VFD recommendations

[dave green 5Participant @davegreen5]

i heard siemens were good

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

**LINK**

Check whether the instructions for the VFD of your choice are as easy to understand as these.

Edited By old mart on 01/02/2021 18:23:00

[Pete.Participant @pete-2]

Inverter drive supermarket were really helpful Dave, the guy called me and put together a shopping list of everything needed, very useful for the electronically illiterate like myself.

[Steve PaveyParticipant @stevepavey65865]

I have a Yaskawa, a Lenze and Huanyang. All three work fine, and the first two were bought cheaply secondhand, and all are running conventional workshop machines 230v delta.

i have just bought another Huanyang to run a cnc spindle, but I’m finding that it is a bit susceptible to electrical noise – something that isn’t really a problem if you’re just running a lathe or a mill. I’m pretty sure that a better quality vfd would be less likely to suffer from this sort of problem, but that’s just a rather uneducated guess.

One thing to be aware of is that some vfd’s (like the Lenze for example) don’t always come with a keypad or the software to set it up, and they can cost a lot extra.

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Posted by Robert Hurst 1 on 13/01/2019 15:05:39:

Ok, thanks Dave that all sounds feasible and makes perfect sense.

Yes, aware of SMPS technology, wasn't aware it was now being used in VFD's.

Do you have a link to such a device, as interested to learn more?

Many thanks.

Me too. In my career i must have fitted a few hundred inverters. It was always 3 phase in 3phase out at 415v ac. The single phase ones were always 3 phase at 240v ac output. Interesting to see a link to one myself as i have never seen one. Sounds feasable. Just not seen one.

Steve.

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

Posted by Steve Pavey on 01/02/2021 18:50:33:

I have a Yaskawa, a Lenze and Huanyang. All three work fine, and the first two were bought cheaply secondhand, and all are running conventional workshop machines 230v delta.

i have just bought another Huanyang to run a cnc spindle, but I’m finding that it is a bit susceptible to electrical noise – something that isn’t really a problem if you’re just running a lathe or a mill. I’m pretty sure that a better quality vfd would be less likely to suffer from this sort of problem, but that’s just a rather uneducated guess.

One thing to be aware of is that some vfd’s (like the Lenze for example) don’t always come with a keypad or the software to set it up, and they can cost a lot extra.

The electrical noise can sometimes be reduced by sheilding all the wiring including the control wiring. There can even be problems with different potentials in the earthing circuit.

[Steve PaveyParticipant @stevepavey65865]

“The electrical noise can sometimes be reduced by sheilding all the wiring including the control wiring. There can even be problems with different potentials in the earthing circuit.”

Yes, this is what I’m finding. The wiring for the analogue speed control is shielded, but if I earth the shielding the spindle speed drops by about 15%! To be honest, and having tried many combinations of shielding and earthing/not earthing I don’t think it will ever run at exactly the speed that Mach4 commands – I’ve settled on a sort of ‘near-enough is good enough’ setup for the moment and will probably end up replacing the Huanyang for something from Japan or Germany.

I’ve had a go at setting up modbus and rs485 for the speed control, but Huanyang vfd’s don’t use the accepted modbus standards so I’ve got nowhere with it so far, added to which I’m well outside my comfort zone with that sort of stuff.

Edited By Steve Pavey on 01/02/2021 20:25:07

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

Posted by Steve Pavey on 01/02/2021 20:21:58:

“The electrical noise can sometimes be reduced by sheilding all the wiring including the control wiring. There can even be problems with different potentials in the earthing circuit.”

Yes, this is what I’m finding. The wiring for the analogue speed control is shielded, but if I earth the shielding the spindle speed drops by about 15%! To be honest, and having tried many combinations of shielding and earthing/not earthing I don’t think it will ever run at exactly the speed that Mach4 commands – I’ve settled on a sort of ‘near-enough is good enough’ setup for the moment and will probably end up replacing the Huanyang for something from Japan or Germany.

I’ve had a go at setting up modbus and rs485 for the speed control, but Huanyang vfd’s don’t use the accepted modbus standards so I’ve got nowhere with it so far, added to which I’m well outside my comfort zone with that sort of stuff.

Sounds like you should use that Huanyang on some other machine and choose one of the bigger names to replace it. I had excellent results with the one featured in my recent link in this thread, bought from the Inverter Drive Supermarket.

Edited By Steve Pavey on 01/02/2021 20:25:07

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

You get what you pay for.

Components designed to reduce emission of ,or susceptibility to, electromagnetic interference (EMI) do not contribute to the basic function of the equipment. They are however essential for the safter of that equipment and other things like aircraft navigation systems. The problem is they are not cheap so some manufacturers leave them out or fit lower value, cheaper parts. The equipment still works without them until EMI causes issues. Often the circuit boards have spaces for them but the actual parts are not fitted or y compoin the case of coils, wire links fitted. A fully equipped unit would have been used for certification tests (if any were ever done). The same applies to other safety components like thermal overloads.

Robert G8RPI

[Brian HParticipant @brianh50089]

You could do worse that to look at these people.

http://www.drivesdirect.co.uk/

Just a happy customer.
Brian

Edited By Brian H on 02/02/2021 08:40:53

[john fletcher 1Participant @johnfletcher1]

Hello Pete, should you decide to buy a Huanyang. inverter as several of my friend have done with 100% satisfaction, I can send you a copy of the program which you may need, nothing at all complicated. Also, almost all STAR connected motors can be altered to DELTA some may need to be taken apart, again I have details should you ned them. Not pole changing though. John

[Steve PaveyParticipant @stevepavey65865]

Posted by old mart on 01/02/2021 20:43:28:

Sounds like you should use that Huanyang on some other machine and choose one of the bigger names to replace it. I had excellent results with the one featured in my recent link in this thread, bought from the Inverter Drive Supermarket.

Just in case anyone is interested, I sorted the problem of my spindle speed being incorrect. A 0.1uF polyester capacitor across the analogue input terminals cured it completely and instantly. It’s just a shame that I ordered a rather expensive known-brand inverter before discovering the fix! Oh well, if the HY does turn it’s toes up I will have a replacement ready.

Back to the OP, the biggest bonus I’ve found with the vfd on my mill is being able to power tap and reverse back out again. So glad I didn’t fit a single phase motor.

[HollowpointParticipant @hollowpoint]

I'd recommend an Invertek drive, they are very easy to setup, especially if you download the "easy setup guide" from inverter drive supermarket. They work well and they are made in the UK so backup and advice should be just a phone call away. As a bonus you would be supporting UK jobs in these uncertain times.

[Author]

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