Teach me VFD?

[My_Teenage_Self]

Hallo all.

I have a 2x72 belt grinder, and I'd love to make it variable speed. It has a 1ph 1.5hp motor, which I know I'd have to replace with 3ph.

Looking at VFDs, they range from cheap to ridiculous, and most appear to need programming? is there any such thing as a plug and play solution? I'm a total luddite with a fear of all things electrical except basic connections.


Any hints/tips/pointers appreciated!

Ta.

 

[daleyd]

Hallo all.

I have a 2x72 belt grinder, and I'd love to make it variable speed. It has a 1ph 1.5hp motor, which I know I'd have to replace with 3ph.

Looking at VFDs, they range from cheap to ridiculous, and most appear to need programming? is there any such thing as a plug and play solution? I'm a total luddite with a fear of all things electrical except basic connections.


Any hints/tips/pointers appreciated!

Ta.

They will all need programming but don’t get inundated with the amount of parameters they have, usually you only need to set a couple. The rest can be safely ignored.

If your not confident then spending a bit more on a decent make with proper manuals and support is probably a good idea but even the Chinese ones are not bad (I’ve not used one myself but people on here have used them with no issues).

Honestly, if you can push a few buttons you will be fine!

 

[Guineafowl]

Try Newton Tesla for an oven-ready setup. Invertek are also pretty good. The cheaper the VFD, the worse the manual.

VFD programming is mainly inputting what’s on the motor rating plate, no worse than setting a central heating programmer.

 

[RichardM]

Chinese ones are easy enough to set up, as above, basic parameters. There are usually videos on YT showing how as well.
Just remember to buy a motor that will work on 240 (220)v and an inverter that is single phase in three phase out.

 

[Agroshield]

If it is for a belt grinder, be sure to buy a TEFC (totally enclosed fan cooled) motor. Also be sure to site the VFD well away from the grinder, in a dust-proof enclosure. That implies you need to wire in remote switches. Using the touch pad on the VFD in that environment will destroy it in short time.

 

[My_Teenage_Self]

Thanks guys, so nothing major to be caught out on?

@Agroshield thanks for the heads up. I was aware of both those issues, and the current motor is TEFC (with remote NVR switch), but I do appreciate the heads up

 

[My Old Landy]

I made a video on building a remote and programming a cheap VFD