VFD Blues.

[ltlvt]

Thanks to all who have helped me try to diagnose my VFD problems. I am at the point of going in circles and making no progress so now I am looking for Names Links etc. of VFD repair services. I have a Huanyang single phase to 3 phase converter and a Shenzhen single phase to 3 phase vfd that i bought new about 2 years ago.. Hopefully I don't have to send them back to China.

 

[mksj]

They are not worth repairing, they are considered disposable at that price point. Even mainstream VFD's are not worth repairing in the smaller units probably under 10 Hp. Larger ones are more modular so some parts are easier to repair but still costly. If you buy more mainstream brands like Teco, Hitachi, Fuji, Yaskawa, ABB and so forth they have a warranty period and technical support. As with many electronics there is a small percentage that are either DOA or fail early, if they then work they usually work for decades. If they fail after many years, the technology has evolved that they are then replaced as opposed to repaired. As I mentioned eBay and Amazon are probably poor options when buying a VFD and you need subsequent technical or warranty support. Otherwise just consider them a toss and replace.

 

[ltlvt]

They are not worth repairing, they are considered disposable at that price point. Even mainstream VFD's are not worth repairing in the smaller units probably under 10 Hp. Larger ones are more modular so some parts are easier to repair but still costly. If you buy more mainstream brands like Teco, Hitachi, Fuji, Yaskawa, ABB and so forth they have a warranty period and technical support. As with many electronics there is a small percentage that are either DOA or fail early, if they then work they usually work for decades. If they fail after many years, the technology has evolved that they are then replaced as opposed to repaired. As I mentioned eBay and Amazon are probably poor options when buying a VFD and you need subsequent technical or warranty support. Otherwise just consider them a toss and replace.

I am definitely ready to throw in the towel. I may be ahead just to try a mechanical speed control like cone pulleys instead and keep the single-phase motor on the Vintage lathe. I highly doubt that VFD's existed in 1939 and the old lathe has made tons of chips over the years. Thanks very much for your honest input.

 

[markba633csi]

Not a good plan to buy electronics and put it away for a rainy day. You always want to verify it's condition within the warranty/return period
so that you can take action if need be

 

[ltlvt]

Not a good plan to buy electronics and put it away for a rainy day. You always want to verify it's condition within the warranty/return period
so that you can take action if need be

I'm learning. Thanks for the input. This is a great forum.

 

[metric_taper]

I am definitely ready to throw in the towel. I may be ahead just to try a mechanical speed control like cone pulleys instead and keep the single-phase motor on the Vintage lathe. I highly doubt that VFD's existed in 1939 and the old lathe has made tons of chips over the years. Thanks very much for your honest input.

Don't give up on using a VFD. I've removed single phase motors from every machine in the shop, installed 3 phase motors and VFDs to run them.
I only purchased one of the Hungyang units, the first one blew up, and the seller on ebay replaced it, I put the replacement away. I've had good luck buying used ones off craigslist, FB market place and eBay. The important thing, look to see if you can download a manual for the model, if you can't don't buy it. And pay attention to the 200v class vs 400v class, as you don't have 440VAC in your shop (I assume). And they can't run at the 240VAC single phase you have. The only brand I can recall that didn't have online manuals for older models was Allen Bradley, now Rockwell Automation.

 

[ErichKeane]

Don't give up on using a VFD. I've removed single phase motors from every machine in the shop, installed 3 phase motors and VFDs to run them.
I only purchased one of the Hungyang units, the first one blew up, and the seller on ebay replaced it, I put the replacement away. I've had good luck buying used ones off craigslist, FB market place and eBay. The important thing, look to see if you can download a manual for the model, if you can't don't buy it. And pay attention to the 200v class vs 400v class, as you don't have 440VAC in your shop (I assume). And they can't run at the 240VAC single phase you have. The only brand I can recall that didn't have online manuals for older models was Allen Bradley, now Rockwell Automation.

I've had really good luck with the VFDs, I consider the cheap Chinese ones as disposable, but have never had a problem with them. The hardest part/easiest way to get stuck is to decipher how to program them, but an hour or so digging through the book has gotten me through the problems every time.

 

[strantor]

I am definitely ready to throw in the towel. I may be ahead just to try a mechanical speed control like cone pulleys instead and keep the single-phase motor on the Vintage lathe. I highly doubt that VFD's existed in 1939 and the old lathe has made tons of chips over the years. Thanks very much for your honest input.

The benefit of mechanical speed reduction is a proportional increase in available torque. I'm all for scrapping all the single phase motors and putting on 3ph with a VFD but I would be remiss if I didn't point out that speed reduction with a VFD does not offer a proportional increase in available torque. When I converted my lathe I got rid of the step pulleys and just ran a belt straight between my motor and my spindle. That works for 90% of the things I do, but if I need more torque I have to engage the backgear and that's a pain. I wish I would have kept the step pulleys and added the VFD. That is what I will do for conversions going forward. Put the belts in the middle ratio, add the VFD, and rarely touch the step pulleys, but when I need them, they're there.

 

[markba633csi]

VFDs can be challenging to program for both beginners and more experienced persons. The problem you are struggling with may still be a programming issue- keep playing with it before you throw in the towel. If it hasn't spit out sparks and smoke it still may a good unit, you just haven't hit on the right recipe yet

 

[tq60]

The PO of our Bridgeport scrapped the factory vari-speed and converted to VFD single pulley, works well but need to use back gear for anything that needs torque.

We added VFD to the 14.5 SB lathe as it was 3 phase.

We leave it in second from highest belted speed (it has 4) and vary with VFD.

plenty of power authentication motor is 1.5 or 2 hp.

We can go down from RPM to MPR if we put it in back gear, lowest belt and slow motor.

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