[Timbernut]

Can someone please sanity check my BOB to VFD wiring, and changes to VFD Parameters.

I have a Huanyang VFD and 24,000RPM 400Hz spindle.

So far I have wiring from power, and VFD to spindle already sorted.
I've set all parameters on Huanyang VFD correctly and can control it via potentiometer on the VFD (start/stop/speed up to 24,000RPM). I've tested all those settings as per Mactec54's suggestions on this forum.


Now, I've ordered a Breakout Board from Phil Barrett, and need to confirm what wiring and settings to change, to control the spindle from GRBL.

VFD manual PD001 = source of run commands. It looks like I change this to '1' to enable start/stop from GRBL
VFD manual PD002 = source of operating frequency. It looks like I change this to '1' to enable spindle speed adjustment from GRBL
VFD manual PD070 - As the BOB is outputting 0-10v, I change this setting on VFD to '0' (0-10v)

Are those the only changes required to VFD programming now to move control to BOB?

For wiring BOB to VFD, Phil has told me "Basically it's just 4 wires - enable to vfd for(ward), 0-10V to the obvious terminal, and the analog ground (ACM) and digital ground (DCM or similar)."

The VFD manual lists the terminal connections as:
"FOR" = "Multi-Input 1"
"DCM" = "Common Terminal of Digital and Control Signals"
"VI" = "Analog Voltage Frequency Reference Input"
"ACM" = "Common Terminal of Analog and Control Signals"

So I think this wiring diagram is right, but can those more knowledgeable than me please confirm.

[Timbernut]

Is there no one who can verify this wiring for me? It should be similar to any other Huanyang VFD connection to a breakout board. I'd appreciate if anyone who has connected a Huanyang VFD can have a look and let me know if my wiring images are similar to how they have connected theirs.

[KingBubbaTruck]

Just wondering if you got this to work? I'm in the process of trying to figure this out with a slightly different VFD.

Did you need to connect 12v power to the board to get it to work?

[Timbernut]

Unfortunately life has got in the way so this build has been a very slow burn. I've got confirmation from the BOB designer that this wiring should be correct, but as yet I've not tested it. But I believe it is correct.
I don't think I need to have 12v connected for this to work, but I will be running a 12v supply as I need that for the relays to function and I'll be running the spindle water pump from one of the relays (and maybe vacuum from another) so I will be connecting the 12v supply.
If you get stuck, once I get it up and running I can always unplug the 12v and see if the spindle still functions, but right now nothing is connected to the BOB, so I don't know for sure.

[Timbernut]

After MANY hours frustration I've finally got it working.

Firstly - My wiring diagram in the first post is correct. Wiring is as follows:
Breakout Board '0-10v' pin goes to 'VI' on VFD
Breakout Board 'G' pin goes to 'ACM' on VFD
Breakout Board 'Spindle Enable' pin goes to 'FOR' on VFD
Breakout Board 'Spindle G' pin goes to 'DCM' on VFD

Then on VFD change
PD001 = 1
PD002 = 1
AND this is where I got stuck.... I couldn't get the spindle to start/stop, or adjust speed, from ioSender/BOB. I thought it was a wiring problem, or VFD parameters wrong. It was neither.
When sending M3 S... commands from grbl I get 0-10v DC to 'VI'/'ACM' on VFD, and when starting spindle from ioSender I get 5vDC between 'FOR' and "DCM' on VFD. But that wasn't enough.
On some Huanyang spindles they have a 'J1' jumper pin, on mine it's labelled 'VI/VR'. - This was supplied from the factory shorting 'VR' pins. Once I moved it to short 'VI' pins instead, I can now control the spindle start/stop/on/off from ioSender.

And KingBubba - as my Breakout Board manual says:
The 0-10V circuit works by using an opamp to filter a 5V PWM signal and amplify it to 10V. As such it needs 12V or higher input which the user must provide via the 12V screw terminals.
So yes, I did need to supply 12v to the BOB in order to get 0-10v out to control the spindle.
Presumably if I didn't connect a 12v supply I'd get 0-5v out, and the VFD can be configured to read 0-5v (PD070) instead of 0-10v, but as I'm using 12v relays for vacuum and water pump I connected 12v power to the BOB and set PD070 on VFD to 0-10v.

That setting re the 'J1' or 'VI/VR' jumper pin isn't obvious and I overlooked it, and wasted many hours struggling to get going. It's obvious now that I know it's function, but for any other newbies trying to get Huanyang VFD/spindles going, make sure after your initial testing from the VFD that you move that jumper or your VFD will ignore signals from your BOB.
I hope this info helps others save many hours frustration....

[KingBubbaTruck]

Awesome work. I think My fuling has a switch for VI/VR. I could have sworn I tried a ton of permutations on how to get that working. I'm going to use your research and dive into it again.

Thanks!

