Toledo vertical Milling Machine Motor

[Dawveed]

I have a Toledo Knee Mill, Bridgeport knock off, I take it from running Bridgeports, 2 hp 3 ph motor starting windings just went and I'm looking for a cheaper alternative. I've been looking at 2hp single phase motors, can anyone fill me in on how to wire in vfd to mill. I have a chinese vfd, but have lost instructions, and couldn't figure that part out. Much appreciate any help.

 

[Joe Gwinn]

I have a Toledo Knee Mill, Bridgeport knock off, I take it from running Bridgeports, 2 hp 3 ph motor starting windings just went and I'm looking for a cheaper alternative. I've been looking at 2hp single phase motors, can anyone fill me in on how to wire in vfd to mill. I have a chinese vfd, but have lost instructions, and couldn't figure that part out. Much appreciate any help.

Adding a VFD is far simpler and cheaper than replacing the motor. If you have the VFD nameplate, you should be able to find the maker and get the documentation, either directly from China, or from whoever sells it in Canada. Which may be in Chinglish, but it's a start.

 

[Bill D]

Huang Yang is the generic chinesee vfd maker.
No switches between vfd and motor. All switching is into vfd.
Bill D
Link is the first one that came up. search for better versions if this one is not good.
https://bulkman3d.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/HY01D523B-VFD-Manual.pdf

 

[dalmatiangirl61]

I have a Toledo Knee Mill, Bridgeport knock off, I take it from running Bridgeports, 2 hp 3 ph motor starting windings just went and I'm looking for a cheaper alternative. I've been looking at 2hp single phase motors, can anyone fill me in on how to wire in vfd to mill. I have a chinese vfd, but have lost instructions, and couldn't figure that part out. Much appreciate any help.

There is no "start winding" in a 3 phase motor. You cannot run a single phase motor with a vfd. The chinese vfd's are banned from discussion here, not my site or rules.

 

[Joe Gwinn]

There is no "start winding" in a 3 phase motor. You cannot run a single phase motor with a vfd. The chinese vfd's are banned from discussion here, not my site or rules.

I think the restriction is only for iron. And how many VFDs are not made in China?

 

[dalmatiangirl61]

I think the restriction is only for iron. And how many VFDs are not made in China?

If its a name brand vfd, he should have said so, but if its the typical Huangfang/vevor amazon junk then it falls under the verboten list, which I did not make. If he replaces the motor with a single phase motor, he won't need the vfd, or he can drag the existing 3ph motor to a rewind shop for new start windings...

 

[Strostkovy]

There is no "start winding" in a 3 phase motor. You cannot run a single phase motor with a vfd. The chinese vfd's are banned from discussion here, not my site or rules.

You can run a single phase motor off of a VFD. There are reprogrammed VFDs (the ones I used were from gohertz) that allow you to either run single phase unmodified for a small amount of speed control or with the start winding connected directly to the third leg for full range speed control.

Sometimes you have to cut a wire to the centrifugal clutch, or you can cut a wire at the capacitor. In any case it isn't particularly difficult.

 

[dalmatiangirl61]

You can run a single phase motor off of a VFD. There are reprogrammed VFDs (the ones I used were from gohertz) that allow you to either run single phase unmodified for a small amount of speed control or with the start winding connected directly to the third leg for full range speed control.

Sometimes you have to cut a wire to the centrifugal clutch, or you can cut a wire at the capacitor. In any case it isn't particularly difficult.

Had not heard of those.

 

[Joe Gwinn]

Had not heard of those.

Nor had I. But if there is a market niche, someone will fill it.

 

[Bill D]

Nor had I. But if there is a market niche, someone will fill it.

Would that allow reverse at speed?
Bill D

 

[Joe Gwinn]

Would that allow reverse at speed?
Bill D

I doubt that any VFD will tolerate a reverse at speed.

 

[Strostkovy]

IIRC there was a thread somewhere around here about oversizing VFDs for direct on line starting, and someone pointed out a surprising amount of VFDs can handle that and some can even handle plug reversing

 

[Joe Gwinn]

IIRC there was a thread somewhere around here about oversizing VFDs for direct on line starting, and someone pointed out a surprising amount of VFDs can handle that and some can even handle plug reversing

Plug reversing is really hard on a VFD, and no switches are permitted in the cable between VFD and motor. So, is the VFD vendor guaranteeing that plug reversing is OK? Or did someone observe that if the VFD was big enough, it worked?

 

[GregSY]

Millions of VFDs are not made in China.

How many half-ass, no name, home shop machinist VFDs are not made in China? Probably none.

Another way to look at it is the home shop machinist will pay $150 for a POS VFD made in China but he won't pay $180 for a non-Chinese VFD that has more features and better quality. Then he'll look the other way when his wife buys her 423rd pair of $90 shoes....

 

[Strostkovy]

Plug reversing is really hard on a VFD, and no switches are permitted in the cable between VFD and motor. So, is the VFD vendor guaranteeing that plug reversing is OK? Or did someone observe that if the VFD was big enough, it worked?

Yes, a surprising amount of modern VFDs are actually completely fine with switches between the motor and VFD. This was in the actual documentation for the VFD, but I forget specifically which ones could handle what.

 

[Bill D]

At least one of my cheap non-name VFDs looks to have brake terminals for a braking resistor. But there is no wiring traces or actual wires attached. So people get a warm fuzzy feeling when they add a brake resistor and do not know it is not really attached, electrically. It would do as much good sitting in a box on a shelf near the machine.
This is a well known scam with the China made VFDs.
Bill D