Connecting a vfd to more than one machine

[ronan]

I have a yaskawa vfd rated for 5 hp motors connected to my colchester lathe, it works fine , i have saved up a few bob and would like to buy a small vertical milling machine. Can i get a switch so i could switch the three phase output of the vfd between the two machines ? I don't use any of the special features of the vfd , just basic three phase out. I would imagine the mill would have a smaller motor than the lathe.

 

[the snooper]

just wire up 2 sockets for it but only use 1 machine at a time

 

[ronan]

That would seem to be a good idea , thanks snooper.

 

[rtbcomp]

Or one socket and two plugs, that way you can't accidentally overload it.

 

[madkayaker]

One thing to consider is you have to tell the vfd the motor details for protection and some vfd don't like it if the motor is smaller than it thinks it is.

 

[awemawson]

VFDs take strong objection to having their outputs switched when live - you will blow the output semiconductors due to the spikes induced.

 

[langy]

Or one socket and two plugs, that way you can't accidentally overload it.

Thats what i have.

 

[Wedg1e]

I have a VFD that feeds a lathe and a mill, but the interlocks on both machines are taken back to the panel that houses the VFD, and forms part of the run circuit to tell the VFD to operate.
A switch selects one of two contactors, a spare contact on each is configured so that when one contactor is in, the interlocks of the other machine are broken.
Similarly, if you try to change the switch over while the VFD is on, it breaks the run circuit.