[cornbinder23]

Little bit of a nightmare here:

1) spindle broke-
several months later, spindle fixed.

2) weird computer errors were ruining a lot of good parts-
still configuring mach on the temporary computer fix.

however, the biggest and third problem has arisen-

When i start the spindle motor, it trips the socket. I took the whole vfd/motor assembly to another workbench and have tried resistance tests on everything. all good. fuse is great. The motor starts to spin, but i guess the amperage is so high that its causing the safety thing to blow in the socket (not a breaker, in the electrical socket itself there is a light, a test and a reset and the light goes out and i need to reset it).

If it sounds like a human error, which i hope it is, then i can get my last couple weeks of use out of it. but if it requires purchasing a new vfd or motor, the mill is going to sit for a couple years in a non- working state and im getting this from my biggest customer

"(my competitor)'s hold downs are garbage compared to yours.
Let me know the price of the repair and maybe I can work out something with you. I cant afford to have you go out of business."

shoot, i really hope i don't have to buy something new.

Maybe posting a vid of the setup and showing it trip the socket might help someone help me

cheers

could be too much pre-load on those bearings did you run it in after you got it back? does the spindle spin freely by hand?
I had the same problem with mine and checked everything to no avail, untill I remembered that 6 months previous a semi took out 3 transformers a quarter mile from my house and fried all the GFCI's, ans surge protectors in the house as well as my paint shop, so remembering that led me to replace the GFCI in my workshop and all was well
Its amazing how small the path to ground needed to trip these GFCI's i have seen spiderwebs trip them

[Crevice Reamer]

could be too much pre-load on those bearings did you run it in after you got it back? does the spindle spin freely by hand?
I had the same problem with mine and checked everything to no avail, untill I remembered that 6 months previous a semi took out 3 transformers a quarter mile from my house and fried all the GFCI's, ans surge protectors in the house as well as my paint shop, so remembering that led me to replace the GFCI in my workshop and all was well
Its amazing how small the path to ground needed to trip these GFCI's i have seen spiderwebs trip them

Yep! FIRST unplug mill and check with highest Ohm setting for any ground fault between smallest plug pin and round ground pin. If mill checks OK, (Absolutely NO continuity reading) I would recommend replacing that GF receptacle. About $20 at Lowes or HD.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

http://www6.homedepot.com/tv/hdtv_pl...videoID=000467

CR.

[Teyber12]

Thanks for the great suggestions guys. Today by accident i noticed that there is resistance, so a short, between the terminals. i thought it was in my wiring but nope. i made a video to show you guys what im talking about.
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTMCESOol6s"]YouTube- 802 0336[/nomedia]

- is there something wrong with the motor? or is that normal and i should replace the GFIC's in my garage
cornbinder: i thought something like that might be happening, so i took the motor off the mill.

Cheers

[Crevice Reamer]

You SHOULD have continuity between the motor winding leads. Try touching one meter probe to one of the motor bolts or frame and one probe to any of the motor leads--You should NOT have any continuity that way. If none, then turn up the K Ohm setting to highest and try again--still should be nothing. Also test the power cord between smallest pin and longest pin. This would cover any short in the mill wiring--should be no continuity there either.

I assume that you tried running it in the OTHER GFIC? I doubt both of them would fail at one time.

Also, a GFIC will normally carry less current than a regular receptacle. If your motor is pulling up near its Amp limits--then that could cause it to trip.

CR.

[Teyber12]

Well still no love.

I have tried every receptacle in my garage with no different results.

I have the VFD set to show amps, i can turn on the motor until the vfd shows about 1.8 amps. Then it trips. but it runs happily for a long time at 1.5 amps (the lowest rpm's the motor can spin basically). I re-wired the whole lot and checked every wire. Still the same problem.

No continuity between the 2 plugs that go in the wall, no continuity between frame and wiring leads.


I wish it was just like oof, the motor broke. now i can replace the motor. Its just not worth throwing money at stuff at this point hoping to fix it. I will replace components if i know what needs to be replaced. My mom said she would replace the motor/vfd for me but theres no sense in doing that if my motor/vfd is working and its a human error.

Heres the video



(click on video to start it)

[Crevice Reamer]

Is it your rig or your electrical power? Let's narrow it down. Take the motor to your neighbor's garage and try it with HIS power. If possible, find someone (Or a shop) who has a 20A receptacle and try it there.

CR.

[MichaelHenry]

When i start the spindle motor, it trips the socket. I took the whole vfd/motor assembly to another workbench and have tried resistance tests on everything. all good. fuse is great. The motor starts to spin, but i guess the amperage is so high that its causing the safety thing to blow in the socket (not a breaker, in the electrical socket itself there is a light, a test and a reset and the light goes out and i need to reset it).

VFDs don't get along well with GFCI circuits. Can you try the VFD power from a circuit that is not GFCI-protected?

Mike

[Teyber12]

I head back to british Colombia tomorrow and won't be around this hardly at all for a long time. Thinking of getting rid of her

[jalessi]

Teyber12

How much more time are you going to be away from home?

Please, keep us posted on how you are doing.

Jeff...