# VFD - running a Blum mini press?



## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

Is it possible to bypass the control terminals in a Blum mini press. 


I have had the Blum minipress up for sale for a very reasonable price and it has had no interest,... so I'm wondering if this is possible? Great machine , converting to 3ph is not the problem.I would like to use a VFD ,however- The VFD can not have any switch or disconnect -(on/off ) in between the drive and the motor. What I was thinking is I can just eliminate the control panel electrical comps on the Blum . But still use the switch on the Blum and run the control line to the control terminals on the VFD ,I'm just not sure about the pneumatic lock downs....?

Yaskawa V1000 drive. 2Hp single phase 220in/3 phase 220 out.


B,


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## woodchuck2 (Feb 27, 2008)

Are you trying to install a 3 phase inverter with VFD capabilities for the motor but not the controls?


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

I'll throw a schematic up of the Blum later today...


B,


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## woodchuck2 (Feb 27, 2008)

Not sure what your trying to accomplish besides controlling the motor speed. If you really want to go with a VFD then i would contact a company like this that may be more helpful in building what you need: http://variablefrequency.com/

If this were a simple 120v/240v single phase motor it seems to me you could just install an adjustable speed switch between your existing controls and the drive motor.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

He is using the vfd to power a 3ph machine with single phase input.


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## woodchuck2 (Feb 27, 2008)

That is what i asked in the 1st reply. But his first post is misleading by his statement that getting 3 phase power is no problem. So if he can get 3 phase power from the POCO then what would be the point of the VFD other than to change motor speed? If he cannot get 3 phase power from the POCO then a VFD inverter is the way to go but he would need to see if his controls will operate the VFD which is why i gave him the link i did. I have only installed one VFD inverter which worked great and was easy to install but it controlled a water pump. The VFD was controlled by a pressure switch and numerous floats in the storage tank.


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

Here's the schematic for the Blum...

Control Board:










Pneumatic controls:










Does it look like that control board is getting 220vlts and is that single phase.? Looks like it is coming off of 2 legs out of the 3 ph in ,so is this single ph 220?


B,


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

woodchuck2 said:


> That is what i asked in the 1st reply. But his first post is misleading by his statement that getting 3 phase power is no problem. So if he can get 3 phase power from the POCO then what would be the point of the VFD other than to change motor speed? If he cannot get 3 phase power from the POCO then a VFD inverter is the way to go but he would need to see if his controls will operate the VFD which is why i gave him the link i did. I have only installed one VFD inverter which worked great and was easy to install but it controlled a water pump. The VFD was controlled by a pressure switch and numerous floats in the storage tank.



What I meant was I can convert to 3ph via the VFD ....converting to 3ph is not the problem. Here is the problem using a VFD with this machine. You can not have any switch between the motor and the VFD and must be a direct line hookup to the VFD output. 

The way the blum works it has a switch between the line and the motor that is engaged when you hit the start button when in automatic mode. From what I am looking at that switch and the pneumatic controls are controlled by the 24vlt control board. 


So here is what I came up with to get the blum operational using a VFD .
If (depending on the voltage input to the transformer to knock it down to 24vlts) I can take either 220v or 110v (SP) to feed the control board then I'm ok at this point. Next- run a direct line from the VFD (L1/l2/L3) 220 3ph output directly to the motor bypassing the seliniod switch terminals. 
Then I can use the terminals from the seliniod switch (3 wire setup on the VFD control terminals, constant- not momentary) to start the motor.

If I am correct the single ph 220 can be left alone or split to 110 to get that control board up and running , then the 220 single ph on the input terminals of the VFD . 

So basically ,where you see that selanoid switch for the motor operated by the control board, it will be bypassed and run by the VFD but I would still be using the contact terminals on the seliniod switch to run a line to the start stop terminals on the VFD.


Does it look like this will work? 


B,


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