Lathe hook up and operation

[SuperBuickGuy]

usually I think of #4 wire when looking at a 30 horse motor, well, an old motor that can draw up to 90 amps. Does not look like those terminals are big enough for big enough wire. Newer 30 horse motors are more like 65 amps.

When I replaced my motor on the lathe I bought, I could not use the same drum switch for the way the motor is wired. Some motors have 4 leads others have up to 7. So maybe the VFD is not compatible with that old timer motor since they take alot of amps to start turning and then use less after it starts to spin.

I hope you find the problem.

it's 20 ga stranded wire to each leg of the motor. 8 ga wire (which is what is on the motor wiring from the VFD) is capable of 40 amps each ... times 3 is 120 amp capacity.

not just that but compare inverter welders at 20 lbs to my old-horse econo Miller powersource with high frequency start that weighs nearly 400 lbs.... simply bigger doesn't mean more capability. As for the motor, again, it's got 20 ga wires to each leg so I'm not seeing that wire size is an issue. But again, I remind, learning as I go so we'll see when I break the case tonight.

[SuperBuickGuy]

wiring view


end view


there was a day when this was almost my most used tool


1 1/8" shaft

and 4 3/16 bolt spacing on the front
which means that motor listed about interchanges... but first I'll haul it down to be check - what you can't smell is the burned oil smell on the mounting end....

[anotheridiot]

it's 20 ga stranded wire to each leg of the motor. 8 ga wire (which is what is on the motor wiring from the VFD) is capable of 40 amps each ... times 3 is 120 amp capacity.

not just that but compare inverter welders at 20 lbs to my old-horse econo Miller powersource with high frequency start that weighs nearly 400 lbs.... simply bigger doesn't mean more capability. As for the motor, again, it's got 20 ga wires to each leg so I'm not seeing that wire size is an issue. But again, I remind, learning as I go so we'll see when I break the case tonight.

If you are using 3 wires per pole or a total of 9 leads you have 120, but its 40 total. Between any two legs you should be reading 240, but the 40 amps is per wire and the limit of the 8 gauge wire..

I have an air compressor that has 3 #12 wires that go directly to the motor starter, but that is an open air rating, not in a cord. Cords reduce the amps due to not allowing heat to escape from each wire.

All I am saying is if the converter is capable of a 80 amp motor, the terminals you connect the wires to would have to be much bigger to allow a wire that is almost .250. There is also some microprocessor in that deal that is what is not allowing the old motor to get past the higher startup amps needed to get to speed. Startup on my big screw compressor that runs at 90 amps can get up to 200. If your controller cannot handle that inrush current it wont ever get past it.

Its a 1.125 shaft so should be a 182T frame motor since it has the c face for the bolt pattern. https://www.surpluscenter.com/images/techhelp/nema2.pdf
If the motor checks out at the rebuild center it probably has more to do with the microprocessor.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Motor tests fine, needs a bigger VFD. Should be operational next week

[Loren]

Press Brake gone, to a local guy. He'll be doing the 3-phase shuffle now too.

[SuperBuickGuy]

real men haul it upright... just sayin' :D

(picture coming later).

[Loren]

When it's time to do the job, it'll be plenty upright...

This was E-Z loading and it needed to get backed through a low garage door, once inside was slid back and tilted up with a hydraulic jack. It would have never gone through otherwise. There are no less than four car engines loaded on the very front of the trailer to balance that out enough to hitch up...

[SuperBuickGuy]

since I had to dig a hole to get it off the trailer... I know of what shenanigans you speak....

[anotheridiot]

I dont blame you, if you had to slam on the brakes it probably would have ended up like that anyway.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I had mine over the axle, upright and narrow to the side... it worked just fine but I also didn't have to tip it over to get it into a garage - the biggest issue for me was the step... that took 3 - 8000lb+ winches to get it off safely. Safely being a more general term the one OSHA might use....

[SuperBuickGuy]

I had mine over the axle, upright and narrow to the side... it worked just fine but I also didn't have to tip it over to get it into a garage - the biggest issue for me was the step... that took 3 - 8000lb+ winches to get it off safely. Safely being a more general term then one OSHA might use....

[Loren]

My buyer kinda freaked when to load I just laid some truck tires on the trailer and winched it over forward to flop down onto them. "Ain't gonna hurt nuthin' " I said, just stay out of under it. We then pulled it forward a bit on the trailer, but no further than necessary as that would just be more work to undo. Getting it back off and tilted up, screwing around with hydraulic jacks and chains and wood blocks, was much more of a problem. I have two very heavy machines in my garage (also a low door) that were moved in that way and I did not enjoy that a bit.

When something doesn't have to go under that door, renting a rough-terrain forklift for $2-300 is worth avoiding the hazards of all the dicking around.

[SuperBuickGuy]

When something doesn't have to go under that door, renting a rough-terrain forklift for $2-300 is worth avoiding the hazards of all the dicking around.

You know, that's some darn smart thinking.

That said, I moved it into my shop with 3 winches and a bobcat.... not just that... but my engineer wife said it was impossible to do.

What is the value of saying "HA" to your wife? it's got to be worth at least 10x the cost of a forklift

[Loren]

Women actually secretly think guys operating giant forklifts are kinda hot. Try to have the operation mostly down before she sees you.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Women actually secretly think guys operating giant forklifts are kinda hot. Try to have the operation mostly down before she sees you.

I think the word they use is 'sunstroke' but sure, that is certainly hot.