Inverter / ELS

[Matt HarringtonParticipant @mattharrington87221]

Whilst developing my Myford to accept it's improved ELS system (was Atomic ELS, now Rocketronics ELS PRO 4) I was wondering if anyone have taken a Newton Tesla inverter box (CLx50) apart? I was wondering if they used a standard inverter inside the case. I ask, as I want to control the lathe for variable surface speed and hence need to tap into an inverter. I don't want to drill out the NT rivets if some has opened one up to find the inverter bespoke.

Matt

[Matt HarringtonParticipant @mattharrington87221]

[DC31kParticipant @dc31k]

Given that Newton Tesla seem to be agents for bog-standard Mitsubishi industrial controls, I think you would have to look very hard to find something NON-standard.

Indeed, if you survey the market as a whole, you would have a hard time finding a bespoke inverter. The devices are industrial Lego these days and no supplier is going to spend time and money and pursue the necessary certification to sell them into a very small UK hobbiest market when that supplier can just open a standard box and use the contents thereof.

Is your inverter a current product line or from years gone by? Everything currently on sale by them explicitly states it has a Mitsubishi drive inside:

https://www.newton-tesla.co.uk/product-category/lathe-speed-controls/pre-wired-lathe-speed-control-packages-for-myford-ml7-super-7-lathes/

The only place you would need to tap into the device is the potentiometer for speed control and that should be a standard three wire voltage divider device (the two ends of the pot and the wiper). For that, you only need access to the cable – it is probably not necessary to go 'inside'.

[Matt HarringtonParticipant @mattharrington87221]

I'll get the drill out in due course and see what manifests inside! Alas, the speed control is on the NT cabinet.

Matt

[GordonHParticipant @gordonh]

Posted by Matt Harrington on 21/03/2023 18:02:28:

I'll get the drill out in due course and see what manifests inside! Alas, the speed control is on the NT cabinet.

Matt

If you read the handbook, you should find details of the pin out for connecting the speed control to a remote pendant and the inverter setting parameter to change speed contol from the Inverter potentiomater to a remote potentiometer.

Gordon

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Definitely a Mitsubishi inverter inside. I have asked NT about access to the insides both for the eStop and speed control when I fitted 3 phase to my S7 so I could interface to the cnc controller, but they do not support this. Drilling out the pop rivets would invalidate the warranty, and they supply the unit sealed to be able to warrant emc performance.

[PeroParticipant @pero]

I have a 750 model now quite a number of years old ( and hence out of warranty ).

I drilled out the rivets in order to access the insides in order to modify ( physically rearrange ) the input /output wiring ( i. e. physical rather than electrical ). I can confirm that the box contains a surprisingly small Mitsubishi inverter.

On reassembly I replaced the rivets with nutserts and some rather neat round head hex drive screws.

Since there has been no physical change to the content or physical assembly no effect on emc performance would be anticipated. It is also quite easy to access the internal organs should this ever be necessary.

Pero

[Matt HarringtonParticipant @mattharrington87221]

Thank you – just what I needed to hear. Mine is quite a few years old as well, so no issues with warranty etc.

Matt

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