More Lathe Joy
May 6th, 2009I’m so Glad I’m a Trusting Soul
I cannot believe this. I miswired my VFD and toasted it. I called Hitachi, and they explained that a VFD is just a big mysterious box, and that when it has a tummy ache, you have to throw it out and get another one, because nothing in there can be repaired by ordinary mortals.
I realize that this is mostly my fault, but I am still irritated with the guy who sold me the lathe. The first motor was 1-phase, contrary to contract. The second one was a mess. Rewiring to add the third one is what killed the VFD.
This man is like a disease that keeps recurring. I can’t believe how much aggravation and expense he has caused me, simply by shipping the wrong thing.
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Can anyone explain why my Fluke voltmeter reads AC voltages as twice as high as they really are? I studied the instructions, and I still get 500V in the garage and 250+ in the house. I know that’s wrong. Everything would be on fire. I made sure I had the range right.
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It is my sad duty to confirm something many people have long suspected. I am an idiot. Last night I realized the seller had nothing to do with this problem. It happened because I made a new cord for the VFD. I would have done that even if he had sent the right motor.
Heh. How about that?
May 6th, 2009 at 5:30 PM
Well, technically, you could have blown the thing up with a good first motor, so not sure blaming the guy for that is accurate.
Mark it as a cheap lesson (you are unhurt) and move on.
-XC
May 6th, 2009 at 5:31 PM
I wired it up correctly for the first motor.
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“Cheap”?
May 6th, 2009 at 6:32 PM
vfds are so cheap these days that nearly nobody repairs them. time was they cost $4000.
May 6th, 2009 at 7:05 PM
Dude, seriously, sue the crap out of that crooked moron.
May 6th, 2009 at 7:18 PM
Gee Og, I feel much better about my puny 3-digit loss.
May 6th, 2009 at 8:36 PM
That’s not an indictment, just a statement of fact. I have places you can send it if you want to try to get it fixed. What exactly happened? Most of these are actually pretty resistant to screwups, if there’s no actual flame or melting it might actually be OK. I’ve seen them come back to life more than once.
Again, I have a handful in the house. Let me know.
May 6th, 2009 at 8:48 PM
Steve –
1) are you sure you are using the correct connect points for ground and voltage on the unit? Most have a different plug for current verus voltage on the face and you might have plugged into that instead of the right place.
2) Check that the battery inside is fresh and correct(see 3)
3) check that someone did not put a lithium (3v) battery inside where it really wanted a normal 1.5 volt battery or vice versa, depends on the circuit.
4) sure it is a Fluke or a Frooke from China?
Let me know what you find out. Send me the model of the unit and I can look up the spec. to tell you if there is anything unusual about that particular model.
May 6th, 2009 at 8:49 PM
300 bucks IS cheap.
This is industrial manufacturing equipment after all, and is not aimed at consumers who think 300 dollars is hefty sum of cash. And yes, VFDs are considered disposable. Lemme put it another way – TVs still cost several hundred dollars, but do you know anybody that takes a 20″ to a TV repair place to get it fixed.
May 6th, 2009 at 8:50 PM
If your fluke is a true RMS fluke, and it’s reading 500 volts, and it’s not horribly toasted, you have 500 volts. You may be able to sue your power company for the VFD.
Most household appliances will act just fine- for a limited time- up to around 180 volts, they will just draw fewer amps. The transformer out by the street here is hosed, and we have voltage fluctuations between 90 and 150 volts. It fries light bulbs like crazy. I have to have a surge supressor for the TV and other appliances.
A fluke is an electronic device, subject to failure like any other; but in my experience, if a fluke will come on and display, it’s probably OK.
May 6th, 2009 at 9:01 PM
Steve STOP. There is a reason why this is been so much of a pain. They use to call it a jinx, or bad luck or other things. Drop the project until after next Sunday. Get back on your routine, re asses your priorities, then ask for guidance in prayer. This thing has to many negative waves coming out of it. Perhaps because it was in use by prisoners or perhaps because is not yet time for you to use it. Walk away for a few days until it is time. Trust me, you will know when that is.
May 6th, 2009 at 9:57 PM
Wire nuts and electrical tape works well in my shop
May 6th, 2009 at 11:33 PM
Can anyone explain why my Fluke voltmeter reads AC voltages as twice as high as they really are? I studied the instructions, and I still get 500V in the garage and 250+ in the house.
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I would check to see if it’s set to DC, but that’s not quite right either (I would expect the DC setting to read 1.414 times higher).
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Maybe the battery? Which Fluke is it (model number)?
May 7th, 2009 at 9:24 AM
I think xc meant it didn’t kill you!
May 7th, 2009 at 9:38 AM
I think the is truth in what Rey says. It resonated with me for reasons I do not understand, but am strangly comfortable with. I think you are out of harmony and once the harmony is restored, all will be well, even the lathe.
May 7th, 2009 at 12:06 PM
Steve,
We have to have all our Flukes calibrated on an annual basis. I think it costs about $35.00. I bought my DMM at Sears for $20.00. It’s kind of up to you. Occasionally they have problems, but our calibration guys say they rarely need adjustment, as opposed to cheaper brands.
The VFD guy probably assumed you were an uneducated electrician without a physics degree. Parts probably can be gotten, but it’s probably not worth a lawyer’s time. An unemployed electronics technician with a big junk-box maybe, but probably not a lawyer. If the whole thing is sealed in epoxy, then even a tenacious technician would have trouble justifying the time spent.
–Brad