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  1. #16
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    Feb 2019
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    Adelaide, Australia
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    54

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    Quote Originally Posted by cjbfisher View Post
    Perhaps he means 240v single phase in - 240v three phase out?
    That is what I meant, sorry for the confusion.

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  3. #17
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    near Mackay
    Age
    59
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    Are these sourced off eBay or aliexpress, or direct from the manufacturer ?
    ​Brad.

  4. #18
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Helensburgh
    Posts
    7,696

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    I have sourced mine directly from the manufacturer and when needed I get technical back up from them as well which is not the case with most other brands. In the early days I even received a few phone calls when needed but I am fortunate as one of our forum members has worked with VFD's for many years as part of his job and he now helps if needed. Email Powtran at this address [email protected] and mention my name if you want, he is extremely supportive and has been for the six years I have been dealing with them.
    CHRIS

  5. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    5,124

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    I was looking over the Powtran site. What a fantastic company. They are right on the ball in every way.

  6. #20
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    near Mackay
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    59
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    Thanks Chris. I am not in the market for any right now, I have 2 lathes running SAJ units, but when I need another I will definitely look into this brand.
    ​Brad.

  7. #21
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Aldinga Beach
    Posts
    478

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    I use a Sako 2.2 kW drive on my cnc router. It's a great little unit and i have ordered another two......cheap too!

  8. #22
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Helensburgh
    Posts
    7,696

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    At least once a month I get an email offering the best VFD's ever made from companies in China. The reason we began using Powtran when Clearvue first started was we needed a 4kw 240V VFD and Huanyang got the gig because it was the only reasonably priced VFD I could find so the initial CV's sold had a Huanyang supplied. The other factor was because at the time very few VFD's met the specification so the choice was limited anyway. A few months later the Clearvue operation in Oz was put on hold because Huanyang VFD availability stopped dead from all sources. I had a mate who did a lot of importing from China and his Chinese agent went hunting for me and found Powtran so CV sales began again after a bit of hiccup. There could be better or equivalent VFD's out there but the constant and never ending support made the Powtran ideal for a retail operation because of the factory support whereas Huanyang could never match that at the time. I know I can email Powtran and without fail I get an answer within hours and usually just about immediately and to me that earns a lot of faith in the product.
    CHRIS

  9. #23
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    near Mackay
    Age
    59
    Posts
    4,628

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    Yeah, with my SAJ VFD’s, I think I would be on my own if I had a problem. I did ask a question to the eBay seller when I bought the 2nd one and got a very vague and unhelpful answer.
    They have both been good so far, touch wood. Though a couple of days ago when I was using my wood lathe, a couple of times I noticed the speed fluctuating a bit, the display on the vfd showed the frequency was fluctuating, I gave the potentiometer dial a bit of a twist and it stopped the fluctuations, I think it may be just the cheap pot I am using, I would rather have to replace that than the VFD.
    ​Brad.

  10. #24
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    27,756

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    I agree with Chris that Powtran offer excellent technical support.

    Of the mens sheds and individuals I have recommended Powtrans to, only one mens shed has had a minor problem with a Powtran install. This mens shed contacted me about it and I suggested they contact Powtran first. Powtran responded very quickly but the mens shed could not understand the response from Powtran so I went out to take a look and it turned out the mens shed had not understood the problem so had asked the wrong question. It turned out to be minor programming problem which I was able to show them how to fix.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ironwood View Post
    Yeah, with my SAJ VFD’s, I think I would be on my own if I had a problem. I did ask a question to the eBay seller when I bought the 2nd one and got a very vague and unhelpful answer.
    They have both been good so far, touch wood. Though a couple of days ago when I was using my wood lathe, a couple of times I noticed the speed fluctuating a bit, the display on the vfd showed the frequency was fluctuating, I gave the potentiometer dial a bit of a twist and it stopped the fluctuations, I think it may be just the cheap pot I am using, I would rather have to replace that than the VFD.
    The SAJ I bought in 2011 and installed on my MW lathe was not setup with a remote pot. After about 5 years of use I noticed the speeds wandering about by itself which potentially quite dangerous and it got worse over time. Eventually I took a look and found the pot was dirty from contact my dirty hands (MW hands often being dirtier than usual). I managed to clean it up OK and was going to install a remote pot but in the then I found the SAJ model I had did not have a facility for this so I up graded to a Powtran 160 - this is all described in the "VFD install summaries" thread.

    As well as the SAJ on the MW lathe I now have replaced the HYs on the DP and WW lathe with Powtrans, and installed two Powtrans on my mill. The HY's on teh MW and WW lathe and teh DP were still working fine but I wanted to be using Vector rather than plain V/F drives as the vector drives provide more torque at low rpms. I have 2 more Powtrans to play with but have yet to decided where to use them. The other machines in my shed that run on older V/F VFDs (Bandsaw, Beltsander, Grinder duo, DC and an exhaust fan) don't need Vector drives to function as they typically run between 40 and 65 Hz.

  11. #25
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    near Mackay
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    59
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    Both my SAJ’s are running with remote switching and a remote pot, they are both vector control as well.
    When I noticed the wood lathe varying the speed, I had it set on about 1500rpm, and was going down to around 1400 and back up after a second or two, hopefully it’s just the pot, as I don’t want to be replacing the VFD right now.
    ​Brad.

  12. #26
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ironwood View Post
    Both my SAJ’s are running with remote switching and a remote pot, they are both vector control as well.
    When I noticed the wood lathe varying the speed, I had it set on about 1500rpm, and was going down to around 1400 and back up after a second or two, hopefully it’s just the pot, as I don’t want to be replacing the VFD right now.
    Yeah sounds like pot resistance wandering around a bit.

  13. #27
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Adelaide, Australia
    Posts
    54

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    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    If you are talking plug and play then then the answer is no.

    Unless you can do it yourself (and this is not for the faint hearted) then

    Option 1:
    Pay for a license Electrical fitter to do it.
    If your drill press or lathe are single phase you will need a 3Phase motor KACHING. Used ones are cheap by the EF is unlikely to go for that option.
    The Electrical fitter will most likely require you to install a VFD recommended by him - after all he has to guarantee the work and as they have different manuals and instruction sets is unlikely to want to send a few hours of reading up a new manual - KACHING
    The Sparky recommended VFD is likely be more expensive that any you can buy out of China KACHING.
    Motor :$150, VFD plus delivery $150, Electrical fitter - guess $150.
    Plus the new motor may not fit the mounting plate, pulley etc so you may need some mechanical work done. KACHING

    Option 2:Wait - some time in the futures many small motor machines will come standard with VFDs 3Phase motors.
    One of my Italian Cousins is a small custom/elecrical motor manufacture and more than 50% of the motors he makes are 3 phase but run from single phase via a compact built in VFD.
    In fact think Hare and Forbe sell something like that but for $$$$
    Eventually most motors will be like this.

    So in order to avoid the KACHING do you do it yourself Bob?

  14. #28
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    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
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    Quote Originally Posted by CBaulds View Post
    So in order to avoid the KACHING do you do it yourself Bob?
    Yep .

    Occasionally I do explain/decribe what I do/did on this forum or to a mens shed sparky but that's as far as it goes.

  15. #29
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    Dec 2017
    Location
    Aldinga Beach
    Posts
    478

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    I contacted them, the 220V version of the PI150 will apparently be available late May. This is the one i might check out

  16. #30
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    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
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    Quote Originally Posted by ericks2 View Post
    I contacted them, the 220V version of the PI150 will apparently be available late May. This is the one i might check out
    They have been saying 3-4 weeks for about 3-4 months.

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