VFD vendor?

May 20, 2009 32 Replies

I Googled.



What vendor has delighted you with the highest quality and best price on VFDs and motors? I have a pal that wants to replace a blown 3/4 H single phase 120 V drill press motor with a VFD and motor combination.



Can you recommend:

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Some other vendor perhaps?



Thanks!


--Winston



I bought most of mine through automation direct

karl

Thanks Karl,

I looked at their site just now. Very cool!

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Anyone else?

--Winston

I have never bought a vfd from them but I've bought terminal blocks, stack lights, ect, from them. It is a *real* firm that has been around a while.

Wes

From my experience, automation direct is the best source I found.

Wes> I have never bought a vfd from them but I've bought terminal blocks, stack lights, ect, Wes> from them. It is a *real* firm that has been around a while.

Tawm> From my experience, automation direct is the best source I found.

Very good. Thanks, guys.

--Winston

I have bought VFD's off Ebay. It is a gamble. And can be frustrating when you get a VFD and have a hard time getting a manual. Or as I did once get a VFD that would only go 60 hz or lower.

Dan

I looked at eBay just now.

My first reaction is that there are n+1 permutations of input voltage and phase arrangement; it would be trivial for me to buy a unit that won't do what I need done, unless I did some very careful homework.

The drives that appear 'close' to the unit I need have starting prices of about twice retail for a new unit of reputable manufacture.

Caveat Emptor indeed.

--Winston

The inversion of this statement is that if you know how to read labels and manuals, you can make a nice income buying and reselling motor drives on ebay.

There are many overpriced offerings, and at the same time many bargains. This one would probably serve you reasonably well, I recall you have a 3/4 HP intermittent load.

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Ah! The old De Morgan trick!

Reading manuals is much easier than obtaining them. Here is all I could uncover on the unit you mentioned: FR-A024-075k

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They didn't exactly overwhelm us with useful facts! If I enter the model number in their 'Manuals' page, I get: "Your search did not match any materials."

Imagine trying to connect and program this box. Oh Well! :)

You make my point for me. This 4.5 HP unit is three phase 200 V input.

I require a 1 HP unit with single phase 115 V input.

Thanks anyway Iggy. :)

--Winston

[ ... ]

Wow! That one was a *deal*. It closed at $5.50. I wonder what they charged for shipping?

Presumably it will run just fine from 240 VAC single phase, as my Mitsubishis do.

Enjoy, DoN.

your spacing is incorrect.

I had this manual since a while ago

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Mitsubishi has it here

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I did not remember your 115v requirement. 115 v input is tough, you basically are completely limited to buying new.

i

$8.something.

I lost the bid on it.

Yes, should be no problem at all.

i

(...)

I cut 'n pasted from the eBay listing:

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I inserted a decimal point just now: FR-A024-0.75k

That resulted in several eBay hits so it might be the proper spacing.

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notice their manual 'search' window still responds with: Your search did not match any materials." for the proper model number.

Very Helpful!

(...)

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Wow! You are the Master Googler, Iggy.

Ah. I see it *is* a 1 HP drive. The '075k' means 0.75 KW.

(...)

Gotcha. Thanks!

--Winston

(...)

I see. I shall look elsewhere for a 115 VAC single phase unit.

Thanks DoN!

--Winston

115 vac input will be hard. If your friend has the capability to wire in some 240 volt outlets, he can buy 240 volt 3 phase motors and 240 volt VFD's at reasonable costs. It might even be worthwhile to have an electrician wire in some 240 volt outlets.

Dan

What do you think of this? It looks tailor made for the application,to me.

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Techy Stuff:

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I looked at the Automation Direct equivalent but it requires

230 VAC input for 1 HP motors.

--Winston

Would it be cheaper to get a bargan 230v vfd and use a transformer?

I mention this because a number of years ago, my brother the electrican, was working for a company that installed dewatering pumps down hole in gas wells. They used transformers on both ends of a HV transmission line coupled to a submersible pump and a VFD. A

1500+ foot hole needs a bit of help getting the power down there.

Wes

Wx?TÉnÛ0½û+??%YÎÒ I³ÀÎâi ¤u?--"©?# Î×wD+mU;)Ð×yóÞã ¥vd4ÔÖ?ôÎäù?N!K?#´?OV?Æ.Ûã³H?¿\ñ?j¸kÆ}8:Ù?Qôá±EÜStÚÌÃ0¼?Ëå?r´¡Fò¡»ýÑb? ¥@ó¨Ö ?°0Äñ!?Fà¤^*?2¡?Â]?ïíÌ-÷ÿAð?V"©? ?L|? ?5R°6????¨3ÞuÀn@*J1?JÒÈp?Å-X©??ax0??Q¦"?äúàã5?õïÃý?±çâ³-Pwv3~ÇW, g´?³©qä¶? A!?9®P7²jc)¯sÉ!L

It might. The folks on eBay are *really* proud of their bargain VFDs!

This is one of those transcendent, joyous times when the budget is fifth or sixth down in the 'importance' list. For my pal, safety, ease of use, reliability, a clean installation are all higher priority criteria. Once we have it connected and programmed, the U$ ~131.00 will be 'pocket change'.

working for a

transformers on

A 1500+ foot

Whoa! KV and natural gas, you say? We should have a belt made for him that says 'Señor Gigantesco Cajones'.

Dayum.

--Winston

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