Bridgeport Series 1, 2hp

AxeMaker

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Hi,

I just bought a BP Series 1 and it will be delivered Monday 8/22/2016. I have been looking at VFD's to convert the 220v 1Ø in my garage to 220v 3Ø ? However I am not really sure what type/brand I should go with. I saw another thread, I think on this site, that recommended DrivesWarehouse.com and to look at a Hitachi model#SJ200-015NFU2.

I will post the motor label below if that will help answer my question(s).

  • What will I need to do with the existing wiring, if anything?
  • Will there be any problem getting this motor wired to work with something other than the 460v it is currently wired to?
  • I think this BP Series 1 was manufactured in 1994

BP Motor Label.png
 
Hi
I used a teco jnev 110v 1ph in and 220 3ph out and never had any problems with my old series 1 bridgeport mill or the teco whatsoever for over 3 years before selling it.
I had read and been told that the old series 1 bp would overheat the motor would die and all kind of horror stories, BUT none of that never happened! so whatever you choose should work fine. mine was wired 440 when I got it and it was not a problem to rewire it to 220 as the wires are banded with numbered metal bands on the wires. I left the original f/n/r switch and wires on it I just used the wiring from the switch and connected them to the vfd and would reverse it with the vfd leaving the original switch in the forward position, I removed the knob so I wouldn't accidently reach up and flip it. I believe whatever vfd you choose will be fine. There are some folks that are well versed on vfd's that will be more than happy to help you here. Hope this helps a little
mrpete 222 / tubalcain has 3 videos showing the setup and operation of a vfd on a drill press that is worth watching.
 
There should be a plate on the motor showing the wiring configurations for the different voltages. Very easy to change from the 460V to 230V configuration.

Ted
 
  • What will I need to do with the existing wiring, if anything?
  • Will there be any problem getting this motor wired to work with something other than the 460v it is currently wired to?
  • I think this BP Series 1 was manufactured in 1994

You won't have any trouble wiring the motor for 230V. T1 to 1-7, T2 to 2-8, T3 to 3-9, connect 4-5-6 together, ground to motor case.

If you don't need speed control then you could use the existing switch for forward/off/reverse, but the switch would need to be wired to the VFD control terminals, and not to the power wiring. You do not want a switch between the VFD and the motor. I found the VFD speed control was very handy even with a vari-drive.

I just installed a new VFD on my mill and built a small control box with Stop, Run, For/Rev, and Speed pot.
upload_2016-8-19_8-18-0.png

This is what I had originally, I just mounted the VFD in place of the switch.
upload_2016-8-19_8-23-39.png

The reason I changed out the VFD was to facilitate the spindle direct drive conversion, so I went with a sensorless vector VFD. This will give an almost flat torque curve at low RPM. The original VFD will be moved over to run the vacuum pump on my router.

As far as brand of VFD, there are a lot of them out there. My favorite is Automation Direct.

The GS2
http://www.automationdirect.com/adc...ts_(115_-z-_230_-z-_460_-z-_575_VAC)/GS2-22P0

or

The GS3
http://www.automationdirect.com/adc...S3_Drive_Units_(230_-z-_460_VAC_SLV)/GS3-22P0

I have installed many Automation Direct units and have been very satisfied, but they are not the cheapest. Very good documentation and support.

Teco-Westinghouse is also a good brand. Available from many vendors. Documentation is OK.

The only experience I have with the Hitachi JS200 was bad. It lasted about 1 year before it went up in smoke running a 1HP BP.:confused: Documentation is OK.

The Haunyang VFDs have mixed reviews and very poor documentation and support.

No experience with Mitsubishi or Yaskawa drives, but they are well regarded in the industry.

