Where to buy a variable frequency drive?

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Deadeye

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I've been offered a table saw. Nice (old but nice) but three phase.

I think I need a 1ph in; 3ph out; 240v in; 3hp VFD.
What's a reliable place to buy one?
Are there downsides in going this route (i.e. should I pass on taking the saw)?
Thanks for the advice!
 
I've heard very good reviews of the Chinese VFDs on ebay, the only reason I didn't buy one was because I bought an old brand new stock item from a company near me, they flogged it me at cost price.
 
Also is the motor on your saw dual voltage, can it be wired up star or delta configuration?
The motor plaque will tell you.
 
Drives Direct are very good and have an engineer to advise difficult cases.

240V 3 ph in is what you really want and it will be wired correctly. Though DD also do the 415 V in, they are more expensive.

My saw uses a 415V one as the motor could not easily be rewired, and as well as powering it very well, the soft start and stop-in-8-seconds facilities are very useful.
 
Used a Chinese huanyang drive for a few years with no probs. About £100 off eBay for 1.5kw unit, but 240v in 240v out, so you need to be able to change the motor to 240v.

Fitz
 
MusicMan":1pbk0kab said:
Drives Direct are very good and have an engineer to advise difficult cases.

240V 3 ph in is what you really want and it will be wired correctly. Though DD also do the 415 V in, they are more expensive.

My saw uses a 415V one as the motor could not easily be rewired, and as well as powering it very well, the soft start and stop-in-8-seconds facilities are very useful.

I've also got 2 Drives Direct VFDs on my mill. Got some great support when I had a query so would recommend. (BTW - I think MusicMan meant to say 'out' rather than 'in' unless I have misundestood).
 
I have a Powtran VFD that I bought through Alibaba (I'll buy direct next time) for my 5hp dust collector. Same machines in Australia are usually sold with this brand of VFD to boost the 50 herts power to 60 hertz. It cost me about the equivalent to 180 pounds including shipping by UPS to my door. They were very knowledgable and helpful and if you want you can buy direct, maybe saving a bit. They can add bigger braking capacitors to stop the motor fast and frequently. You'll need to rig the stop and start functions through the VFD rather than an existing NVR switch otherwise you damage the VFD. Tell them what you need and they can help you select the right VFD for the saw.
http://powtran.com/en-us/index.aspx

I don't have a of stake in this company, just wish I did. ;)
Pete
 
Cant see any downsides to having a VFD on a tablesaw, I have a Huanyang 2.2kw vfd/inverter
on my Startrite 3hp tilt arbor, and have never bogged it down at full capacity ripping hardwoods.
This "no downsides" in my case, means I use it for my own personal hobby use in my garage.
I don't have a business or let anyone else use it, nor share a building with any sort of business operating.

I run mine from a standard household 13a plug.
This saw has a dual voltage motor, so its 240v volts out in my case (low voltage Delta, triangle symbol)

What saw is it? .... or to be more precise, what does it say on the motor nameplate? (the motor could have been swapped out)
Do you see the 240v or a triangle symbol anywhere on the saws motor?
This will be stamped on the motor nameplate along with the high voltage "star, high voltage
(Y symbol)" option.

If you don't see this delta 240v option you have two choices...
1. Dig out the windings and configure the motor to make it a dual voltage motor, changing it from a previously "fixed star wound motor"...
It has been shown here before, what needs to be done, Haven't done this yet personally, but wouldn't worry too much about it now. (I am a frugal fellow)

2. Buy a VFD/Inverter that costs about 150 quid that is Star high voltage out,
Instead of a cheaper one like the Huanyang that is 100 quid... or even less money for a lesser familiar one, what might take a wee bit of figuring out how to program.

I'm guessing that these cheaper ones will only run dual voltage motors... running it on low voltage.
You will have to check the voltage output on whatever specific VFD you are looking at
Make sure you know this before hitting the buy it now, the devil is in the details.

This is of no concern if you don't mind opening the motor and doing a bit of work, as mentioned above...
But personally (I have no electrical knowledge whatsoever) with my first VFD experience, I would rather get a VFD that is more straight forward to use out of the box.
Still a good idea to have a look inside a motor for sawdust and give it a clean if needed.

Good luck
Tom
 
I've used some of the cheap drives off ebay and yes they work but are a bit glitchy. I recently used one of jack forsbergs drives he is selling and the difference was immediate. He has a company create the drives to his spec and I really like them. You can get them with a extension cable and mounting tray, which enables the controls to be mounted on the machine but the main drive to be housed elsewhere. The last cheap drive I got came with a nasty extension ribbon which was very fragile.
 
porker":56nmtvl8 said:
MusicMan":56nmtvl8 said:
Drives Direct are very good and have an engineer to advise difficult cases.

240V 3 ph in is what you really want and it will be wired correctly. Though DD also do the 415 V in, they are more expensive.

My saw uses a 415V one as the motor could not easily be rewired, and as well as powering it very well, the soft start and stop-in-8-seconds facilities are very useful.

I've also got 2 Drives Direct VFDs on my mill. Got some great support when I had a query so would recommend. (BTW - I think MusicMan meant to say 'out' rather than 'in' unless I have misundestood).

Indeed I did, thanks. 240V in from a 13A plug, 415 3ph out at controllable frequency.
 
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