Most Popular Low HP VFD?

[luke_barber70]

I am trying to find a low cost alternative to KB AC drives that would work for me. The best thing that I like about the KB's is the knob for speed adjustment. It seems the others I have found are all push button. I would love to hear what everyone is using.

 

[CWendling]

KB....there really is no low cost alternative that works as well. Buy once, cry once

 

[Kevin McGovern]

If you are SURE you need low HP, like lower then 1.5 HP, KB has a lower cost low HP version.

 

[timgunn1962]

If you are looking at lower power, what are you going to be driving with it?

The spendy thing is the sealing. If you need it to be dustproof, there's not much that's hugely cheaper than a KBAC or similar NEMA4/IP66 drive.

Unsealed drives intended to be installed in clean, dry electrical enclosures are much cheaper.

For something like a lathe or milling machine, an unsealed drive in a dry, reasonably clean workshop can be fine. I ran a lathe from a wall-mounted unsealed VFD in my garage for a couple of years.

When there's fine dust or grinding going on in the same room, there's no real alternative to a properly sealed drive. Metallic dust will kill a VFD completely and instantly if it gets inside. I know people (plural) who have toasted drives on the first run of a new grinder ("I'll just check it all works ok, then I'll mount the drive in a sealed enclosure"). It can take less than a minute to put enough steel dust into the air to kill a drive.

 

[scott.livesey]

I am trying to find a low cost alternative to KB AC drives that would work for me. The best thing that I like about the KB's is the knob for speed adjustment. It seems the others I have found are all push button. I would love to hear what everyone is using.

You need to shop. brands to look for TECO, Allen Bradley, Siemens, Leeson, Reliance, Altivar(square D), Fuji, Lenze. A new Teco L510-101, 120v in, 1hp 230 3phase out is $175 with shipping.(http://www.ebay.com/itm/121869626508?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT) there are more options if you have a 240v outlet. you can make your own speed adjuster with knob for about $25 with parts from radio shack. A 1hp setup will do almost all your grinding tasks except 'Heavy Hogging'.
scott

 

[dan_jenson]

Take a look at AC Tech's SMVector series. It has an option with potentiometer. There are range of drives from IP31 to NEMA 4X up to 50 or 60 HP.

http://www.actechdrives.com/Index.htm

Also, take a look at ABB's ACS150 series. It may be a little higher in price though.

http://www.clrwtr.com/ABB-ACS150-Drives.htm

 

[rybobales]

When i built my grinder i went with the KBAC 24D. I priced out doing the cheaper VFD in a box and mounting a remote POT but it never worked out to be much cheaper - if at all. The KB was up and running in no time and took little effort to wire up.

 

[Salem Straub]

For an unsealed VFD, I have to recommend TECOFM50 drives again. I've been running a bunch of machines off a 3hp model in my shop, for 5 years now. I have mine installed in a big box now, but for at least four years I ran it simply screwed high up on the wall away from the grinding room, and ran it with a remote box. That includes a speed pot and fwd/rev, run/stop switches.

 

[Drew Riley]

You can get a chinese VFD for about $120 bucks or so on eBay, with a speed potentiometer. IIRC, they're more/less a hitachi clone.

TECO is good too. Just make sure you take the necessary precautions as they are unsealed and will collect dust and self destruct.

 

[Jonathans]

I run a KB on both my grinder and surface grinder due the the sealing properties. My lathe, mill, Hyd press, and wood equipment all run off of Chinese vfds with no complications

 

[luke_barber70]

Hi All,

Thank you much for all the suggestions. I went with AC Tech's new model & knob option.

http://shop.actechdrives.com/AC-Tech-Lenze-ESV112N01SXC-p/esv112n01sxc.htm