ID VFD and check condition

autonoz

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I will be getting my mill on Sunday. "finally" I have wired a sub panel and a friend of mine gave me a VFD. Unfortunately there is no manual and no model number on the unit. I have two questions; Can anyone ID the unit by the pictures or tell me if there is a way? The other is, I have read only one time, that if a VFD has been sitting it needs to be serviced because something goes bad inside the unit. Is there a way to check the VFD to see if it is functioning properly?

vfd1.JPG vfd2.JPG
 
OK it looks like I answered one of my own questions after uploading a picture to Google. It appears to be a Huan Yang. I still need to know if there is a way to check it's operation and if letting it sit has caused concerns?
 
The filter capacitors can go bad after sitting a long time, not sure what the shelf life really is. I have seen them fail after a year or so, and others work fine after sitting for several years. I think you just have to power it up to see for sure.
 
The filter capacitors can go bad after sitting a long time, not sure what the shelf life really is. I have seen them fail after a year or so, and others work fine after sitting for several years. I think you just have to power it up to see for sure.

If I wire it up to check can I just use a volt meter at the connections to see if it is producing the correct voltage? Also, after reading up on this brand it gets pretty crappy reviews. If I decide to buy a new one do you have a good suggestion for which brand?
 
Yes, but you will want to wire it up to a motor, VFDs don't like to be run without a motor attached. From the key pad you can check the output voltage, and current. Unless you have a True RMS meter, like a Fluke 87 or equivalent, the voltages on the meter may not reflect the actual output voltage, because of the strange waveform that the VFD puts out. The best way to really check it is just to run the motor with it, I would give it an hour or so with an unloaded motor. If it doesn't let the magic smoke out, then it's probably OK.

As far a a good brand, my favorite is Automation Direct. Not the least cost, but a good value and great customer support and documentation. Hitachi, Mitsubishi, Baldor, Teco, are also good brands. There are many others.
 
As mentioned, this looks like the no-name generic VFDs sold by many Chinese vendors. Not sure on the name, as I have seen numerous listings that look identical. I would be concerned that the units nameplate/programmed voltage and phase, that both input and output are correct for your application before hooking it up.

It is unlikely for modern electrolytic capacitors to go bad after sitting on the shelf (or in equipment) for a year or two, providing it is not exposed to high heat. Usually electrolytic capacitors that are old (many years to decades), can be checked for leakage, and/or the voltage is applied slowly monitoring the capacitors (i.e. reforming). As for mounted capacitors in a VFD, this link http://machinedesign.com/motorsdrives/feed-your-vfd-right-power suggests reforming the capacitors by applying voltage to the VFD for 8 hours with no motor attached (i.e. no load). It is acceptable to power-up the VFD with no motor attached, just don't operate the motor controls. If power is applied to a VFD and there is any problem at start up or running, most modern units will provide an error message on the display screen. There is also a run time counter "Life Check Monitor" on some VFD models, as all electrolytic capacitors have a finite use lifespan which is dependent on % load and temperature (something like 10 years at 100% load at 30C)

If I recall, one needs a special multimeter or scope-meter to evaluate VFD outputs because of the higher carrier frequency and the signal is chopped. In this case if the unit powers up fine, I would let it stand powered for 6-8 hours at 0 Hz. Then I would try it to operate the motor. The VFDs Jim mentioned all are very good units, but it is worth reading up on specific models and features. The sensorless vector mode adds a lot to the motor control. I recently switched to Hitachi WJ200 units, they are commonly used and considered fairly bullet proof. I have also heard good things about the Teco VFDs, but varies with models. Yaskawa VFDs are top of the line, and you pay for it. A lot also has to do with the VFD features, programming, a readable manual and support.
Mark
 
OK thanks for the info. I think I will hook it up and let it sit to see what happens. If all seems good I'll give it a try. If there is any sign of problems I will trash it and get a new one from the one you have recommended. Wish me luck. Oh, one last question. The fact it says 220v 2.2kw can I be pretty sure it is 220 single in and 220 three phase out
 
Check the model number on the name plate, most likely it is the HY02D223B (1 or 3 phase input); the 3 phase only is HY02D433B. Manual indicates that connection for input are made to the R, S, T terminals, use any two can be used for single phase. Burn it in for a couple of hours with no load, also check the program display settings before operating the motor. Settings like PD004 base frequency is 60, PD005 max freq. 60 or 80, PD008 is motor nameplate voltage, etc....

I am still learning what all the programming functions do, as there are 100's of settings for units like the Hitachi WJ200 or Teco N3. I ended up downloading the Yaskawa V1000 manual, which was much easier to understand and did a better job in explaining VFD connections and programming.
 
Check the model number on the name plate, most likely it is the HY02D223B
There isn't a name plate on it.

The picture shows how I wired it, per a you tube video. I set all the parameters and let it sit for about an hour. No smoke, so I ran the motor. The motor ran up to 60Hz and I could adjust the Hz with the VFD. I am going to let it sit under power for a while and if it still seems to be operating as it should I will utilize it until it quits. Maybe it won't. I will be changing the wiring from 14g to 16g multi strand. Does that sound fair? Thanks for everyone's help. vfd3.JPG

vfd3.JPG
 
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