Wow! That one generated some interest.
Get comfy, this turned into a novel.
Drive is a Polyspede (Drives Warehouse) Spedestar PC1-050 (5 hp motor).
Lathe original sell date (according to Clausing) was 1975, motor appears to be original.
FLA with 220 volts is 14.
Full load speed 1720.
Service factor 1.15
I originally set the machine up with the original 120 volt contactors to try to retain some of the original controls. With this setup the contactors were ALWAYS closed BEFORE the drive was turned on. After several discussions with Polyspede I also bypassed the contactors to run the motor directly and had exactly the same problem.
I purchased the machine in the fall of 2019 and purchased the drive shortly after that. I did not get the machine operational or hook up the drive until spring of 2022.
This machine is in my heated home shop and is only used occasionally, sometimes maybe only once or twice a week for short periods. Power to the drive was always turned off when the machine was not being used.
Machine operated perfectly for the first 6 months and then started intermittently acting up.
On the Colchester, the MOTOR is not stopped or started or reversed. Stopping, starting and reversing of the SPINDLE are all done with clutches in the headstock so the MOTOR runs at a continuous 60 hz the entire time the machine is running.
Drive was set for 2 sec. acceleration to 60 hz and 2 sec. deceleration (10 sec factory default for both).
I changed carrier frequency from 10 kHz to 15 to lower noise, all of these were later reset to defaults with no effect on the problem.
Amperage upper limit was left at the factory setting (I think 18.6. The tech from Polyspede gave me the menu parameter to check it, it's not in the manual and I already sent the drive back).
After about 6 months THE PROBLEM started at motor startup. LOUD high frequency squeal, acceleration to only about 6 or 7 hz and Amperage through the roof to a little over 36!
Drive was running on a 20a breaker (220v single phase) and even though it only went 5 to 6 seconds before I lost my nerve, it never tripped the breaker, shut itself down or displayed an error.
Cycling power to the drive would usually eventually get it working again but then THE PROBLEM started happening after the motor was running for a few minutes. During operation and with no warning I'd get the loud squeal and the motor would make a LOUD noise I can only describe as a garbage disposal full of walnuts! With the corresponding drop in speed and spike in amps.
My nerves are shot just thinking about it!
Once the drive was in "F!#k-UP MODE" I had to disconnect the outputs to even try anything (initially by opening the contactors and later by removing the leads from the outputs (no change in result)).
When start was pressed, hz went to 60 and amps stayed at 0 (naturally) but the acceleration time was slow. Eventually I did some checking. Keep in mind, nothing connected to the outputs.
Acceleration set to 1 sec became 3 sec.
Acceleration set to 3 sec became 9 sec.
Acceleration set to 5 sec became 15 sec!
That's how far I got over the course of about 2 months and four phone calls to Polyspede before I gave up. Also, as I stated this machine works perfectly fine on a rotary phase converter. The tech at Polyspede was not remotely interested in any of this information and only insisted that there was a problem with the motor.
Paw Paw Wine And Harvest Festival is still going strong, by the way, but I always try to avoid town that weekend because the main streets are closed for parades! I don't care much for people unless they make metal chips! HAHA
Congratulations if you made it this far, I'm looking forward to hearing what all y'all have to say.
Thanks, Mike.
