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Thanks to those who helped! Super Clean VFD Installation

xplodee

Hot Rolled
Joined
Oct 14, 2013
Location
Allentown, PA
Thanks to all of those who selflessly provided advice to me a few months ago (http://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...button-switches-use-teco-fm50-101-vfd-308020/).

I've finished my machine build. Installing and cleaning up the VFD was the final step. I went with a Teco JNEV-101, 110v input and 1hp three phase 220v output. I ended up installing a start button, stop button, speed control pot and forward/reverse switch. The JNEV series has digital inputs for marginally more money than the FM50, so if you have a small machine then I highly recommend it. Also, TECO came out with a replacement for the JVEV series this summer (2015) called the L510 and I think the JNEV's are being discounted now. The L510 offers 5 digital inputs instead of 4, otherwise they're pretty similar.

Pictures:

Untitled by Tim Marks, on Flickr


Untitled by Tim Marks, on Flickr


Untitled by Tim Marks, on Flickr


Untitled by Tim Marks, on Flickr


Untitled by Tim Marks, on Flickr


Untitled by Tim Marks, on Flickr


Untitled by Tim Marks, on Flickr


Untitled by Tim Marks, on Flickr
 
Admirable job for a newby . . . however there a few things you should do to tidy things up both visually and electrically.

Motor leads should be twisted. Analog pot should be wired with twisted shielded cable and refrain from mixing high voltage AC with DC control wiring. :nono:

If everything works the way it is wired now and speed command parameter shows a nice steady value (not all jittery) as you adjust the speed pot, you can probably get away with just cleaning things up and twisting / segregating wiring.
 
Shielding and twisting, and bundling away from each other, yes.

To be fair, he seems to have different wiring types going in different bundles/harnesses. They leave the box in different holes, anyhow.

And, as they all come to the same device, they must necessarily come to the same box. There are some hard-to-comply-with rules about separation by barriers, but most of that can be got around by using only wire that is insulated for the highest voltage in the box, no matter what the voltage on that particular wire is.
 
Thanks for the feedback guys. I suppose the next step is to shorten all of the wiring and tidy it up. I'm just always fearful of whatever changes I may want to make. If there's anything else I can do to improve what I've got during this process please let me know.
 
If you run the machine hard you may find the drive gets unhappy because the airflow through
the steel enclosure is limited.

If you find this is the case you could use a chassis punch to open some holes in the enclosure and
put some screen across them to keep out chips.

drillpress_vfd_2.jpg
 
It looks to me like your are using unshielded three conductor cord for the motor connection.
Since you have done such a perfect job can I recommend something:

OLFLEX-FD 890CY is what I use with my VFD's.

FD_890_CY.jpg
 
Nice-looking setup. I second all the suggestions about venting the VFD enclosure. Electronics generally survive much longer where ambient temperature is reduced by getting rid of operating heat. And as Motion Guru notes, separation of control signals from power voltages is best practice, now required by a number of industrial standards, and overall a good idea across the board.
 
You can easily vent the box by removing the metal cover plate and replacing it
with a plastic or metal screen. Secure it in position with four plastic push
lock inserts, the kind used in electronics for circuit boards.
 
Ive pumched out the knockout holes at bottom and top of box so ventilation should be good. Its an actively cooled vfd unit too.
 
What are you using for the RPM/SFM display?

It's a Tachulator (Trexon Tachulator Digital Tachometers) apparently a one-man show in TX, pretty nice guy and nice unit. I still have to mount up the sensor but I tested locations and installation technique and have a plan. Should be done within the week. It works well even with about 6' of un-shielded cord (during my testing). so I'm pretty happy.

T
 
Usually the maker of the VFD will have a minimum box size that is OK with NO ventilation, which is based essentially on surface area of the box. That looks too small, but I have been wrong once, so I have to allow for that chance.....:D Check the specs for mounting requirements, which should include the info needed.

Punching holes in a VFD box near machines is often a rotten bad idea. If there is any grinding done anywhere near, it's an even worse idea, I have seen the results in destroyed VFDs from grinding dust that circulated , got in, and deposited on the PCBs. Actively ventilated VFDs are the worst, since they blow whatever is loose in the air through the unit, unless they only vent over external fins and are IP66 as far as the electronics enclosure.

Far better to get a cold plate type VFD and attach fins that extend outside the sealed box. You do need to make good thermal contact through the box, or else seal the fins to the box.
 
The outside, wire exits and panel look absolutely sweet and show lots of effort.
Surely nitpicking but the inside, well with all that effort put in, does it have to look like a bowl of spaghetti?
Wire numbers are also handy when you go to troubleshoot it 20 years from now.
Easy to remember right now, maybe not so much years down the road when you have built lots more gizmos.
(I know......whine, whine, whine, bitch and moan about what is a perfectly functional setup...umm, wire colors?.....)
Oops shoot me now, guys who build panels for me here would be grateful. I whine about nice clean matching bend radii on wires leaving a switch.
But, but, but ......it looks like a million bucks on the outside, it should look like that with the doors open.......

Wires leaving any VFD are very noisy but if it works it works and lord knows I've done worse. More than a few that make me cringe when I open the doors.
I do so very much like the looks from the outside and the metal the VFD box is mounted to might be enough heat sink.
HF sells very cheap indoor/outdoor digital thermometers that are handy for testing heat loads inside your enclosures.

Regardless of the crying, make no mistake,.... I like it.
Bob
 
"Wires leaving any VFD are very noisy but if it works it works..."

Realistically even if he switched to shielded motor cable and did nothing
else, it would reduce the rf hash issue by maybe ten percent.

To do this right means doing it all the way - one open door and the
horse is out of the barn.
 








 
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