Don1357
Well-known member
May be a silly question but I'm not familiar with them at all. I would like to use one on an old Delta lathe for the promised variable speed and more even torque across the RPM range.
I know I would need the inverter and the controller. I figure I would need about a 1 hp motor for an old delta wood lathe.
I may be getting a free 3 phase motor of yet to see hp. I figure it will cost me about a hundred for the inverter. I don't know how much the controller would go for.
Inverter Rated is the way to go if possible.Yes, any 3 phase motor can work. Question will be is it happy? Too slow and overheating becomes an issue. Too fast and you can have the same problem as the motor isn’t built to take the high frequency required. This is why they make inverter rated motors. So long as you keep your low speed and high speed operation to a minimum you should be ok. You may need to add an additional cooling blower.
Yes, no, maybe. For home shop occasional use, a free motor is the way to go.Inverter Rated is the way to go if possible.
...I figure it will cost me about a hundred for the inverter...
VFD price is tied to HP. Go up a step in motor size, and expect a heft increase in cost.
Also, those cheap $100 VFDs are fan cooled, and will **** any dust in the air through them. Used too close to a wood lathe, it's going to die quickly. An enclosed NEMA 4x VFD is probably more like $300 (depending on the HP).
I haven't seen the motor yet but I think is at/under 1HP.
This is for a hobby use wood lathe, so i'm hopping to put something together to meet both budget and expectations.
It won't hurt it to put it into a cabinet with no vents. I doubt that the VFD will heat up enough to make a difference. I design machines that have three 5 hp drives in a 30 x 30 x 12 cabinet. These machines run hour upon hour, day in and day out with no problems.Understood. If you have a cabinet, and can put air filters over openings, you might have a good long-term solution. Just be aware that fan cooled VFDs shouldn't be allowed to fill with dust.
It won't hurt it to put it into a cabinet with no vents. I doubt that the VFD will heat up enough to make a difference. I design machines that have three 5 hp drives in a 30 x 30 x 12 cabinet. These machines run hour upon hour, day in and day out with no problems.
and more even torque across the RPM range.