Value of 12" Oliver 166BD

[Phillip Mitchell]

OK guys,

Starting to wire up the VFD and I'm stumbling a little bit. I've done some wiring here and there, but wouldn't call myself that experienced.

There are 3 wires coming out of the motor that aren't color coded (that I can tell) and seem to be labeled (by the folks who I bought the machine from when they disconnected it from power) with masking tape "A", "B", and "C". This doesn't mean anything to me, as I didn't get the chance to see how it was wired originally.

There is a junction box I can mount from this location just under the motor and run an extension to the VFD, which has space for 3 wires + a ground for the motor.

How do I know if one of these is a ground or what's what? Pardon the newbie questions...I haven't gone down this road yet and I certainly don't want to fry anything.

[Darcy Warner]

No ground, does not matter what one you hook up to t1, t2 or t3. You will have to add a ground wire

[Martin Wasner]

What Darcy said.

If it runs backwards, change it in the vfd

[Phillip Mitchell]

Thanks Darcy.

Can you elaborate on adding a ground wire. From where to where? Talk to me about wiring like I’m in 3rd grade

[Darcy Warner]

Thanks Darcy.

Can you elaborate on adding a ground wire. From where to where? Talk to me about wiring like I’m in 3rd grade

Ground coming into vfd, add a ground to the machine in that junction box.

[Martin Wasner]

I'm pretty sure you just ground the machine. If something shorts out, it trips the breaker or something in the vfd. If you don't, you are making the machine into a big piece of wire carrying juice. You don't ever want to be the ground.

Ask an actual commercial electrician. Don't listen to idiots (me included) on the internet. Nobody likes riding the lightning.

[Darcy Warner]

I'm pretty sure you just ground the machine. If something shorts out, it trips the breaker or something in the vfd. If you don't, you are making the machine into a big piece of wire carrying juice. You don't ever want to be the ground.

Ask an actual commercial electrician. Don't listen to idiots (me included) on the internet. Nobody likes riding the lightning.

None of these old machines had grounds.

All he needs is his ground for his incoming power to vfd, ground out from vfd and terminate it on a screw in that j box so its attached to machine. Some vfds have a grounding strap or clip as well.

[David Kumm]

Just make sure the ground to the machine is securely fastened to metal which in turn is connected to the machine itself. Those old cast iron machines ground pretty well. I had a ground wire loosen on one that was on a mobile base with rubber wheels. I became the ground. Interesting result I don't care to repeat.
Dave

[Martin Wasner]

None of these old machines had grounds.

All he needs is his ground for his incoming power to vfd, ground out from vfd and terminate it on a screw in that j box so its attached to machine. Some vfds have a grounding strap or clip as well.

See? Don't listen to people on the internet. lol

[Warren Lake]

had a license guy hook up roto may years ago. No ground. Told me the BX was the ground who was I to argue with him. Years after I looked up on the net and that was hogwash. Even if it worked it was not correct so got a 100 amp encased wire and fed it in through the bx. Moral of the story cant trust anyone. I wont even eat Jello anymore.

[David Kumm]

I believe Darcy's post is being misinterpreted. The old machines did not have a terminal labeled as a ground. The ground wire from the panel or directly to a grounding rod was secured either directly to the cast iron machine or to a metal box attached directly to the machine- metal on metal. As Warren stated above, you should have a separate ground wire either from the panel or to a separate ground rod to the vfd. The ground to the machine is attached to the ground from the panel at the vfd. Using metal conduit or flex can act as a secondary ground but not the primary. Dave

[Phillip Mitchell]

Ok, so what I’m hearing is that I need to take the ground wire from the single phase panel/input and connect it to VFD, continue the ground wire from that point to the screw in the metal junction box which is physically connected to the cast iron frame of the machine and I’ll be good?

There is 1 terminal on the VFD (far right in photo) labeled ground. I’m assuming that’s where my incoming ground from panel and extension to machine need to be located?

Pics attached.

Also, upon further inspection, this is an aftermarket cutter head made for insert knives. Do the same oil bath / grease requirements apply to this cutterhead or does that bypass it at this point?

Thanks again for the dumbed down advice.

[David Kumm]

Terminus makes a good head. Similar to a Tersa except it doesn't exit the side of the head. It will still run at 3450 so the oil or grease requirements are the same. Do you have a way to cut power to the vfd? I put either a disconnect of a 40 amp switch to the vfd so it isn't energized all the time. You can do that with a breaker but not as convenient. Dave

[Warren Lake]

just a note to check your ground wire on any old machines. On my terminal block on the outside looked like all was well. Inside looking at some other stuff I noticed someone snapped the ground wire where it attached to the base of the machine. I redrilled it for screws i have here and put another crimp connector on the end.

[Darcy Warner]

I would run that machine at 70 or 75hz, with that head. Be amazed what another 500 to 900 rpm will do