VFD END OFF LIFE

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armscor 1
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Location: Philippines

VFD END OFF LIFE

Post by armscor 1 »

Hi guys, just replaced my VFD on my Lathe, it just stopped and restarted when I tapped the housing, 5 years of operation, in the trash.
The replacement has a countdown timer of 65535 hours when you throw it in the trash.
I assume the electrolytic capacitors are the culprit for EOL.
Talk about a throw away society!
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Bill Shields
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Re: VFD END OFF LIFE

Post by Bill Shields »

I would take a cursory look for a bad solder joint.
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
John Hasler
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Re: VFD END OFF LIFE

Post by John Hasler »

I agree with Bill. It's probably easily repairable.
SteveM
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Re: VFD END OFF LIFE

Post by SteveM »

Many electrical / electronic problems are mechanical problems.

Can't hurt to open it up and take a look (at least it can't hurt if it's not plugged in)

Steve
whateg0
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Re: VFD END OFF LIFE

Post by whateg0 »

Make sure you give it time to discharge the caps, or at least verify they are discharged.
armscor 1
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Re: VFD END OFF LIFE

Post by armscor 1 »

I pulled it apart, the control board is ok, had a spare and installed it and same problem.
Delved deeper and removed driver circuit board, you have to remove the IGBT and rectifier screws which screw to the heatsink.
The IGBT's are enclosed in silicon insolating capsules and tear when you remove them from the heatsink.
I suspect the rectifier soldered joint, one of the legs showed the solder had not flowed through to the opposite side of the board track.
Did not go any further with it as I cannot source the silicone insulators.
Installed a new VFD with a 4 kW capacity, motor is 1.5 kW, the bigger the better.
And yes I make sure the Caps are discharged, got a good shock from my air con inverter Capacitors!
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Bill Shields
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Re: VFD END OFF LIFE

Post by Bill Shields »

65535 is not necessarily the expected life.

It is just the limit of a 16 bit integer in the control...as such it is the maximum number that can be displayed.

Besides..65535 hours is what...7.5 years of non stop running? We should all live so long
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
armscor 1
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Re: VFD END OFF LIFE

Post by armscor 1 »

Thanks Bill, in the menu they call it a countdown timer, makes sense because I have used it for several hours and the number has not changed.
pete
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Re: VFD END OFF LIFE

Post by pete »

I sure hope that's not a Arc of the Covenant model of VFD. :-)
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Bill Shields
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Re: VFD END OFF LIFE

Post by Bill Shields »

You probably have to set it and cause it to actually count.

and what it counts is not necessarily hours - it could be on / off cycles, reversing cycles - motor revolutions (if you have an encoder) -> whatever...
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
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