Problems with vfd

[Tern-About]

Hi folks, I have just acquired a new (old) 3hp 3ph lathe. As I only have single phase to the property I elected to go the VFD route for the lathe. I have wired up the VFD as per instructiions, the pretty lights flash and numbers appear on the screen but the motor isn't turning!
What have I done wrong??

[ericks2]

:) you need to tell us the make of the VFD. Also the code shown on the display...

[BobL]

:) you need to tell us the make of the VFD. Also the code shown on the display...

You should also post the motor name plate and the VFD power rating or model number.

Some photos of your connections with at the VFD and the motor end would be useful

I assume you have absolutely nothing except a hardwired 3Phase cable between the VFD and motor ?

[NCArcher]

I have wired up the VFD as per instructiions,
As per who's instructions? As stated above, we need to know exactly what you have done so we can advise what else needs to be done to get you up and running.
I may be down that way in the next couple of weeks if we can't sort it out here.

[Tern-About]

Alright guys, thanks to all of you for offering your expertise.
The VFD is an ISACON unit rated 2.2kw436654 see label. According to the advertising blurb it is good for up to 3hp.

My wiring is shown in the next photo436655 I have the 240v on the left connected to L and N, the 3ph to the right connected to U, V and W, with both Earths going to the Earth terminal.

The motor end panel is shown here 436656 the info shown on the panel is here 436657 and there is a switch twixt VFD and motor 436658 and that is how it was when I bought it.

When I press 'Run' the indicator cycles up to 400 with 'fwd' and 'panel' lights glowing. I hear a noise (fan?) with an increasing pitch.
If I press 'rev' the indicator cycles down from 400 to 0 and then back up to 400, the noise following the numbers in terms of pitch.
All I have done is to wire the VFD into the circuit as per the wiring diagram supplied with the VFD. Unfortunately, the majority of the "User Manual" which includes the wiring diagram is just so much 'gobbledygook', I can't make head or tail of it.
All through the procedures above, the motor shaft does not move at all.
Here's hoping!

[BobL]

and there is a switch twixt VFD and motor 436658 and that is how it was when I bought it.
This is far from ideal.
In most cases there should be nothing between the VFD and the motor.
If you repeatedly try to start the VFD with something like that switch in between you may damage the VFD and the motor.
Before you do anything else you should remove that switch.


When I press 'Run' the indicator cycles up to 400 with 'fwd' and 'panel' lights glowing. I hear a noise (fan?) with an increasing pitch.
If I press 'rev' the indicator cycles down from 400 to 0 and then back up to 400, the noise following the numbers in terms of pitch.

Did you reset the parameters on the VFD - its sounds like the VFD is trying to run at 400Hz - The motor simply cannot do this and the VFD will shut down.
I have learned NEVER to trust a VFD straight out of the box - someone could have played with it and you don't just don't know what the settings are
I suggest a complete parameter reset back to factory settings - then you should know where the VFD is starting from.
Then set the motor parameters, slowish acceleration and deceleration times and max Frequency on the VFD
This is minimum number of parameters that need reseting BEFORE the motor is starting


Unfortunately, the majority of the "User Manual" which includes the wiring diagram is just so much 'gobbledygook', I can't make head or tail of it.
All through the procedures above, the motor shaft does not move at all.
Here's hoping!

I would be far less inclined buy a VFD unless I checked out the manual first to make sure I can read and understand most of it.

BTW That motor is a Y connected 415V motor. As is it will develop less than half its power using a 240V VFD. To make it develop full power it has to be reconfigured as a ∆ motor.

[Tern-About]

This is far from ideal.
In most cases there should be nothing between the VFD and the motor.
If you repeatedly try to start the VFD with something like that switch in between you may damage the VFD and the motor.
Before you do anything else you should remove that switch.



Did you reset the parameters on the VFD - its sounds like the VFD is trying to run at 400Hz - The motor simply cannot do this and the VFD will shut down.
I have learned NEVER to trust a VFD straight out of the box - someone could have played with it and you don't just don't know what the settings are
I suggest a complete parameter reset back to factory settings - then you should know where the VFD is starting from.
Then set the motor parameters, slowish acceleration and deceleration times and max Frequency on the VFD
This is minimum number of parameters that need reseting BEFORE the motor is starting

I would be far less inclined buy a VFD unless I checked out the manual first to make sure I can read and understand most of it.

BTW That motor is a Y connected 415V motor. As is it will develop less than half its power using a 240V VFD. To make it develop full power it has to be reconfigured as a ∆ motor.

OK Bob, I accept what you are saying. Bear in mind that it is very difficult to check the manual before you buy the thing!

I will remove the switch as suggested. As to re-setting the parameters back to the factory set-up, there is no information in the manual on how to go about this.

There is a page headed 'Parameter set method' but I have no idea what those parameters are supposed to be! If you can advise I would appreciate it.

I will look into how I can access the motor to reconfigure it as 'Delta'.

Tern-about

PS: my motor has only four terminals on it and I can't figure how that can be configured for Delta.

[BobL]

OK Bob, I accept what you are saying. Bear in mind that it is very difficult to check the manual before you buy the thing!
A quality VFD supplier will provide the manual before you buy. A company like Powtran has all their manuals on their website or you can ask and they will email them to you.
How much was your VFD?


As to re-setting the parameters back to the factory set-up, there is no information in the manual on how to go about this.[
There is a page headed 'Parameter set method' but I have no idea what those parameters are supposed to be! If you can advise I would appreciate it.
Sorry I can't do anything with out the manual.


I will look into how I can access the motor to reconfigure it as 'Delta'.
I suspect the motor will need to be opened up and configured internally.
Can you open up the motor connection box and provide a photo of the inside of the box.

[DavidG]

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[Paul39]

Tern-About,

Some years ago I bought a VFD for a 3 phase motor I had. The printed instructions that came with the VFD were incomprehensible but the mini CD that came with it had much more information. You may be able to download more information from the company web site or to get specific instructions from their customer service.

[Tern-About]

Hey Bob, here's a shot inside the connection box.436721

Which part/s of the manual do you need? Thanks for all your help.

PS is a run-of-the-mill sparky going to know about these things or do I need a specialist?

[BobL]

Hey Bob, here's a shot inside the connection box.436721
It appears the motor can be converted to 240V Delta in this box.
Based on what's happened so far I recommend getting someone qualified to do it.
I am also not a qualified to be giving advice - I'll leave that to someone that is?



PS is a run-of-the-mill sparky going to know about these things or do I need a specialist?
Some will and some won't. I would take it to a motor rewinder to get it done as they will know exactly what to do.


Which part/s of the manual do you need? Thanks for all your help.
I realize I suggested by my previous post that I would look at the Manual, but given you don't know how to change the VFD parameters, I really don't want to go to the trouble of learning the "ins and outs" of another VFD and then run a remote VFD tutorial ping-pong on the forum. I tried giving VFD programming advice to a mens shed over the phone on a VFD that I already knew something about and it didn't work - too many things to go wrong.
In the end I felt obliged to go to their shed and fix it for them which I did.
Maybe you should see if there is someone local that has VFD experience that can sit down with the manual and the VFD and then work through how to change the parameters together.

[Tern-About]

Thanks anyway Bob.

[NCArcher]

I will be heading down to the Gong for work in a couple of weeks. If you haven't got it sorted by then I will see if I can drop in and get it running for you.