Vfd wiring help

[jordan mccool]

Hello all,

I could use some help. I recently finished restoring a 1950's 3 phase delta unisaw. I'm using a vfd to power it with single phase and it works great.

I'm tired of using the tiny buttons on the vfd ro turn the saw on and off so I purchased a nice paddle switch to hook up to the vfd. Unfortunately I can't figure out how to connect it properly. The switch has four spade connectors on the back 14&24 for output, 13&23 for input. The vfd has 16 different ports for external controls.

Can anyone offer advice on how to properly hook the switch up? I'm attaching some pictures, ignore the exposed wires on the switch, that was just to test, I've since added crimped spade connectors

http://imgur.com/a/094uZvT

[Chris Hachet]

Hello all,

I could use some help. I recently finished restoring a 1950's 3 phase delta unisaw. I'm using a vfd to power it with single phase and it works great.

I'm tired of using the tiny buttons on the vfd ro turn the saw on and off so I purchased a nice paddle switch to hook up to the vfd. Unfortunately I can't figure out how to connect it properly. The switch has four spade connectors on the back 14&24 for output, 13&23 for input. The vfd has 16 different ports for external controls.

Can anyone offer advice on how to properly hook the switch up? I'm attaching some pictures, ignore the exposed wires on the switch, that was just to test, I've since added crimped spade connectors

http://imgur.com/a/094uZvT

Try the everything electrical section at OWWM. Lots of experience there. I ahve only worked with Teco VFD's

[jordan mccool]

Thanks! I'll post up over there

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, I don't have a manual for your VFD however it will have an option for an external low voltage control switch. Check your manual to see where it would be connected.

You would use terminal 13 and 14 or terminals 14 and 24 as the switch ( your choice).

regards, Rod.

[jordan mccool]

Hi, I don't have a manual for your VFD however it will have an option for an external low voltage control switch. Check your manual to see where it would be connected.

You would use terminal 13 and 14 or terminals 14 and 24 as the switch ( your choice).

regards, Rod.

Thanks for the info! Did you mean 13 and 23 or 14 and 24 instead of 13 and 14?

My picture link has a few pictures of the instruction manual, unfortunately it's not a ton of help.

[jordan mccool]

Ok so I hooked 14 on switch to "rev", 24 on switch to "5v in", and 13 on switch to "5v out". And the motor fires up! But only while I'm holding the start button in, if I let go, it stops...

[Dan Friedrichs]

The switch you bought won't work. It's really a "mini contactor", in that it has a relay built-in which is engaged by the "Green" button, disengaged by by the "Red" button. It explicitly says "120V" on it, because that's the voltage necessary to energize the relay.

You could go find "regular" momentary buttons. Or you could break open the case on the back of that switch and see if you can remove the relay and get access to the switch contacts.

[jordan mccool]

The switch you bought won't work. It's really a "mini contactor", in that it has a relay built-in which is engaged by the "Green" button, disengaged by by the "Red" button. It explicitly says "120V" on it, because that's the voltage necessary to energize the relay.

You could go find "regular" momentary buttons. Or you could break open the case on the back of that switch and see if you can remove the relay and get access to the switch contacts.

Thank you Dan, someone on OWWM just mentioned the same thing. Any chance you can point me in the direction of a paddle switch that will work correctly? Do I just search for "regular momentary switch"?

[Dan Friedrichs]

Actually, you may need a on/off switch, not a momentary one. Like, a light switch style.

Take the two wires you have running to the switch, presently, and remove them from the switch (it's only 5V, so you can safely touch them). Touch them together - does the motor start and stay on? Or if you just tap them together briefly, does the motor turn on and stay on?

[Dan Friedrichs]

Here are some examples of on/off switches that don't have relays:
https://www.amazon.com/POWERTEC-71006-SAFETY-Locking-Switch/dp/B002DSBWI6/
https://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-G8988-Safety-Paddle-Switch/dp/B0000DCZL7/

[jordan mccool]

Actually, you may need a on/off switch, not a momentary one. Like, a light switch style.

Take the two wires you have running to the switch, presently, and remove them from the switch (it's only 5V, so you can safely touch them). Touch them together - does the motor start and stay on? Or if you just tap them together briefly, does the motor turn on and stay on?

If I remove them from the switch and touch them together, the motor starts spinning until I disconnect them from one another.

[Matt Day]

I use mushroom switches like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Uxcell-a14041700ux0692-Push-Button-Switch/dp/B00MJVMV32/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1541642931&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=mushroom+switch&dpPl=1&dpID=51k2WPzWfmL&ref=plSrch

[Dan Friedrichs]

If I remove them from the switch and touch them together, the motor starts spinning until I disconnect them from one another.

Ok, so you just need a regular ON-OFF switch (like a light switch you could get at Home Depot). Either of the paddle switches I linked would work for this, too.

The VFD probably has various ways you could alternatively program the external inputs to work (for instance, you may be able to set it to turn on with a momentary press of a pushbutton), if you want.