, then walk back to turn it off if I remembered. Which means I'd probably not bother using it. There is however 220 single phase real close.

The unit has a two speed motor with a selector switch that has an off position. I won't be changing speeds while the VFD is powered up, but if the switch happened to be in the off position when the VFD was energized would it immediately let out the magic smoke?

The two sets of windings no doubt have different characteristics. Can the parameters on the VFD be set to handle both?

Ball park. How long does it take a VFD to go through its self check and power up. Will I be waiting 5 minutes to drill a hole.

I was planning on using the existing ON/OFF buttons on the press to control the VFD through its low voltage control inputs. If I hit the stop button can I then safely change the speed switch on the machine. Effectively disconnecting one motor and connecting another. (two sets of windings)

The Phase Perfect I have now doesn't seam to care what or how you connect anything to it, so this is all new to me.
Doubt I'll ever need to use the speed control capability but it might be nice to over speed the motor and go faster than  720 rpm.


How many HP is the motor?
I'm not sure what would happen if you were to power up the VFD with the switch in the Off position. I doubt anything would happen but it would be best to contact tech support of the manufacturer.
The VFDs that I've worked with have parameters for at least two different motors so you should be able to program it to handle both sets of windings.
The self-check takes about 5 to 10 seconds for the VFDs I've worked with. Not even enough time to pick your nose or scratch your balls.
You shouldn't have any problem using the existing switches. That's what I'm going to do once I get around to VFDing my lathe. I have all of the pieces, just no time.
On the fly speed control is nice. All it takes is the cost of a potentiometer so it's well worth doing.

Hope this helps some.

With the limited experience I have on VFDs there should be NO switching between the output and the driven motor.
I will use mine to power a 3 ph motor for my mill drill and I will use the controls on the VFD to control the motor.

By the way, I have sold my TREE mill and LUX-MATTER lathe (I'm downsizing) I'd like to delete them from my list of shop equipment at the bottom of my posts but I can't find out how.
Strange Steve - I don't see either of those listed in your signature...
(05-18-2017, 05:39 AM)stevec Wrote: [ -> ]on VFDs there should be NO switching between the output and the driven motor.

This is true so I guess one would have to manually disconnect one set of windings and connect the other set to the VFD. Not ideal for sure.

(05-18-2017, 05:39 AM)stevec Wrote: [ -> ]I'd like to delete them from my list of shop equipment at the bottom of my posts but I can't find out how.

You do that in your user control panel.

I called Automation Direct this morning and spoke to one of their techs.
Confirmed what you said earlier Ed.
If the selector switch is in the off position it won't hurt anything but don't switch it while the vfd output is energized.
Using the on/off buttons on the drill will of course work, if the VFD input is hot but the stop button has been pushed its safe to use the speed selector on the drill press.
So happens that the two windings draw the same current, 5.6 amp, the motor is rated at 2.2 HP at 3390 rpm and 1.8 HP at 1640 rpm, so I don't need two sets of parameters, the rpm parameter on the VFD is cosmetic, simply used to display the motor rpm at whatever frequency.
Ordered one this morning.

That's good news. Which one did you order?

It was a GS2-22PO, rated at 7 amp. Not the vector drive one, doubt I'll ever need to under speed the motor so didn't worry about it. That motor must pull down a lot anyway rated at 3390 and 1640 rpm, from what little I know thats the loaded rpm at rated current.
You definitely don't need the vector drive for a drill press. A mill and lathe, it makes more sense.

Mayhem, did I say signature?
I meant the "Busy Bee 12-36 lathe, Busy Bee Mill drill, Busy Bee 4x6 bandsaw, Homemade 9x17 bandsaw, Ad infinitum. " that appears at the bottom of my posts. Just below this.
Pages: 1 2