[Biggs427]

I'm looking at different options to replace the router on my CNC witha spindle. From what I've seen, even a cheap Chinese spindle should be better than a router.

I don't have a 220v power socket available (in fact in Canada it's 240v), only 120v 60hz 15 amp for the moment. So if I don't want to call an electrician, I'm stuck with 110v 1.5kw VFD.

My first question here is about phases. When I look at VFDs descriptions, most are 110v 1 phase input but outputs seems to be all over the place. I've seen 1 or 3 phases 110v and 220v. Does it have to do with the kind of spindle it's hooked to? What should I look for?

Second question is hypothetical. If I want to bite the bullet and go with a 220v 2.2kw setup, what kind of power socket do I need my electrician to install? There's two kind of sockets that I know, 2 hot lines, 1 neutral and 1 ground and 2 hot lines and 1 ground. Which one? How many amps?

Finally, what are good places to buy such kits? I know Ugra, but their price range are a bit higher than what I can afford.

Thanks

[Al_The_Man]

You do not need to run a neutral, the output is always 3phase, the feed is either 3phase or 1ph, up to a certain motor size.
1ph motor VFD's are rare and do not perform well as 1ph motors can drop out of run at low rpm and under load.
I would install a 240v 20amp minimum if running a new line L1 L2 and GND..
Al.

[ger21]

What you want will be 1 phase input, and 3 phase output.
Then, it get's confusing.
I would expect that a 220V spindle requires 220V output.
However, I looked at a supposedly "matching" package on Ebay.
WATER-COOLED 110V 1.5KW CNC SPINDLE MOTOR AND MATCHING DRIVE INVERTER VFD 12A | eBay

The picture of the spindle says 220V, but the description for the VFD says 120V output. I'm not sure if you get a different spindle than what's pictured, or if it actually runs on 110V?

If I were getting a new outlet installed, I'd get 4 wires run to the box, like for a dryer plug. 2 Hot, 1 Neutral, 1 Ground. This gives you the most flexibility for future use. The VFD only needs the two hot + ground, so you can cap the neutral in the box. I'd get a 30 amp circuit.

Ebay is the place to go. I bought my VFD from Solar Jean, as they've been selling spindles and VFD's on EBAY for a long time.

This air cooled package is pretty inexpensive.
AIR COOLED 2.2KW SPINDLE MOTOR ER20 AND MATCHING 2.2KW INVERTER DRIVE VFD | eBay

[Biggs427]

My electrician told me that my electric panel is full and is not certain that twin breakers to consolidate 120v 15A circuits... So if I want an 220v spindle, it might means a LOT more money than I thought initially.

So I did more research on 110v VFD and it appears that most huanyang 110v VFDs are 110v in and 110v out. This would mean a 110v spindle, but I read somewhere that 110v spindle don't performs as good as 220v. Can someone confirm that?

If I want to use 220v spindle, there's only two model that seems to have 110 in and 220 out.

A 2.2kw 110v in / 220v out that would be too much amp for the 15amp circuits I have.

And a 1.5kw 110v in / 220v out but they recommend to use a VFD rated higher than the spindle so I would be stuck with a 800w spindle which is not enough.

[Al_The_Man]

You don't have a dryer outlet nearby or the other side of the wall etc. that you could run a cable to and plug into when you need to run the M/C?
Dryers are not generally in continuous use.
Al.

[Biggs427]

Unfortunately, the dryer is at the other end of the house.

[Al_The_Man]

One way if no more room in the panel, is to install a dryer plug at the panel, feed the CNC machine from this and alternatively the dryer circuit.
It would mean swapping the plug over at the panel when needed.
But one way out of the dilemma.
Al.

[GigaWatt]

I worked as an electrical engineer 38 years for a major electrical utility in the US. During my early years I worked mostly with home owners installing new service or upgrading existing service. I've worked with many home owners in your situation. If you have the electrical entrance capacity in amps, naturally your best solution is to upgrade your breaker panel and install a 30 amp 4 wire circuit to your cnc area. I don't know about Canada's inspection authority however in the US most major cities require a 4 wire (2 hot conductors, 1 neutral & 1 ground) on new 120/240 volt circuits. If you can't use twin/slim line breakers to increase the number of poles/breaker spaces available, it might be possible to remove 2 breakers and install a larger ie: 50 to 60 amp 2 pole breaker to feed a sub breaker panel of the same capacity. You could then transfer 2 circuits to the new panel and install a new circuit for your cnc. That's only if your inspectors would approve this type of installation.

I went with a 2.2kW water cooled spindle I bought from Solar Jean and would never return to a router!