Help with Clausing Colchester and VFD

Lundstrom9374 · Aug 30, 2017

Hello, I just picked up a Clausing Colchester 13" lathe. It has a 2 speed 3hp 3 phase motor and I only have single phase in my shop. I have been looking into RPC and SPC and I like the idea of a VFD the best. What I have found online mostly here is it's hard to run a two speed motor with a VFD. I want to be able to use the controls on the lathe. I found a video on YouTube of a guy using a Hitachi NES1 with the same lathe but he doesn't really say how he wired did it or the model he is using.

Clausing 13" Colchester Metal Lathe Introduction! - YouTube (Fast forward to 4:20)

I found Hitachi NES1-022SB has a amp output of 10A and the motor on my lathe requires 8.3A but my bigest question can I just wire it up normal and the speed/on/off controls on the lathe will work.

The second one I found is the Teco L510-203-H1-U 230V single phase in 3 phase out model. I read that this is sensor-less and that could be needed?

Thanks for any info

Joe H · Aug 31, 2017

Lundstrom,

I have a 13x36 Clausing Colchester built in 1962. It's the old "round head" model. All the controls etc. appear to be identical to the lathe in the youtube video.

I bought the lathe "well used" about 30 years ago. I only have single phase and the reasonably priced VFD's hadn't yet made their appearance. I built a homemade auto-transformer converter which now resides in the cabinet under the headstock. Worked great and still does. Later I added a VFD so I could get very slow speeds. Both are in place. A pair of toggle switches change from converter to VFD.

I built a remote station for ease of use of the VFD. The VFD and converter are wired between the red handle Lathe ON-OFF switch. I wired the VFD so that the main on/off lever on the lathe powered up the VFD. The VFD output is the Line input to the lathe. All original lathe controls are usable in either mode. I didn't change any of the electrical switching. I've had no problems with the two speed motor with either system. The auto-transformer is set up to increase the starting capacitance when the lathe is in high speed operation. It will start a collet at 900rpm or a 10" chuck at 1800rpm.

The attached pis show my setup. I have the owners manual PM me if you need a copy, too large to post. I also have an "out of date "bill of materials" for the remote station.

Joe

Lundstrom9374 · Aug 31, 2017

Joe H said:
Lundstrom,

I have a 13x36 Clausing Colchester built in 1962. It's the old "round head" model. All the controls etc. appear to be identical to the lathe in the youtube video.

I bought the lathe "well used" about 30 years ago. I only have single phase and the reasonably priced VFD's hadn't yet made their appearance. I built a homemade auto-transformer converter which now resides in the cabinet under the headstock. Worked great and still does. Later I added a VFD so I could get very slow speeds. Both are in place. A pair of toggle switches change from converter to VFD.

I built a remote station for ease of use of the VFD. The VFD and converter are wired between the red handle Lathe ON-OFF switch. I wired the VFD so that the main on/off lever on the lathe powered up the VFD. The VFD output is the Line input to the lathe. All original lathe controls are usable in either mode. I didn't change any of the electrical switching. I've had no problems with the two speed motor with either system. The auto-transformer is set up to increase the starting capacitance when the lathe is in high speed operation. It will start a collet at 900rpm or a 10" chuck at 1800rpm.

The attached pis show my setup. I have the owners manual PM me if you need a copy, too large to post. I also have an "out of date "bill of materials" for the remote station.

Joe

When you say wired between the red handle on-off switch are you saying you skipped the magnetic starter and wired right to the drum switch? Every time you start and stop your lathe, the VFD turns on and off? Thank-you for your help.

Joe H · Aug 31, 2017

Lund,

The red handle powers up the VFD. Start, Stop, Fwd, Rev and variable speed are controlled by the remote station for the VFD. Forward and Reverse can also be handled by the appropriate lathe controls.It's been a long time since I wired this up. I think the incoming single phase line goes to the red handle switch. I'll have to look around to see if I made a circuit diagram but I doubt I made one. When the handle is up it sends power to the VFD.

I think the red handle controls the Mag starter so the output of the mag starter, single phase goes to the VFD. The heaters in the starter should be sized for 1.72 x 3 phase FLA. The VFD output(3phase)goes directly to the 3phase input lines of the drum controller.

When I'm using the original phase converter the lathe starts when I lift the red handle.

Joe

Lundstrom9374 · Sep 5, 2017

I got it up and running tonight. I wired the VFD right to the drum switch like you said. Then I used the on/off switch as a run/stop input to the VFD. Thank you for you help.

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