02-19-2015, 04:26 AM
Hi Shawn,
I'll repeat myself! You CAN run it from 220-240V 3-phase from a VFD, just rewire to delta (U2 to V1, V2 to W1, W2 to U1, 220v 3-phase form the VFD to the three joins) connection - I've done this plenty of times!
Remember you can't have any switchery between VFD and motor and you'll need to wire the lathe's switchgear to the VFD's low-voltage control terminals - many VFDs will be configurable to either maintained contact or momentary contact switches for start/stop/reverse etc. - I've done too much of this, so if you need a bit of help PM me (I'll probably need a copy of the lathe's original wiring diagram and the type of VFD you're using, though) - it can't be as hard as my Holbrook! (pic of its original electrical panel attached...)
The 1024VSL has a mechanical variable-speed drive, so yo don't NEED the VFD's variable speed features, but they still have advantages, those nice gents in China sell high-power resistors (the ones in aluminium extrusions a foot long) quite cheaply, used for dynamic braking which is a very nice feature (assuming your VFD has "brake resistor" terminals, not "brake unit" - read expensive and specific to the VFD), the VFD can be set up to give a very low "jog" speed (mine gives 1/10th the set spindle speed, so as low as 2 RPM to a max of 150, depending what's set on the gearbox/speed levers) for setting up and weird operations - I could go on, being an electrical type I've even come up with a near-constant surface speed setup so spindle speed is controlled by tool position and speeds up as you approach the lathe axis to get more consistent finishes when facing and parting, it goes on and on...
The 380v lighting transformer will only give around 24 - 30v instead of 50, so on mine I fitted a 12V halogen lamp and holder, put in a cheap low-voltage lighting "electronic transformer" run from the 240v before it gets to the VFD (UK mains voltage is 240 everywhere on single phase, 415 3-phase) - I'm pretty sure you could get a 110v input version in Canada for a few dollars. I'd avoid compact fluorescent and LED lamps as they can "strobe" and visually freeze the spindle - until you stick your hand on it! Worse, the colour rendering's all wrong...
The coolant pump could be 3-phase like the spidle motor, if so it's worth checking how it's wired inside the connection box - mine was star-wired so I swapped it to delta and added a small, cheap VFD not much bigger than a cigarette packet (it only needs about 150 watts) to allow varying its speed for different coolants (soluble-oil suds, neat cutting oil, kerosene etc.) but you can cheat with a small motor-run capacitor from one phase to the "vacant" phase and it'll run adequately, a bit like a static convertor (search on here for those).
That Smart and Brown is a pretty good lathe, proper English Toolroom kit, if all you've been used to is far-eastern hobby machinery it should be a revelation :) Next step, a Holbrook ;)
I'll repeat myself! You CAN run it from 220-240V 3-phase from a VFD, just rewire to delta (U2 to V1, V2 to W1, W2 to U1, 220v 3-phase form the VFD to the three joins) connection - I've done this plenty of times!
Remember you can't have any switchery between VFD and motor and you'll need to wire the lathe's switchgear to the VFD's low-voltage control terminals - many VFDs will be configurable to either maintained contact or momentary contact switches for start/stop/reverse etc. - I've done too much of this, so if you need a bit of help PM me (I'll probably need a copy of the lathe's original wiring diagram and the type of VFD you're using, though) - it can't be as hard as my Holbrook! (pic of its original electrical panel attached...)
The 1024VSL has a mechanical variable-speed drive, so yo don't NEED the VFD's variable speed features, but they still have advantages, those nice gents in China sell high-power resistors (the ones in aluminium extrusions a foot long) quite cheaply, used for dynamic braking which is a very nice feature (assuming your VFD has "brake resistor" terminals, not "brake unit" - read expensive and specific to the VFD), the VFD can be set up to give a very low "jog" speed (mine gives 1/10th the set spindle speed, so as low as 2 RPM to a max of 150, depending what's set on the gearbox/speed levers) for setting up and weird operations - I could go on, being an electrical type I've even come up with a near-constant surface speed setup so spindle speed is controlled by tool position and speeds up as you approach the lathe axis to get more consistent finishes when facing and parting, it goes on and on...
The 380v lighting transformer will only give around 24 - 30v instead of 50, so on mine I fitted a 12V halogen lamp and holder, put in a cheap low-voltage lighting "electronic transformer" run from the 240v before it gets to the VFD (UK mains voltage is 240 everywhere on single phase, 415 3-phase) - I'm pretty sure you could get a 110v input version in Canada for a few dollars. I'd avoid compact fluorescent and LED lamps as they can "strobe" and visually freeze the spindle - until you stick your hand on it! Worse, the colour rendering's all wrong...
The coolant pump could be 3-phase like the spidle motor, if so it's worth checking how it's wired inside the connection box - mine was star-wired so I swapped it to delta and added a small, cheap VFD not much bigger than a cigarette packet (it only needs about 150 watts) to allow varying its speed for different coolants (soluble-oil suds, neat cutting oil, kerosene etc.) but you can cheat with a small motor-run capacitor from one phase to the "vacant" phase and it'll run adequately, a bit like a static convertor (search on here for those).
That Smart and Brown is a pretty good lathe, proper English Toolroom kit, if all you've been used to is far-eastern hobby machinery it should be a revelation :) Next step, a Holbrook ;)
Rules are for the obedience of fools, and the guidance of wise men...
(Douglas Bader)
(Douglas Bader)