DC Drive Recommendation

[GeoBruin]

Looking at the linked controller manual, it looks like the "plug in horsepower resistor" is not a braking resistor but rather a way of calibrating the controller to motor size. Definitely use the one for your motor's rated HP and voltage. Braking is provided via the "Forward-Brake-Reverse Switch Kit (Part No. 9860)"

Looking at the linked controller manual, it looks like the "plug in horsepower resistor" is not a braking resistor but rather a way of calibrating the controller to motor size. Definitely use the one for your motor's rated HP and voltage. Braking is provided via the "Forward-Brake-Reverse Switch Kit (Part No. 9860)"

It looks like you linked to the KBMD-240d manual. I do have one of those and plan to use it for my lathe, but the version I have for the drill press is the KBMW-240. It does not have a provision for for a FBR switch.

I guess I'm just a little sketched out because the amp rating on the motor nameplate falls outside the range the manual suggests should be applicable for a 1/2 hp motor. I think I'll start with a slightly larger fuse and just out a clamp meter on it when I fire it up. That way I can watch the current and see where I'm at.

One more question: in the wiring instructions, it tells me that for a "full Voltage field", I wire it one way, and for a "Half voltage field", I wire it another way. Per the plate on the motor, the armature appears to be 180/200 volts and the field 100 volts. Does that mean I wire per the "Half voltage field" instructions?

It looks like in that case, I wire the field negative to the same terminal as one of the AC line wires. That seems weird but again, I'm new to this.

Thanks!

 

[GeoBruin]

It looks like you linked to the KBMD-240d manual. I do have one of those and plan to use it for my lathe, but the version I have for the drill press is the KBMW-240. It does not have a provision for for a FBR switch.

I guess I'm just a little sketched out because the amp rating on the motor nameplate falls outside the range the manual suggests should be applicable for a 1/2 hp motor. I think I'll start with a slightly larger fuse and just out a clamp meter on it when I fire it up. That way I can watch the current and see where I'm at.

One more question: in the wiring instructions, it tells me that for a "full Voltage field", I wire it one way, and for a "Half voltage field", I wire it another way. Per the plate on the motor, the armature appears to be 180/200 volts and the field 100 volts. Does that mean I wire per the "Half voltage field" instructions?

It looks like in that case, I wire the field negative to the same terminal as one of the AC line wires. That seems weird but again, I'm new to this.

Thanks!

Well I got impatient and I just went ahead and gave it a shot per the instructions. It seems to be working. Home Depot only had a 4 amp fuse but on a Saturday night, that's what I've got. I didnt measure anywhere near that, even trying to stop the pulley with my had so ill probably be okay until I still a big drill bit or annular cutter in there.

The drive seems a little jerky when adjusting speed but I'm sure the belt's worn out and the current pulley configuration is kinda lopsided but I'm also just not used to how DC motors typically run and especially shunt wound motors. I'm sure some of what im seeing is the motor trying to maintain constant speed, back EMF, etc.

Anyway, thanks for all the input. This was kind of a test run as I have to do the lathe next.

 

[rabler]

It looks like you linked to the KBMD-240d manual. I do have one of those and plan to use it for my lathe, but the version I have for the drill press is the KBMW-240. It does not have a provision for for a FBR switch

Yeah, it was a little hard parsing which drive you actually had from the thread. Do you mean the KBWM-240?? (KBMW doesn't exist as a KB series from what I can tell).

FWIW, I *think* the 180/200/100 volts follows the amperage 5.2/.3/.6 in that the 200/.3 corresponds to field voltage and current,not for the armature. That may give you some hints as to the half/full voltage field settings.

Adjusting the various trimpots should give you a little smoother operation. Start by taking a cellphone pic of the current trimpot locations, then adjusting one at a time until you find what gives you improvement. First the acceleration/deceleration times, and then the IR compensation would be my plan, IR compensation will effect how it handles load changes as well as unloaded speed changes. That one should be adjusted only a bit at a time.

 

[rwm]

Thanks! So, another question then, I also purchased a plug-in horsepower resistor for this thing based on the name plate horsepower. However, based on the math, at 5 plus amps this thing is making more than a full horsepower. Should I up the horsepower resistor as well? And actually, the drive is only rated up through 3/4 horse...

Didn't you say in the beginning that your motor is 1-1/2 HP???

 

[GeoBruin]

Didn't you say in the beginning that your motor is 1-1/2 HP???

Sorry, there has been some confusion. I bought a lathe and a drill press mounted to the same bench and controlled by the same controller. I'm trying to split them apart so I've got two drives, one for the 1/2 hp DP motor and another for the 1-1/2 hp lathe motor. The one referenced in the last few posts is the KBWM-240.

After rabler pointed out above that the 200/100 on the motor plate likely referred to the field voltage, I rewired it using the "full field" voltage instructions and it actually runs more smoothly now (though with seemingly lower overall RPM range). But that's okay because I can find the torque vs. RPM sweet spot using the belts.

At this point, I think I've got the DP dialed. At some point, likely after the holidays, I'll try hooking up the lathe and see how that goes.

Thanks again to all for the input

 

[GeoBruin]

Sorry, there has been some confusion. I bought a lathe and a drill press mounted to the same bench and controlled by the same controller. I'm trying to split them apart so I've got two drives, one for the 1/2 hp DP motor and another for the 1-1/2 hp lathe motor. The one referenced in the last few posts is the KBWM-240.

After rabler pointed out above that the 200/100 on the motor plate likely referred to the field voltage, I rewired it using the "full field" voltage instructions and it actually runs more smoothly now (though with seemingly lower overall RPM range). But that's okay because I can find the torque vs. RPM sweet spot using the belts.

At this point, I think I've got the DP dialed. At some point, likely after the holidays, I'll try hooking up the lathe and see how that goes.

Thanks again to all for the input

Okay, I'm back at it. The drill press runs great and I've been using it routinely. Now I'm trying to figure out the lathe. I was able to find a KB Controls KBMD 240D controller and I'm ready to wire it up. I opened the junction box on the motor and there are 6(!) wires on this motor instead of the expected 4. On the other motor for the drill press, I had A1, A2, F1, and F2 (armature and field positive and negative). On the lathe motor, I have two additional wires both labeled "J".

What does the "J" mean?

 

[strantor]

Okay, I'm back at it. The drill press runs great and I've been using it routinely. Now I'm trying to figure out the lathe. I was able to find a KB Controls KBMD 240D controller and I'm ready to wire it up. I opened the junction box on the motor and there are 6(!) wires on this motor instead of the expected 4. On the other motor for the drill press, I had A1, A2, F1, and F2 (armature and field positive and negative). On the lathe motor, I have two additional wires both labeled "J".

What does the "J" mean?

I have never seen wires labeled "J."
The fact that they're both labeled the same makes me suspect they are a thermal switch, as most thermal switches are labeled the same (but with a "T"). If the J wires are smaller Guage than the others, it would further support this theory.

What were these wire connected to before? Were they used at all? Does the motor data plate say anything about a thermal switch?