VFD Has defantly blown up now!

[charlieuk]

HELP! I think I have had it 3 year maybe with varying amounts of use and a few intermittent problems along the way however it has just given the big white puff of smoke!

question is what to replace it with? another Chinese one I got from chai or something else?

need to act fast though as I have work waiting.

I have ordered on from cnc4u as the can get itvto me this week just need to find out why it blew, I noticed a flash come from the plug on the spindle so I assume it was something that end, I found a scorch mark to prove this on the plug

I'll have to try order a spare when I get some cash back in.

[routercnc]

I have ordered on from cnc4u as the can get itvto me this week just need to find out why it blew, I noticed a flash come from the plug on the spindle so I assume it was something that end, I found a scorch mark to prove this on the plug

I'll have to try order a spare when I get some cash back in.

Mine did exactly the same as after many years of use the constant movement on the cable and plug caused the pins to have a bit of play in them. It arced and the vfd cut out. I didn't realise what had happened and carried on for a few days. Then it arced again and the vfd was toast this time. It was an expensive Moeller drive at about £350? and had a quality feel to it but they all go the same way if power is interrupted to the motor momentarily.
I bought a Chinese one which blew the moment I switched it on, so swapped it for another and that was has been fine. I direct soldered the cables (remove end cap) added a strain relief collar and added an earth cable inside the housing. Strongly recommend this sort of mod otherwise you will blow another one if the connector can move around when the machine is cutting.

If you go for another plug then make sure it is a good fit on the pins and the cable has strain relief and cannot move around near the plug end.

[charlieuk]

soldering it sounds like a good move I will be sure to do that, did you take the 4 pins out and then modify it so the wires went through the top? along with the earth?

[Clive S]

soldering it sounds like a good move I will be sure to do that, did you take the 4 pins out and then modify it so the wires went through the top? along with the earth?

It is a common mistake not to securely fix the cable to the VFD plate so that there is no strain on the plug, If you take the cap off be careful as the water inlet and outlet might need to be resealed.

[routercnc]

Have a look here:

http://www.mycncuk.com/threads/7545-VFD-error/page3

[Boyan Silyavski]

Could it be that it shorted inside? Measure the coil's resistance. It may be water damaged? Then open, clean , dry and thats it

[Clive S]

Could it be that it shorted inside? Measure the coil's resistance. It may be water damaged? Then open, clean , dry and thats it

I very much doubt it

[Doddy]

soldering it sounds like a good move I will be sure to do that, did you take the 4 pins out and then modify it so the wires went through the top? along with the earth?

I genuinely interested and a little confused... how was the original connector made-off last time, if not soldered?

Okay, the connector pictured is a little different to the usual chinese jobs that have solder bucket terminals.

Where I'm coming from is that soldering isn't regarded as a particularly vibration-tolerant electrical termination method (crimping is widely regarded as superior). Unless the OP had, perhaps, screw-terminals?

[Clive S]

I genuinely interested and a little confused... how was the original connector made-off last time, if not soldered?

Okay, the connector pictured is a little different to the usual chinese jobs that have solder bucket terminals.

Where I'm coming from is that soldering isn't regarded as a particularly vibration-tolerant electrical termination method (crimping is widely regarded as superior). Unless the OP had, perhaps, screw-terminals?

Doddy If you are looking at the green connector then I think that is just a 3D printed cover to cover the hole up in the top of the spindle. The original plug and socket have been discarded and the cy cable soldered directly on to the spindle wires.

My personal opinion is that I would not do this but keep the original plug and socket BUT securely fix the cable to the spindle plate so as there can be no movement in the plug and socket as this is a source of problems with vfd's letting magic smoke out.

[Doddy]

Doddy If you are looking at the green connector then I think that is just a 3D printed cover to cover the hole up in the top of the spindle. The original plug and socket have been discarded and the cy cable soldered directly on to the spindle wires.

My personal opinion is that I would not do this but keep the original plug and socket BUT securely fix the cable to the spindle plate so as there can be no movement in the plug and socket as this is a source of problems with vfd's letting magic smoke out.

I was looking at the picture on page 1, but now having seen your reply I've noticed the second image. Not keen - I'd be concerned that such thin-walled printed structure certainly will be porous and provide little to no mechanical relief. I'd agree with Clive's suggestion - get some saddle clips (or similar rigid mount) on the plate and tie-wrap the cable-form to these. It works on fast-jets, should be fine on a milling machine.