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Hi -
Does anyone know any good resources for learning electrical, specific to machines. Wiring mag switches, motor wiring, VFD, that kind of stuff. I’ve posted electrical questions I the OWWM forum and the knowledge out there boggles my mind. Where can I learn this stuff so I can understand it instead of guessing and praying.
Lots out there on the web. You tube, practical machinist, OWWM (as you found out), etc. problem is you need to filter out the garbage. Doubt there’s a single resource. Googling your question is probably the best answer.
Jeremy Fielding has a youtube channel where he has posted videos introducing various types of motors. It's probably a good place to start, giving enough background to be able to look up more details.
for sure. I think I have issues sorting the crap and finding what I actually need. I think my searches are too specific. I need to get a basic understanding so I can apply that knowledge to what I need. thanks for the tips
Jack Forsberg http://jforsberg.ca/ has a side gig selling VFD's & really knows his stuff. He's into vintage machinery restoration & does beautiful work.
thanks. im familiar with Jack- I buy my VFD from him :) His restorations are fantastic too. He does a great job getting you running.
A potential resource is AutomationDirect.
They sell industrial controls, motors, VFDs, and a lot of supporting hardware.
It’s isn’t the high end stuff but very reliable hardware at good prices. They are based out of Atlanta, GA.
The best thing is they have a lot of good documentation and videos. They write the material in a very understandable fashion. It is geared toward the industrial market but most is applicable for woodworking machinery as well.
www.automationdirect.com
What I did and still do is talk to electricians.
Maybe I’m lucky? I have a woodworking friend that a retired electrical engineer. I’ve befriended a local guy at a motor shop he does very big motor rewindings. I also know two residential electricians.
The free videos and advise are good. But they lack the back and forth you get when your face to face with a motor guy or a commercial/residential sparky.
I also took a class a small community college.
Motor controls for the stuff on Sawmillcreek are basic. I would say you need to understand how to read prints and understand how to use a meter.
"Electrical Principles and Practices" by Adams, James, McGraw Hill or similar is a good start. My edition is really dated, but it's got a lot of good information.
"Using Your Meter " by Evans, Alvis J., Radio Shack has some good practical examples.
As far as VFDs stick with the manufacturer or the people that sold it to you.
The internet is full of bad and flat out wrong information, be weary of it.
All motor starters are wired with the same principles. Stuff just gets added in. To troubleshoot, start at the beginning and work your way through the order of operations. If you don't have a single line, make one. With most equipment, the single lines aren't always complete. They are just a general idea.
Stan
How about college courses in Electrical Engineering. It can be helpful to have a basic understanding of electrons, semiconductors, impedance etc.
Sounds like the makings for a good book. "Electrical applications for the Woodworker". Oy maybe a series of threads to be added here at SMC in the Stickies.
Things may have changed since my first course in electrical engineering, but that course was pretty advanced mathematics - mostly circuit analysis with differential equations.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Bender
I think a good book on basic electricity and electronics targeted at a layman would be a good way to begin. Stan recommended one (which I'm not familiar with) but I'd expect would do the job.
Mike
That would be both overkill and insufficient.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Bender
Most of these wiring questions don't approach even the entry level EE classes depth of theory, but a full EE degree doesn't cover some of the conventions and regulations used in the different fields. E.g. I remember a very frustrating evening with a friend's car repair manual trying to diagnose his broken starter. Three EE's sitting there and all we could do was prove the car could never work about a 1/2 dozen different ways (based on the schematic. We were smart enough to assume the schematic was wrong.) A fourth friend, who had experience with car repair showed up, and drew in 6 or 7 connections omitted from the schematic by car repair convention and the original problem was solved in about 30 more seconds.
I'm thinking a middle or high school intro to electronics class plus industry specific basic conventions is what is really needed. (Any EE can tell you need wires between the panel and the wall plug, you need an electrician to know about conduit fill limits and in wall placement requirements, etc.)
I spent some time in my earlier years working occasionally alongside a neighbor who is an electrician when he needed a hand or I was slow with other work. I didn’t always learn something applicable to woodworking machinery wiring, but there were a surprising amount of times that absorbing the general depth of knowledge of a veteran electrician via osmosis or simply by asking stupid questions came in handy down the road in my own electrical pursuits. Having a relationship like that also helps in the sense of being able to call him up and say “Can you swing by after work and take a look at this / help me hook this up.” He never charges me more than $25/hr despite me always trying to give him more for his time and he always allows and encourages me to work alongside him.
Hands on experience can help a great deal to form a baseline with which you can then use to help understand a lot more of the advanced stuff that comes up on say, OWWM or the like.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Boyet
Here's a good'un for you, written by Bob Minchin
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_G...dlQjJtUDQ/view
Tom