VFD recomendations

[Dabbler]

I just helped another person that was installing a Teco E510 on his PM-1340 lathe with the VFD basic install instructions that has been previously posted.

A good choice. Thanks for your detailed input. You have tons of experience more than almost any of us.

- I've been doing this for the hobby machine shops in my area, and come from an engineering perspective. None of the installs on lathes so far wanted sudden VFD braking, or I'd be using the e series of the Hitachi ones with braking. I've only installed a couple of Hitchai VFDs, primarily because they already had the conversion in progress and had already purchased the unit.

 

[IHinIN]

I went with a Lapond brand VFD for my 3hp Willis mill. I bought it from Amazon. The instructions are very clearly written in English and they give good descriptions of what each setting does. It can be used with a braking resistor but I chose to set it to “free stop” and use the hand brake to stop the spindle. I have the factory drum switch wired to the VFD to control FWD/OFF/REV. I’m going to add a line reactor before the VFD to protect it from voltage fluctuations coming in. A few times now, the VFD has faulted due to an incoming over voltage condition (spike).

 

[Pete301]

Not too many Nema 4 rated VFD's at at a lower price point. Per above would go with the Automation Direct GS20/21 VFD's as being reliable and affordable. Typical story I hear and have experienced with the cheap offshore VFD's. The KBAC24D is not really suitable for a lathe operation. A 3/4hp motor 3 phase only require 14G wire between the motor and the VFD.

https://www.automationdirect.com/adc/shopping/catalog/drives_-a-_soft_starters/ac_variable_frequency_drives_(vfd)/washdown_(nema_4x)_vfds/gs21x-21p0

My thanks to all who replied and helped me select a VFD. I’m a little bleary eyed from reading all the material at the different manufacturers mentioned. I’m going to be ordering a Dura Pulse GS21x-21PO.

 

[Pete301]

I went with a Lapond brand VFD for my 3hp Willis mill. I bought it from Amazon. The instructions are very clearly written in English and they give good descriptions of what each setting does. It can be used with a braking resistor but I chose to set it to “free stop” and use the hand brake to stop the spindle. I have the factory drum switch wired to the VFD to control FWD/OFF/REV. I’m going to add a line reactor before the VFD to protect it from voltage fluctuations coming in. A few times now, the VFD has faulted due to an incoming over voltage condition (spike).

My thanks to all who replied and helped me select a VFD. I’m a little bleary eyed from reading all the material at the different manufacturers mentioned. I’m going to be ordering a Dura Pulse GS21x-21PO.

 

[mksj]

If you need a hand on on the parameter or something is unclear, I can provide some guidance. There are lots of parameters but only a few need to be setup in most applications.

 

[David2011]

Why does your motor need 12 gauge wire? At 3/4 hp the draw is around 5.5 amps; well within the 15 amp capacity of 14 gauge wire. Heavier is almost always better within reason but 12 gauge wire has a capacity of 20 amps.