EMCO V13 VFD ISSUE.

[Tom Mayo]

I just got an EMCO V13 recently. Just love it. Got rid of my trusty 10" Clausing with much regret. It was all I really needed......but!!!
So the guy I got up from had it hooked up to a static phase converter. I really dont like the sound it makes when you plug it in or turn it on and after some research it seemed that a VFD was the proper solution for a smoother running lathe. (I am a knifemaker and am pretty much self taught on running these machines).
I call my friend and he told me to get a KBAC-29 (Adjustable Frequency Drive rated for 3 hp). Had my son (who is an electrical contractor and works big jobs on military bases all the time-knows a lot about electricity) come over and hook it up.........but then nothing. It comes on, as far as we could tell by the lights and the sounds, but as soon as I hit the go lever on the carriage something inside the electrical box disconnects. We tried and tried and so now I am here. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

3HP KBAC-29 NEMA4X VFD 230VAC 3PH INPUT 9528

ON/OFF Line Switch/RFI AC Filter Options From the website of the place I bought it from.

 

[rabler]

Without being familiar with the EMCO V13, it would be helpful if you posted some additional information.
"It comes on", does that mean the lathe motor comes on, or just the VFD?
Post a picture of the motor dataplate.
Post a picture of the electrical box guts, and the VFD wiring
Is the VFD wired directly to power on the line side and directly to the motor on the output? Or are some additional controls/circuits before (or worse yet, after) the VFD? Nothing should be wired between the motor and VFD except perhaps a noise filter intended for use between a VFD and motor.
What low voltage control circuits are wired to the VFD? I would expect start and stop at a bare minimum, typically provisions for forward and reverse and a poteniometer for speed control

 

[Aukai]

I can totally commiserate with your situation, and as long as you don't see smoke, there is hope.

 

[markba633csi]

I believe there is some programming involved before you get an output from the unit- read the manual cover to cover
Have you checked to see if there is any output?
Rabler is correct about the hookup- the VFD output must bypass any contactors or switching in the lathe and connect directly to the motor
-Mark

 

[Tom Mayo]

Thank you. Will get my son to look at all of this. For the answer directly above: aren't these electronics necessary to run the machine? Don't they interface with some of the handles on the front or is everything on the controls simply gears and mechanical connections?

As per answer #1.....here are some pictures of the motor plate, the front of the lathe, and the electronics box. We did put it directly between the 220 wall plug and the electronics. We are not sure if all the electronics in the box are not necessary for the full function of the machine. Of course we could wire it directly to the motor, but the Static Phase Converter was attached in the same manner as we installed the VFD and it worked just fine.........Sigh!

We can tell it is getting power but as soon as I try to put it into operation something disconnects; like a breaker switch sound. Thanks for your assistance!!!!

 

[mksj]

No programming, just some trim pots and jumpers. It is not a 3 phase power source for the machine, an RPC is more suitable in that regard. The KBAC is actually a poor choice for a lathe, it is more commonly used for grinders, the drive is only rated for 2 Hp with single phase input, there is a specific version that is rated for 3 Hp single phase input. The stock motor is 3 Hp. It is a complex conversion for a VFD, and one would need to look at the schematic for your lathe.

 

[Tom Mayo]

Thanks for your help. I was told to get a VFD and went ahead with that………will continue to try and solve the problem

 

[hman]

OK ... please don't take this the wrong way, but I gotta start out with something really basic ...

The fact that the VFD turns on initially, then dies when you use "the go lever on the carriage" makes me suspect that the "go lever" operates a switch or contactor wired between the VFD and the motor.

All VFDs need to be directly hard-wired to the motor. There should be NO switches, contactors, etc. between the VFD and the motor. Any on/off, "go lever," motor direction, and other switching has to be re-wired, to work as inputs to the VFD. That's just the nature of the VFD circuitry. The output transistors won't handle no-load to motor load transitions.

If your VFD is directly wired to the motor, then the problem is somewhere beyond my understanding.

 

[markba633csi]

Static phase converters and rotary phase converters are passive devices and not prone to failure by interrupting the motor circuit- totally different animal than an electronic phase converter and is the reason the lathe operated fine with a static phase converter. I don't totally understand the noise issue though- those are usually silent or nearly so
Your VFD may be shutting off the output when it detects switching occuring between itself and the motor- these things are pretty smart- sometimes irritatingly so
-M

 

[Tom Mayo]

OK. My son and I are working the problem. I understand that if the VFD is wired directly to the motor it will go.......but our real problem is the over thinking Swiss (or Austrians in this case) have made the switches quite complex. You have to turn on the machine with a key on the left end of the lathe to start it. Then push a start button under the thread levers are........and then it actually goes when you engage the lever on the carriage. Down is forward, middle is neutral, and up is reverse .It seems that that turns the motor on. So........the lever at the bottom of the carriage is the actual on/off switch that turns a switch in the bottom box on the front where the thread turning levers reside. Don't understand why it has to be so complicated........but those people speak German, French and Italian so who knows!