- Joined
- Aug 16, 2016
- Messages
- 193
I may be confused here. I don't recall your specifying whether your mill currently has a single phase motor or a 3 phase. And is the "service power" you refer to single phase or three phase?
A VFD is used either to convert single phase input power to three phase output power (and by varying the frequency of the output, control the speed of the motor) -or- convert 3 phase 60 Hz input power to a different frequency of 3 phase output power for speed control. In either case, it's only good for driving a three phase motor (OK, there may be ways to drive a single phase motor with a VFD, but IIRC, they tend to significantly reduce motor power).
The circuitry of the VFD is designed with the assumption that the (electronically driven) outputs will be continuously connected to the motor windings. Interrupting the connection, either to start/stop the motor, or to reverse it, will likely overload/fry one or more of the output devices, releasing the magic blue smoke from the VFD. I suppose a VFD could be designed to handle such surges/overloads. But it would add a lot of cost for little or no benefit.
220v single phase service power.
Motor is 3 phase 230/460