VFD questions

Mike Davis · Feb 25, 2011

I am planning on a VFD for my KMG in the next few weeks. Can you put a VFD on any motor or is it a specific motor needed? I have several 2 and 3 horsepower TEFC motors that i would like to use. One i would like to make a disc and the others i would like to build dedicated, specific tooling belt grinders with. The 2 primary motors i am wanting to use this on is a 2HP Dayton and a 1 1/2HP Dayton. Thanks for any info

beochie · Feb 25, 2011

form my understanding they need to be 3 phase. If you have single phase you'll have to get a new motor.

Salem Straub · Feb 25, 2011

Ditto. They will have to be 3 phase. As long as you get a VFD rated for the HP of your largest motor, you'll be able to run all of them. One at a time, of course.

VFD's mostly put out 220V, except for a few small ones I've seen. That would be one other thing to look for, motors that run on 220/240.

12345678910 · Feb 25, 2011

Salem Straub said:
Ditto. They will have to be 3 phase. As long as you get a VFD rated for the HP of your largest motor, you'll be able to run all of them. One at a time, of course.

VFD's mostly put out 220V, except for a few small ones I've seen. That would be one other thing to look for, motors that run on 220/240.

You have to be careful when buying the VFD,

There are 440v output VFD's that are cheaper, you have to be sure you are getting the 220v vfd if you have the 220v motors.

anvilring · Feb 25, 2011

Mike Davis said:
The 2 primary motors i am wanting to use this on is a 2HP Dayton and a 1 1/2HP Dayton. Thanks for any info

Both AC? or DC?

I too am wanting to do a (from what I've read here on BF) 2hp, 3 phase AC (AC yes??) motor to run with a vfd.

Here's the one Ed Caffery says is a good one, and this person has the best price I've found so far...

http://www.waynecoeartistblacksmith.com/Motors___VFDs.html

Its 110v in... and 200v (?) 3 phase out to the motor.

12345678910 · Feb 25, 2011

anvilring said:
Both AC? or DC?

I too am wanting to do a (from what I've read here on BF) 2hp, 3 phase AC (AC yes??) motor to run with a vfd.

Here's the one Ed Caffery says is a good one, and this person has the best price I've found so far...

http://www.waynecoeartistblacksmith.com/Motors___VFDs.html

Its 110v in... and 200v (?) 3 phase out to the motor.

Here's that manual
http://www.kbelectronics.com/manuals/kbac_manual.pdf
The 110v input is only to a maximum of 1.5 hp
If you want 2 hp motor, you need to hook it up to 220v input

and

3 phase AC (AC yes??)

Yes.
3 phase is by defination AC, I i don't know how you would get 3 phases in DC

unky_gumbi · Feb 25, 2011

anvilring said:
Both AC? or DC?

I too am wanting to do a (from what I've read here on BF) 2hp, 3 phase AC (AC yes??) motor to run with a vfd.

Here's the one Ed Caffery says is a good one, and this person has the best price I've found so far...

http://www.waynecoeartistblacksmith.com/Motors___VFDs.html

Its 110v in... and 200v (?) 3 phase out to the motor.

That is the one I just ordered, I will let you know how it works

not that my opinion holds any water

It seems to be the most commonly use VFD for grinder applications and offered with a number of grinders, so it can't be bad

12345678910 · Feb 25, 2011

unky_gumbi said:
That is the one I just ordered, I will let you know how it works not that my opinion holds any water

It seems to be the most commonly use VFD for grinder applications and offered with a number of grinders, so it can't be bad

Rob posted some good setup notes here

http://beaumontmetalworks.com/VS-setup.html

unky_gumbi · Feb 25, 2011

:thumbup: That should come in handy next week when the VFD gets here

DD214 · Feb 25, 2011

Enemies of VFDs are heat and dust; plenty of clean ventilation will make them last longer.

unky_gumbi · Feb 25, 2011

DD214 said:
Enemies of VFDs are heat and dust; plenty of clean ventilation will make them last longer.

the VFD that is sold by Wayne Coe is the KBAC 24_d and 27-D Nema 4x case, while not impervious to dust and water, it is designed to work in a dirty environment and has a serious heat sink on it. I don't think that the majority of us would be putting our grinders through what it would take to harm them, and as long as the VFD is left in the open and not closed in the built in cooling should be good

travis wuertz · Mar 3, 2011

The KBAC27d is a very nice controller and is what I use. I run primarily 2hp motors both Leeson and Baldor. They run the 2hp motors fine on 110. You may not get the full 2hp but the nice thing is it's easy to switch between 110 or 220 input depending on what's available. Just don't plug one into 220 without changing to the 110 terminal in the box.

12345678910 · Mar 3, 2011

travis wuertz said:
The KBAC27d is a very nice controller and is what I use.

I run primarily 2hp motors both Leeson and Baldor.
They run the 2hp motors fine on 110.
You may not get the full 2hp ...

but the nice thing is it's easy to switch between 110 or 220 input depending on what's available. Just don't plug one into 220 without changing to the 110 terminal in the box.

" They run the 2hp motors fine on 110. "

Travis

What amperage circuit are you doing this on?

15 is the standard here, but I understand new homes may have 20 amp circuits.

travis wuertz · Mar 8, 2011

It should only draw like 5.5 amps, atleast I think that's what it says on the controller. I know the only time you'll have a slight problem is when the outlet has a GFCI in which case the GFCI is not happy. I haven't experienced it but had a customer's electrician point that out. I've run 2hp motors with KBAC27's at quite a few knife shows and hammer ins and haven't had a problem yet, even through extension cords.