HLV-H powering dilemma

[jmcghee]

Hey guys-

Recently I was lucky enough to be able to snag a pretty clean HLV-H for a song. The downside is it wasn’t under power and hasn’t been for over a decade, and it’s 440v. I have 220 3ph in my shop via a 10hp rotary converter, the plan being to run a transformer between the converter and the machine. When I opened the panel I found a contactor lying loose inside, apparently having been bypassed at some point. I’m a bit out of my depth with this panel... can anyone in the know tell me what function this contactor has? I’m trying to plan out what I need to do before I get it under power without letting the smoke out. I’m assuming the bypass is there for a reason (bad contactor?)... do I try to run it as-is, replace the contactor, test it somehow, something else entirely?

 

[Eddyde]

Do you have a wiring schematic?

 

[jmcghee]

I sure don’t... I was hoping someone with the same machine/more knowledge than me would know what it’s for?

 

[Silverbullet]

You might try contacting Hardinage with the model and any plate specs, motor speeds. It may be for the motor speeds or the direction . They usually have specs on there panels . I bet Hardinage can help , other wise you'll need to trace the wiring from the contractor if you know where they go more help can be given. And it looks like the contactor is broken or missing parts .

 

[Eddyde]

Also the contractor may have been replaced, as there is a newer looking one there.

 

[rdean]

It does not look like a contactor to me but rather an overload block where the heaters would have been installed. It was probably removed when the relay above it was replaced. Maybe a motor or device was replaced and the contactor and overload did not match the new install.

Ray

 

[jmcghee]

All the motors & devices (drive, feed, coolant pump, brake) appear to be original & undisturbed. In fact the entire machine does, excluding this one piece

 

[markba633csi]

Track down the schematic diagrams (buy them if necessary); gotta have em for a machine that complex
Mark

 

[mksj]

I would agree with Eddyde,that it is the old contactor that has been replaced. If you look at the attached manual, all the contactors have the same 4 terminal block as the one you found unconnected. The new contactor is mounted to a DIN rail, which is an add in. The overloads for the motors, etc. are different and often a cartridge fuse. If it was working previously, then it was rewired with the new contactor.

There is no information/schematic in the attached manual but it does show the different electrical cabinet components, although a different layout than yours. I would think there would be a way to rewire it for 230VAC, may be worth a call to some companies that service these lathes like Babbin. There are also several user groups like Yahoo. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Hardinge-Lathe/info
http://manuals.chudov.com/Hardinge/

Essex Dual Contactor

 

[dlane]

Clean all contacts good , tighten all wires with a little dielectric grease, knock it around a bit.