Thanks for all the replies. This forum is full of usual info and sound people.
I had a proper dig around and look at the lathe now in the daylight and realized that the machine appears to be three phase 380volts. I saw it running at the workshop on a typical three phase hookup, so the coolant, lamp and spindle drive are all 380 volts from what I can tell.
I've attached pictures of the tags on the coolant pump which seems like it might be able to run on 220 or 380. And the lamp is obviously rewirable.
So it seems like a vfd for the spindle drive makes the most sense. I don't need to run it outside of 100 percent as the lath has good gearing. I guess my only questions are should I put the vfd upstream of the whole machine and run all spindle, coolant and lamp off the existing wiring. Or separate out the coolant pump and just run the spi dle motor on vdf.
It's a 220/380 50hz euro spec motor. It can be wired to run on 220v and will probably run just fine from a vfd.
Only run the main motor through the vfd.
Depending on the vfd you want to then disable the power disconnect between the vfd and motor. Some vfds do not like having the load disconnected and will blow up. (Fry)
Use the vfd to start and stop the motor.
You need to consider how you will power the clutches...iirc they are electromagnetic and probably run on DC. THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT 3 PHASE but do care about a fixed voltage.
The motor probably has a square connection box on the side. If you remove the cover, the wiring diagram is likely cast into it on the inside.
That will show star or Y connection for 380v, and delta or triangle connection for 220v.
Motors are not super sensitive to voltage. 10% up or down will work.
The control system power supply is another matter; there will be a stepdown transformer in there, probably with multiple taps in the winding for different input voltage.
I'll have a look and see if I can get athe wiring diagram. Thanks for the info about using the vfd to turn on and off the machine. I'm hoping that with if the entire setup is getting the proper 3 phase 380v from the vfd it will sort itself out with changing to dc for the clutch as long as I don't use the vfd at anything other than 100%. Is that a valid thing to hope for?
Thanks for aliexpress link for the 220v to 380v vfd!
Most vfd's will not output a higher voltage than the input.
So 220v 50hz or 60hz single phase input can give you a 3-phase output at a wide range of frequencies, but just 220V
I've seen an inverter vfd that can boost voltage, it was a lot more expensive, and you don't need it.
It seems you don't know how the machine was wired before; it might be setup for 220v [3-phase] or 380v [3-phase].
As you're in the US, the former is more likely; but there are all sorts of possibilities.
You need to get in there and figure it out; mistakes can be really expensive. You don't want to cook those clutches!
Generally what you do is use the vfd to start / stop / reverse, and speed control too. How to integrate the vfd controls with the older lathe controls can get complicated.
But it will be worth it in the end.
I would put the clutches on some sort of fixed voltage power supply.
It will be one transformer and probably a rectifier that should be easily isolated. Change the transformer and you can run them from straight 110V or 220v. You do NOT want the clutches dropping out at any time for any reason except outright power failure.
I can't speak for the machines that operate at any voltage aside from 240, but I can speak for mine, which does so. However, I strongly suspect that the clutches are the same in all the machines so equipped.
The clutches are wound to be operated @ 24 volts, which is provided via the method you suggested as part of the power panel.
A switch to higher voltage would most likely result in overheated operation, due to higher current consumption.
As Graziano is no more, clutches are not readily replaced these days. The best one can hope for is to rewind the coils, a project I am facing eventually, as my lowest speed shorted out some time ago.
One of the problems with the clutch rewind is that the wire size used is not a readily available size (.017" without insulation) here in the US, and the clutch circuit is tightly controlled for amperage (5-5/8 ampere fuse). There's not a lot of wiggle room. Resistance of a coil is critical. One must either use slightly larger wire and add turns, or smaller wire and lose a few turns to end up with the proper resistance.
The clutches, when operating correctly, are amazing. I have never stalled the machine aside from one time when one clutch engaged while another was functioning. That was caused by a mechanical failure of the clutch. My machine can easily remove .200" per side with a .012" feed, negative rake carbide.
To be clear, when the spindle is in operation, two clutches are engaged at the same time. One of them determines the direction of spindle rotation while the other determines spindle speed.
H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
The clutches will be the same no matter the input voltage for the main driver motor. So you need a transformer capable of 24 * 6 . VA WHICH IS NOT A LARGE OR EXPENSIVE LUMP of iron.
Sounds like 24 or 25 gauge wire. Would suggest taking a resistance check of each coil and working backwards from there to confirm construction...diameter and length. A magnet is a magnet
The page says it's 0.15mm2 with the insulation, but I think that might be wrong. surely this sort of wire is measured without?
The next size up is 0.22mm2 [supposedly with insulation]
