Old switch to teco L510 vfd

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belterskelter
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Old switch to teco L510 vfd

Post by belterskelter »

Hi folks just wondering if any one has wired up a vintage forward-off-reverse switch to there teco vfd

https://photos.app.goo.gl/zjwt3YFxFSncWZeh8

It would be rad to use it seems a shame not to
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Rex
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Re: Old switch to teco L510 vfd

Post by Rex »

Sure, and it's pretty simple.
Perhaps after the mod moves this to the proper sub-forum you will get some help. :wink:
belterskelter
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Re: Old switch to teco L510 vfd

Post by belterskelter »

Rex wrote: Fri Nov 22, 2019 12:08 pm Sure, and it's pretty simple.
Perhaps after the mod moves this to the proper sub-forum you will get some help. :wink:
Oops
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Harold_V
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Re: Old switch to teco L510 vfd

Post by Harold_V »

Rex wrote: Fri Nov 22, 2019 12:08 pm Sure, and it's pretty simple.
Perhaps after the mod moves this to the proper sub-forum you will get some help. :wink:
Yep! Attention to where a question is placed will greatly increase the chance of a helpful reply.

As this may apply to various usage, the General Discussion forum appears to be the best choice, so that's where I parked it! :-)

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
Duder321
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Re: Old switch to teco L510 vfd

Post by Duder321 »

Drum switches work fine. Just find the pair of terminals that make contact at each of the three positions and wire those each to the terminals in the VFD manual for start, stop, reverse. I suggest using shielded, twisted pair wire, with the shield grounded at the VFD and a capacitor on each input to ground to eliminate noise from the motor and the contact bounce.

I use the drum switch on my Bridgeport to control my Teco VFD. I would have been reaching constantly for it anyway so it just made sense to keep the functional feel the same.
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liveaboard
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Re: Old switch to teco L510 vfd

Post by liveaboard »

Me too.
I had to take the switch apart and fix it first; what a wonky old thing, I was amazed that it had still been switching the whole load of my motor.
I have a different VFD, but I suspect they're similar; you can set them to be wired however suits your needs.

Being able to reach for the old switch lever without needing to look is the way to go.
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Rex
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Re: Old switch to teco L510 vfd

Post by Rex »

Here's a pretty good overview/how-to on controlling VFDs

https://dcknives.blogspot.com/p/vfds-pa ... ntrol.html

I was about to do what the OP is doing. Then I saw an ad for remote keypads to fit my VFD for $20. Teco keypads are available for not much more. I hid the VFD behind a rear panel and mounted the remote keypad where the drum switch was.
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spro
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Re: Old switch to teco L510 vfd

Post by spro »

Being a little late to this thread, drum switches can be a challenge. I knew I was losing it when I had to produce a diagram to see what was going inside that switch. Not all are alike ! Some are made differently for the motor you may use. Forward and Reverse seem so simple but it isn't easy cramming all those wires into the switch case. I'm glad that I've done wiring of many gauge and knew how to arrange wiring. I have used the older type because they are /were heavy duty. Made jumper wires across terminals. Have to know what type motor, amps and reverse connections. Blind because the drum itself, may have a contact which goes to another terminal or not even there.
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liveaboard
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Re: Old switch to teco L510 vfd

Post by liveaboard »

But when you use a drum switch as a vfd control, all that complication goes away; you only need to find on-off-on for 3 wires, with negligible voltage and current.
All those thick old motor wires can be disposed of.
belterskelter
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Re: Old switch to teco L510 vfd

Post by belterskelter »

Ya it will be just on/ off forward reverse controls for the vfd
spro
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Re: Old switch to teco L510 vfd

Post by spro »

Twenty First century is banging at the door..:)
whateg0
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Re: Old switch to teco L510 vfd

Post by whateg0 »

I find it enjoyable taking old technology and adapting it to newer stuff. I wired original power buttons, speed control, and apron controls on my 10ee to my VFD. The speed knob is chained to a pot and the power buttons go to a contactor. It was fun to figure all of that out and even more fun to adapt it.

Dave
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