Bridgeprt on an inverter

[Ian Lee 4Participant @ianlee4]

I made an ommision on my previous posting, I want to know if a Bridgeport miller with a varispeed head will work properly on an inverter also will the suds pump and feed motor work as well or is any rewiring required

[Ian Lee 4Participant @ianlee4]

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

Yes you can run a Bpt Varispeed on an Inverter (I do) BUT the Spindle Motor must be connected directly to the Inverter and controlled by the Inverter. Suds motor may be run from the same 3 phase wiring because it is such a small load. The suds will switch off when the spindle does BUT it will also run in reverse when you reverse spindle motor when in back gear!

 

The inverter monitors the spindle motor as part of its operation, I am not so sure that running all three motors is a good idea though. My own Bpt is rewired so that the spindle runs on the inverter, the “suds” is a new single phase device and the feed and knee motors are all new, running  on 240Vac transformed to 110Vac.

[Hugh GilhespieParticipant @hughgilhespie56163]

Hi Ian, I run my Bridgeport 2J Varispeed through a Transwave 2 kw static inverter – the sort that has a 415 volt 3-phase socket on it. These produce two good and one ‘phantom’ phase. This works a treat as you don’t have to alter much  of the Bridgie wiring. The only change I had to make was to rewire the reversing switch so that the switching was on the ‘good’ phases, not on the phantom phase. Then I just plugged in using the 3-phase plug already fitted to the mill and off we went – although I did have to swap wires in the reversing switch again to get the correct rotation to match the original.

 

My machine has a suds pump although i have never used it. The pump spins when powered up so presumably it’s OK. The other benefit for me was that the X and Y table power feeds worked without any fiddling.

 

If you want any more info, feel free to PM me.

 

Regards, Hugh

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Hugh,

To be correct the Transwave unit is a CONVERTER not and INVERTER slightly different animal.

 

John S.

[chris stephensParticipant @chrisstephens63393]

Hugh,

If you plan to use your suds pump from your CONVERTER make sure that you rewire it so that it ONLY works when the main motor is running. If you fail to do this and run the suds pump on its own, you will soon burn it out .

chriStephens 

[Hugh GilhespieParticipant @hughgilhespie56163]

John – Inverter Scmimverter – As long as it loves its mother…….

 

Chris – With my Bridgie, a UK built Adcock and Shipley, all the existing controls are intact and there is a switch for the suds pump on the main panel – which also selects X or Y power feed and for an alternative head, assuming one had one. So no problem with the suds pump motor, just switch it on and off as needed. Not that I do, a quick squirt from a garden spray is my technology level. The sump for the suds pump is built into the base of the machine and is imposible to clear out so I just don’t use it – also avoids working in two inches of oily water as I don’t have drip tray.

[Ian Lee 4Participant @ianlee4]

Thank you all for the useful info we will in due course connect it up to a converter although my mate is looking now at a new 3phase wind turbine, we went to look at one yesterday and they look quite promising although expensive to start with,

 

Again many thanks

Ian

[john fletcher 1Participant @johnfletcher1]

Regarding the Bridport table feed, it is fed via single phase  transformer 240 v in 110 out and the motor is 110 volt shunt wound DC, with a circuit board made by Erskine Systems of Scarborough.The Coolant motor can be made to run from 240 single phase by altering the motor windings from 415 volt Star to 240 Delta and wire a capacitor between one leg of the single phase and the vacant terminal.The capacitor value needs to be in the 2 mF to 4 mF range a bit of trial and error is needed, if the motor get hot decrease the cap value. I have table motor control details and circuit diagram.Ted

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