[Timbernut]

I even reached out to Phil (who makes and sells the Breakout Board I have) and spent a whole wasted day confused as to why I could not get the spindle to behave if sending signals to the BOB. Even Phil didn't know what the problem was. I spent many hours testing voltages at BOB, at VFD, reading reference manuals, scouring the interweb.... it was SO frustrating.

I, like most people had to discover what settings on the VFD were applicable to my spindle, so all testing was done using the board on the front of the VFD to get the spindle going right, and only once I'd done that, and satisfied myself my VFD programming was right, only then did I try connecting the VFD to the BOB. And then I changed PD001, PD002 to reference terminals in the VFD to control the spindle.

Nothing I did made any difference - the spindle just wouldn't start, and the frequency settings on the VFD never changed no matter what M3 Sxxx commands I sent from either grbl, or ioSender. After many emails to Phil, neither of us had any idea what was wrong. So Phil sent me a photo of his wiring. When I compared my wiring it was identical, and I thought I was buggered, cause it looked exactly the same......UNTIL closer examination of his photo showed me that 'J1' jumper on his Huanyang VFD. So, with nothing left to lose I went and checked mine, and found a 'VI/VR' jumper in a similar position, so I set about finding out what that was.....and VOILA! Finally I cracked the problem.
I was reading an online PDF manual I'd found, which was even more obscure than the paper manual Huanyang had sent with my spindle. When I got the paper manual out, and read what that jumper was for it all fell into place. 2 seconds to move that saddle and short VI, and not VR, and it all worked perfectly.
If I want to test again using the controls on the VFD, I would need to move that jumper back to short 'VR' , but now that it's running from grbl, I can't see why I'd need to move that jumper again. I'm guessing Phil moved his years ago, and never needed to touch it again, so didn't remember that critical step.

Like all things, once you know, you know, and it seems obvious, but VFD's are such complex beasts we're all afraid to fiddle too much in case we fry something, but I hope my notes above, and my experience helps someone else struggling to get their setup up and going.

[JuanSalgado]

Hello,
I am just getting to the point where I am going to connect my teensy to my inverter like yourself.
I have followed your outline above yet do not have any movement. What are your setting in IOSender?

[Timbernut]

Hello,
I am just getting to the point where I am going to connect my teensy to my inverter like yourself.
I have followed your outline above yet do not have any movement. What are your setting in IOSender?

Hi Juan,
For troubleshooting I suggest you proceed as follows:
1. set all settings on VFD and test using the control panel on the VFD itself. Make sure you can start/stop spindle, and change RPM using the trimpot on the VFD.
2. wire up VFD to BOB/teensy, and move that VI/VR jumper on the VFD
3. send M3 S1000 (or whatever RPM you want) from grbl.
4. make sure spindle starts and runs at 1000RPM
5. send M5 command from grbl to stop spindle.

If you get to step 4 but spindle doesn't start at all problems will be:
- VI/VR saddle not moved as documented above
- wiring from BOB to spindle incorrect
- other settings on VFD incorrect

[JuanSalgado]

Hey Tim.
Thanks for the response.
I've done a few things since my initial comment.
1. Yes the VFD and the spindle work perfectly with its own face plate potentiometer, start stop, etc.
2. Checked
3. Checked
4. Not checked.

I am not getting any voltage on terminals 0-10v and G when sending the M3 S# command. Do you get any reading on your setup? I tried contacting Phil, but he doesn't really know.
I also tried using the PWM terminal rather the 0-10v and the spindle does move when the command is sent from IOSender however it fluctuates. For example a M3 S1000 command gets sent and over shoots to lets say 1300 comes down and keeps lower to complete stop and then back up again and so fourth, never stays at the correct RPM.

I triple checked VFD settings all day and look to be correct. PD070 is at 0 for 0-10V when using those terminals. I also have a 12v line going to the terminals on the BOB as you figured out above. PD001 and PD002 are as yours is set. I wonder if the BOB is not working correctly? What are your setting IOSender? Are you using a ModBus ( I am not) or it is directly to the BOB ?
Thanks for all the help. You are the only person on the internet who's posted about this combination of spindle and board.

[Timbernut]

Hi Juan,
- I'll go out to the shed shortly and check some voltages for you on those terminals, and post back here shortly.
- No, no ModBus, just running Phil Barretts grblHAL BoB Unkit for Teensy 4.1. - T41U5XBB - everything connected straight to it.
- send me a PM with your email address - I'll email you an excel spreadsheet that has every setting on my VFD. I documented every single setting from PD000 - PD187, when I got it. I bought my VFD and spindle from Amazon and there were suggested settings there, plus others I found on the web, as well as what I've set.

I've got columns for Factory Setting, Read Setting on 1st startup, Amazon recommendations, Web suggestions, My Setting

If I email you that, you'll be able to see exactly what is set on my VFD for every single setting, and what is changed from factory, that works for me. I'm in Australia so we run 240v 50Hz, so depending where you are you may need something slightly different than mine, but it'll give you all the settings that work for me, connected to, and running from Phil Barretts Break out Board.