Mounting control box and vfd's

[toddmaci]

Can anyone give me advice on how to mount the control box and vfd’s. I would like to mount them on a wall but I heard I should offset them to allow the heat to dissipate more quickly. Thanks in advance.

Todd

[Gary Campbell]

Todd...
Just keep some distance for air. Here is one version, if you look there are others posted.
Gary

7255

[toddmaci]

Gary,

[Gary Campbell]

Todd...
IF I remember correctly, the VFD is on a chunk of 3/4" Maple Plywood and the control box is mounted on a piece of 3/4" Teak. Both were just shop scraps. The sheets behind both are solid. The control box is lag bolted to the plywood. There is a spacer behind the plywood to furr it out even with the column.
Gary

[toddmaci]

Thank you,

Todd

[gerald_martin]

Hi everyone: Not wanting to hijack Todd's thread here, but same subject: My new alpha 96-60 is still in the box waiting on shop building...I was hoping to mount the control box on the outside of one of the legs of the tool. Was also wanting to mount the VFD for my colombo spindle near the control box. Is this not a good idea? is there to much vibration from the tool for these electronics? Maybe there's a shopbot community consensus about whether it's best to mount the control box on the tool or on the wall. Feedback anyone?

Gerald

[rcnewcomb]

We have our control box mounted on the wall and I like that from the safety standpoint, i.e. I am not near the router when it spins up.

BTW, the control box is offset from the wall using two 2x4s.

[myxpykalix]

I have mine mounted close to the leg on the tool. I don't think vibration is much of an issue however placement is. Having the benefit of hindsight I should have located the box on the short side of the Y axis close to the 0,0 or lower left side of the table. As it is I place most of my work on the 0,0 corner and have to walk around to the opposite side of the X axis to turn the router on at the box each time i start a file.
I'm thinking about getting the switch upgrade shopbot offers. I have to look into that more in depth.

[jay_p]

Hi all,
Is the vfd box itself hardwired, or is there a flexible cable connecting the vfd to a junction box. I know that there is flexible cable between the vfd and the spindle itself.
Jay

[Gary Campbell]

Jay..
In the piucture above you can see 2 wires coming from the VFD. One is orange and goes to the spindle, the other is black and goes to the contactor inside the control box. Hope that helps.
Gary

[jay_p]

Gary,
So the black cable comes with the spindle or is it supplied by me? Any idea how long it is when you get it?

Thanks,
Jay

[Gary Campbell]

Jay...
Mine came with (HSD 4hp) and 10 feet, but I am not at the shop to measure.
Gary

[jay_p]

Gary,

Thanks for the info.

jay

[scottbot]

Jay,
You will need to supply 2 power cables that will go from your power source to the control box.
One powers the control box and the other is for the spindle if you get one. I'm not sure what is required if you get the router.
I didn't realize that until the last minute and had to order them in because none of the home centres carry anything that big.

Scott