Grizzly G9003G conversion to Var. Spd.

[gr8life]

A few weeks ago the rice powered motor in my Grizzly G9003G gave up so I had the capacitors changed about a week later it started to act up again. A little searching & I orderde a new Weg 2hp 3 phase motor & a VFD and a tach. The motor is a direct fit, mounting holes and shaft are metric. Not wanting a new control box I got a friend who is an electrical engineer to wire it up using the existing controls in the housing. The lathe turns on the VFD and the jog button was replaced with the speed control. The tach is from LMS and reads rpm & sfm. The total cost was 2x the price of a junk motor & should outlast me. The change is unreal. I have only been working w/ it for 2 days and I am in love with the control (note: I am a control freak)
Just thought I would pass this along as I rarely post but do read and ask for help on a regular basis.
thanks
ed

[MetalMunger]

Looks Good! Nice job of shielding on the control leads!
You sure it's not a G4003G
In your picture there is a yellow piece of paper with what appears to be a schematic of your new controls, any chance of you sharing?
I am planning the same mod. just awaiting the truck with my Woods inverter and have been mulling my options.

[wierdscience]

Nice job,what did the Tach set you back?

[gr8life]

4? 9? I guess I don't know the dif. G4003G
the tach was about $110 w/ postage
ed

[MTNGUN]

gr8life, you did the right thing. Electrical failures on chinese lathes should always be viewed as an excuse to upgrade to a VFD.

[gwilson]

Very nice,but don't you need a jog button?

[gr8life]

With the VDF you can set the ramp up speed. I have set a 3 sec. to come to speed so if I flip the spindle on/off lever on off I get a jog.
ed

[Richard-TX]

Got a big enough knob for the speed control? Yikes. There is not missing that guy.

What's with the BX? I didn't add or change any of the wires going to the front panel.


When I put a VFD on my 4003 I took out the pilot lamp, replaced the E-stop button and start buttons with illuminated buttons and put the pot in place of the pilot lamp.

I mounted the VFD inside the electrics cabinet. Added a fan and a filter to the cover and I was done. The tach is a nice idea but I have no use for it. When my chips turn blue I am going too fast.



The pot I installed is IP66 rated.

That stock mushroom stop button that came with my lathe was an ugly beast. I was glad to see it go. The twist to reset feature was pointless and annoying to me as well.

I consider the VFD the biggest improvement I could have made on the lathe.

[gr8life]

Richardd-TX I like the big knurled wheel. The BX is a shield cover for the speed control cables and the VFD is in a seperate box higher up on the wall away from the machine. I like the twist button and am very happy w/ the setup as I am sure you are happy with yours. What did you use for a motor?
thanks
ed

[Davo J]

Got a big enough knob for the speed control? Yikes. There is not missing that guy.

What's with the BX? I didn't add or change any of the wires going to the front panel.


When I put a VFD on my 4003 I took out the pilot lamp, replaced the E-stop button and start buttons with illuminated buttons and put the pot in place of the pilot lamp.

I mounted the VFD inside the electrics cabinet. Added a fan and a filter to the cover and I was done. The tach is a nice idea but I have no use for it. When my chips turn blue I am going too fast.



The pot I installed is IP66 rated.

That stock mushroom stop button that came with my lathe was an ugly beast. I was glad to see it go. The twist to reset feature was pointless and annoying to me as well.

I consider the VFD the biggest improvement I could have made on the lathe.

Each to there own,nice work.
Davoere own