I hope this helps:)
 
Similar views to Jim on the VFDs, with a few other comments. I like Automation Direct for parts, their VFDs manuals tend to be very good and they have great tech support. But the GS2 does not offer a Sensorless Vector mode which gives a bit better speed control and low end control, as it provides feedback to the VFD (the GS3 does have this feature). Probably less of an issue on a mill, but I find very tight control on the lathe using this feature. The newer Teco L510, I have read a post about it not working as well as their older Fm50 (this lacks 3 wire and sensorless vector control), I probably would look at the Teco N3 series. Also some of these low end VFDs do not have 3 wire control, which is useful in setting up a mill. On the Hitachi the WJ200 has been very durable in my experience with many units, but the manual is very poor (in my opinion) and there is a bit of a learning curve. The WJ200 does offer a lot of features, similar to the Yaskawa. The latter is OEM in many industrial machines, but they are pricier and similar to the WJ200 in programing features/programming difficulty. My mill came with a Yaskawa and there tech support is good, so I am learning a bit more about them. ABB is also very good, but haven't installed them. Haunyang I am less impressed with from both their durability, programming and function, but they are cheap. If you do decide to buy one, I would only purchase one from a US distributor.

You will need to rewire the motor for 230V for these VFDs (should be information on the motor plate or under the terminal cover), you would not use your current switch gear/wiring for the VFD. The VFD is direct wired to the motor, and 230VAC single phase input to the VFD. Most likely I would recommend 3 wire input VFD control for the mill, this uses a momentary switch for the stop run function, and a forward/reverse sustained selector to set the direction, and a speed pot (usually anything in the 2K-5K linear type). These are all available from Automation direct.
 
Thank you for the replies, they are very helpful !

I had my electrician stop by this morning to check the main voltage. He found that it has 117v 1Ø on each leg or an equivalent to 237v 1Ø. So I should be able to go 230v 1Ø to 230v 3Ø.

I contacted DrivesWarehouse.com and they recommended this Hitachi model:

WJ200-015SF, Sensorless Vector AC Drive - $283.00
Input: 200 - 240VAC (+/-) 10%, Single Phase
Output: 200 - 240VAC (+/-) 10%, Three Phase
Output(Amps):8, Horsepower: 2


It was a busy day today getting the garage prepped for the mill delivery and confirming that the forklift will be here on time. Not to mention measuring to forklift to make sure it will fit inside the garage LOL. Everything is scheduled... now I just need the wife to help me over the weekend moving stuff around in the garage and I have an old 6' x 4' workbench that I need to take apart to make room for the mill. Normally this wouldn't be a lot of work but after three back surgeries it turns it into a major undertaking. ugh.
 
You won't have any trouble wiring the motor for 230V. T1 to 1-7, T2 to 2-8, T3 to 3-9, connect 4-5-6 together, ground to motor case.

If you don't need speed control then you could use the existing switch for forward/off/reverse, but the switch would need to be wired to the VFD control terminals, and not to the power wiring. You do not want a switch between the VFD and the motor. I found the VFD speed control was very handy even with a vari-drive.

I just installed a new VFD on my mill and built a small control box with Stop, Run, For/Rev, and Speed pot.
View attachment 134210

This is what I had originally, I just mounted the VFD in place of the switch.
View attachment 134211

The reason I changed out the VFD was to facilitate the spindle direct drive conversion, so I went with a sensorless vector VFD. This will give an almost flat torque curve at low RPM. The original VFD will be moved over to run the vacuum pump on my router.

As far as brand of VFD, there are a lot of them out there. My favorite is Automation Direct.

The GS2
http://www.automationdirect.com/adc...ts_(115_-z-_230_-z-_460_-z-_575_VAC)/GS2-22P0

or

The GS3
http://www.automationdirect.com/adc...S3_Drive_Units_(230_-z-_460_VAC_SLV)/GS3-22P0

I have installed many Automation Direct units and have been very satisfied, but they are not the cheapest. Very good documentation and support.

Teco-Westinghouse is also a good brand. Available from many vendors. Documentation is OK.

The only experience I have with the Hitachi JS200 was bad. It lasted about 1 year before it went up in smoke running a 1HP BP.:confused: Documentation is OK.

The Haunyang VFDs have mixed reviews and very poor documentation and support.

No experience with Mitsubishi or Yaskawa drives, but they are well regarded in the industry.

I hope this helps:)




Wolf Automation has panel kits to make a operating panel just like yours...
 
I have used various brands and the one which I found worked and lasted the best was YASKAWA. For my application they also had some sort of international guarantee and as I used to manufacture and send machinery internationally it was useful, although I never had a problem. I have used a YASKAWA V1000 series on my cnc Bridgeport for a two years and never an ounce of trouble. Not saying they are the best , just that they worked for me.
 
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