seber
Well-known member
I have a chance to buy a Grizzly lathe with a defunct VFD. The OEM part is insanely expensive. Does anyone know if I can use a generic VFD.
Grizzly VFD
- Thread starter seber
- Start date
marinusdees
Well-known member
Yup.
timgunn1962
Well-known member
Almost certainly yes. The only caveat is that not all variable-speed lathes use VFDs and 3-phase motors, so it's worth checking it does actually use a VFD.
the digital speed read out isn't a deal breaker. You can buy digital read outs cheap on Amazon, or depnding on the VFD you can program it to read the spindle speed.
dutchgray
Well-known member
Wire the speed adjustment pot out but with a couple of suitable value resistors such that the machine runs, it should run at a fixed speed, if so replace the pot, if it doesn't its something in the VFD or possibly a speed feedback measurement if it has such fitted.
You won't loose digital speed readout at least on most VFD's like the Teco L510. You just enter a parameter that maps spindle speed as a function of motor speed and that let's you see the spindle speed on the VFD's display. It's obviously only valid for one belt/pulley setting. (example)
The VFD is mounted behind the lathe by necessity. The readout on it can never be seen. It turns out Grizzly simply outsourced a Delta S1 VFD and covered it with sheet metal. Heat sink and all. Speed is wired for remote pot. I'll start by using the internal control and see what happens. I'll also cut openings for the heat sink air flow. The remote speed readout is flashing. I have no idea how that works yet. I'm guessing it is monitoring something from the VFD. If so, that would be a clue to the problem. The VFD reads just fine.