# isacon a2 series vfd shutting off after starting



## Chanda (Dec 5, 2018)

The VFD is wired in properly and the display is lit but when switched on it flashes off after a few seconds, any ideas?


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## mksj (Dec 5, 2018)

Some additional information would be helpful. You might specify the VFD model number/specs such as Hp or kW, the motor and name plate specs. possible some pictures of the wiring of both the VFD and motor. Does it switch off after being powered up or when you try to run the motor? If when powered up and it switches off after a few seconds, is it wired for 230VAC input single phase input to the correct terminals? When they specify L and N, the N is not neutral but the other phase of the 240VAC. Connecting to neutral will cause a low voltage condition and shut down.  If the input is wired correctly and it shuts down with power up, then it is most likely a VFD malfunction. Is this a new VFD or is it an old one, as the older ones sitting on the shelf for years can suffer capacitor failures at power up.  If it shuts down with motor operation, then most likely it is a programming error. The default setting on this brand of VFD is often far left field.

You might look at this older thread as to some of the HY parameter settings: https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/tuning-the-isacon-hy-series-vfd.59364/


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## Chanda (Dec 7, 2018)

this is the VFD I have https://www.ebay.com/itm/UPDATED-22...2221?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c1#viTabs_0 
I am not sure this link will work but its the exact model I purchased. The motor is a five hp reeves electric feed drive, it is very old but and works fine but  its too fast without the vfd to run any wood through the moulder. We did get it running and its working well except for the fact that it acts like it doesnt have enough power to push the board through the machine. I obviously know nothing about the VFD but the newly installed feed motor is too fast on its own so we have to have it. My question now is there a setting on the vfd that would give the motor more power and if there is what setting and what should it be set on? Please bear with me, I usually work on very old moulders and other machinery that has no computerized parts at all. The moulder itself is a tri- state dated 1959. Thank you so much for your assistance and patience and let me know if that was enough info and if the link worked. If not i can send what you need.


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## JimDawson (Dec 7, 2018)

Did you program the VFD with the motor nameplate data?  Volts, Amps, RPM.  This has to be done before the motor will run correctly.  Also I'm assuming the motor is wired for 220 volts.


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## Chanda (Dec 8, 2018)

Hi Jim, yes it's 220-440 , RPM 1755, Amps, 13.6-6.8m , I just can't figure out which place the info goes, the manual is awful.


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## JimDawson (Dec 8, 2018)

I can't make out the RPM on the motor tag.  Looks like the output of the Reeves drive is 2100 RPM max, yeah, that might be a bit fast for an old moulder infeed.  I'm assuming you're not wanting to run this one at 1000+ FPM like the new ones. 

I'm hoping you didn't pay much for that VFD.  It doesn't seem to have most of the normal settings available, most VFDs have hundreds of settings (most of which are not normally used).  But at least they have settings for motor amps, motor voltage and a few other settings that are important.

Try setting Pn 02 to 60, Pn 12 to 60, and Pn 13 to 1 and see what happens.


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## Chanda (Dec 8, 2018)

Also another bit of info, I set Pn13 from 0.0 to 0.1, it seemed to help push the board through but im hesitant to set it any higher as I have read in some other forums that its dangerous. can it be set to a higher number or is that not a good idea?


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## JimDawson (Dec 8, 2018)

First of all let's revisit the Reeves drive itself and the moulder feed drive train.  You say it turns too fast for the moulder feed.  That tells me that the final gear ratio is incorrect for the use. You really want the drive motor to run at or near it's rated RPM, and then adjust the final ratio using gears, belts or chains depending on the application.

About VFDs, a standard V/hz VFD (what you have there) causes a torque decrease as the frequency is reduced and eventually you will run out of torque if you slow the motor down enough.  

There is some danger of the motor overheating as the Torque Comp (Pn 13) is increased.


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## mksj (Dec 8, 2018)

Unfortunately in some of the basic VFD models, there is very few parameters to specify the motor parameters. If this is the correct model/manual, the only parameter I see specific to the motor is PN12 motor rated frequency should be 60. If that doesn't work, I would look at their return policy. Most VFDs you can set a range of motor specific parameters and run parameters.


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## Chanda (Dec 9, 2018)

Thanks so much far everyones help, I really was stuck. The VFD is a piece of crap and cant run the motor properly. I think we need a different feed motor as we have already reduced the gear ratio as much as possible. and the feed motor has a control on it and its set all the way down too. Anyway, love this forum and am sure ill be here often!


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## JimDawson (Dec 9, 2018)

We'll be happy to help whenever needed


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## warrjon (Dec 14, 2018)

I have that exact VFD running my 5hp King Rich mill and it works a fine. Because I am limited to 20amps at my house I also have the VFD ramp the motor slowly to limit the inrush current.

I can not read the details in the photos, but the motor needs to be wired for Delta not Y (Star). These VFD's will not put out more voltage than the mains feeding them. So in my case 240V AC, my motor was 415V I had to open the motor and bring the Y connection out so I could connect the motor to the VFD in Delta 3 phase which is 240V per phase.


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## Chanda (Dec 23, 2018)

Ok new question on the dreaded VFD issue, the motor in the previous thread was too fast for the vfd and the moulder so it was taken to the shop and rewound to approximately half speed which is 900 rpm. It is now back on the moulder but when I try to run the feed it barely turns.. is there a frequency or setting on it I should change? It was running before it went to the shop, It was just running way to fast to run any wood through it.


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## JimDawson (Dec 23, 2018)

Well the motor shop turned your 4 pole motor into an 8 pole motor, so you have to set up the VFD to the proper base RPM for the motor.  Some VFDs have a setting for number of motor poles, others just have the base RPM which in this case would be 900.


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