Would this motor work for adding a VFD to a Rong-Fu mill?

[Nigel123]

This one comes up almost every time I do a search:
KBMD-240D (9370) DC Drives, Nema 1

It's about $150. For another $67 you can get a fwd/brake/rev switch. The plug-in HP resistor (#9850) is a whopping $1.50.

I may have to see what the shaft size is on the DC motor and what's going to be involved in mounting it.

It also has the heat sink for $37 which you will need with the higher amps or you can fabricate one
The factory one bolts on the back of the unit
If you get one with fwd rev cover the switch with something that you have to reach around to switch it
Follow the instalation instructions with proper fuses (if not supplied on the unit)
The adjustment pot adjustments are fairly simple but be careful with the max torque one go only
as high as necessary
I set up one and had the torqe at max and the speed at max and the controller failed
Could have been a bad unit was brand new
The reason I cover the switch once I switched it by mistake and blew the fuse

 

[ARC-170]

KBIC-125 is the one I'm using, it's a dc drive with a horsepower resistor (current sensing resistor)
The one you were asking about in post #10 is a "light dimmer" type of control for AC; it would work for a universal ac/dc motor but not for
a dc motor like yours. Poor speed regulation, hence the low price
You can often pick up KB controls on Ebay for around 50$- I found one for 20$ that the seller couldn't guarantee- worked fine

Thanks. It looks like that controller needs an enclosure, right? I couldn't easily find one on the KB site. What do you use?

It also needs the knob and dial kit, a HP resistor (would that be the #9849 fuse block kit shown?), and a heatsink.

Do you have a picture of yours?

 

[markba633csi]

Yes it's a module that requires some kind of enclosure- I have mine on a simple hinged panel near the lathe which also acts as a heatsink.
You don't really need a heatsink for smaller motors like mine (around 1/2 HP).
You need the HP resistor but the fuse block kit is optional- it just converts the push-on terminals to screw type if that's your thing
If the treadmill electronics you have still work why not use that? Easier and free
-M

 

[animal12]

This one comes up almost every time I do a search:
KBMD-240D (9370) DC Drives, Nema 1

It's about $150. For another $67 you can get a fwd/brake/rev switch. The plug-in HP resistor (#9850) is a whopping $1.50.

I may have to see what the shaft size is on the DC motor and what's going to be involved in mounting it.

All the treadmill motors I have salvaged use a left hand 12 x13 thread . I made my own pulleys , threaded the pulley on & marked where the set screw was & removed the pulley & ground a flat on the shaft where the set screw would sit .
animal

 

[evan-e-cent]

See my YouTube videos on this topic listed below. I have an identical DC motor installed in my Boxford A lathe and love it! I cannot imagine using a lathe without speed control now, especially for cutting threads without disengaging the half-nuts. If I really need extremely low speeds I quickly switch to back-gear. I have now installed the same kind of motor, controller and tachometer on my pillar drill. I almost never have to change belts any more with an RPM range from 0 to 2000 RPM on the lathe.

Evan’s You Tube Channel. See the Playlist for engineers lathe.
https://www.youtube.com/evan-e-cent

Engineers Playlist

#35 Installing a DC motor

#37 How speed controllers work

I hope you find these useful. Note that I used a Chinese pulse width modulator speed controller that cost about $67, and a digital tachometer that was under $20.