Hardinge esm 59 turret with VFD

Hello, first time posting, have enjoyed the information.

I recently purchased a Hardinge esm 59 turret. I have read many posts on how to power this in my garage. Rotary phase, static phase, VFD - great info. But still my question was not answered. This machine has a .75hp 3 phase motor, 1730rpm, 2.4 amps (this is what the tag on the motor says). And also, I am no electrician. If I purchase the appropriately sized VFD , to go from 110v 1 phase to 220v 3 phase, will this machine run normally? That is with the 2 speeds and reverse? Can I control the machine with the levers, and not the VFD? I am taking 1/2 inch diameter platic round stock, drilling a hole in it, and parting to length. I am almost 100% sure I will only ever deal with plastic.

thanks for the help- sorry to beat this horse again

MPriar

I use a rotary phase converter in my shop, so the Hardinge ESM-59 lathe and the TM mill are just wired normally to the OEM input connections. That means the two-speed motors and two drum switches and levers maintain their normal functions.

Hooking up a 110V input 220V three-phase output 1 HP VFD to the OEM 3/4 HP 1750 RPM/3/8 HP 875 RPM motor is done differently. You wire the VFD input with a standard 110 V grounded power cord and plug it into any wall outlet. Connect the VFD ground to the machine cabinet ground. You wire the VFD output directly to the three high speed wires of the motor and use the VFD controls for on/off and to change frequency and direction. The motor low speed wires are not used. If you want to get fancy, you can figure out how to use the machine levers and drum switches to operate the VFD low voltage control circuits to make one lever do the Fwd-Brake-Rev function. The lathe brake is mechanical. so it will still work whatever you do to the electrical parts. Hardinge instructions for the brake: "Oil the cork!" I have not tried it, but there may be a way to make the other lever change the frequency between 60 HZ and 30 HZ. But that simple plastic job will not require a running speed change. Try to select a belt position that lets the motor run at 60 HZ and produce the desired spindle speed.

Larry

Larry, thank you for the answer to my question. I think the VFD would be the best option. I would like you to clarify a couple of things if you would. If I hook it up the way you explained, the two speed lever would not be needed (or work), correct? But the F-Brake-R handle would work, but only for the brake, correct? All functions (speed and F\R) would run through the VFD, and the F-brake-R handle would still for the brake only. Am I understanding correctly?
Thanks again

I think you understand. But I did suggest you could make the forward, brake(off) and reverse lever and drum switch operate the low voltage controls on the VFD to make that lever fulfill its original function. That wiring requires a bit of study of the VFD instruction book, which typically is rather thick and technical, but probably possible.

I have VFD's with knob speed controls and others with up and down arrow button speed controls. Either is OK if you mostly never change the speed. I prefer the knob type if I want to change speed. My VFD's all have digital readouts of the frequency, so I know 60 HZ will provide the motor's nameplate speed and power. On your ESM, a setting of 30 HZ will duplicate the 3/8 HP at 875 RPM of the low speed winding on the OEM two-speed motor. VFD's have pretty much made two-speed motors obsolete, though they still work as well as ever on old machines run off real three phase or phase converters.

Some VFD's can be made to bring the motor to a rapid stop, usually requiring a big optional braking resistor added to the circuit. The amount of braking effect is controlled in the VFD software.

Larry

Please note that Larry runs his off an RPC.

An RPC will run more than one machine, no rewiring of machines are required, and machines can be easily added or subtracted without wiring changes. They're cheaper than VFDs, a lot easier fixed and much more flexible. Also more mysterious if ignorant about them. (Don't worry, I'm not insulting you.)

A used 1.5hp 3 phase motor and a pullrope off an old lawnmower will get you started. Under $50, then future tweaks can make it as sophisticated and convenient as you have the druthers for.

neilho said:

Please note that Larry runs his off an RPC.

An RPC will run more than one machine, no rewiring of machines are required, and machines can be easily added or subtracted without wiring changes. They're cheaper than VFDs, a lot easier fixed and much more flexible. Also more mysterious if ignorant about them. (Don't worry, I'm not insulting you.)

A used 1.5hp 3 phase motor and a pullrope off an old lawnmower will get you started. Under $50, then future tweaks can make it as sophisticated and convenient as you have the druthers for.

Click to expand...

After I got my first three phase machine around 1978, I built a static phase converter. Soon, I got a second three phase machine, so I built a rotary phase converter to run both machines. Then I got a machine with a 440 V motor, so I built a new rotary with three transformers to produce both 240 V and 480 V. I used capacitors and time delay relays to make the rotaries self-starting. They all worked OK as far as making the various machines run. But around thirty years ago, I found a used factory-made Snyder rotary for a good price and bought it. It seemed superior to the last one I made, so I have been running the Snyder ever since.

I have two machines that have VFD's that run off 120 V single phase. The ability to plug them in anywhere is very handy, especially because they are located well away from the part of the shop with the rotary's wiring outlets or any 240 V single phase outlets. These VFD's cost me less than the used price I paid for my Snyder and the cost of the parts to build my own rotaries.

Larry

Thank you again for the information, you have answered my question and have made this decision much easier. What brand VFD would you recommmend?

Larry, will I need any of the old wiring from the esm59 if I used a VFD, and run speed and direction through it?

Thanks - Michael