Bridgeport 2HP 220V conversion for VFD

[@Designments]

If anyone is curious: yes, it does work at its full rated power after conversion. Dialling in a ~2HP cut is not a problem. Footage of the beast in use will follow.

[@adamdiaz8442]

Absolutely brilliant do u mind if I ask what forums u use 👍🏽I’m embarking on the same machine very soon

[@adamdiaz8442]

And u got a new subby 👍🏽

[@Designments]

@@adamdiaz8442 Thanks! I'm on Hobby Machinist most frequently. They're a real friendly bunch over there - come and join if you haven't already :)

[@markburniston3018]

Great work Mr. Designments! Fantastic reverse engineering (great bit of big cliving there :) ). I'm sure AvE is very happy to have one of his stickers on interweb TV, especially mounted on a mighty Bridgeport.

[@TomMakeHere]

Good video The 6 wire motor sounds interesting, did not know such a thing existed

[@Designments]

Cheers dude! I didn't until I had pretty much the same "Doh. It needs high voltage" moment you did with the surface grinder and started researching. I'm hoping it helps a few home machinists out, though.

[@daveprice710]

Great video! I have the same motor that I removed, and have been running a single phase motor. I'm now at a stage of wanting better control without constantly changing gear. Would you entertain carrying out this work for me for a charge? Here's hoping 🤞🤞

[@glynbrandon861]

Interesting video. I am in the same situation of having acquired a BP Series 1 with a pancake motor and need to decide how best to proceed. Change the motor and use a VFD, use rotary phase converter (not my preferred choice) or attempt your modification. What is not clear (to me anyway) is what is the base speed of the motor when run at 50Hz? 1400 or 2800RPM?

[@Designments]

It's essentially wired similarly to the high speed mode, so 2800. I run mine up to 60Hz, which it doesn't seem to mind at all. I've now converted three Dahlander wired motors this way, all of which are working well. The latest being an Arboga pillar drill which has the gearbox input integral with the motor shaft, making it very tricky to do a mechanical coversion. Rewiring it worked like a charm. You do still need the VFD - the conversion is only so it will run low volt (220V) three phase, not 415V.

[@44Celt]

Hi, I want to put 230v into my bridgeport, same as you have done. Do you put the 230 live &neutral[single phase] into the drum switch and then swap the 2 legs from the 3 phase from 415-0 to 220-0. If so what number terminals on drum switch for the 230V live and neutral?

[@CwazyWabbits]

Excellent information, thanks for all the effort.

[@basievanwyk8686]

I do have a 230/ 380 vfd which i want to a-play it to the axact bridgeport motor. Can and how can i do that. Please!!!!

[@aaronbuildsa]

You are a braver man than me! I did a lot of reading up and decided to avoid a pancake machine at all costs due to the difficulty of rewiring the motor; found myself a regular J-head at a good price and on delivery .. there's no data plate on the (single speed) motor so I still have no idea how it's wired without mapping it out. D'oh!

[@aaronbuildsa]

I also just noticed - is that a Super 7 in the background?

[@Designments]

@@aaronbuildsa Less bravery, more didn't know what I was getting into! Turned out alright, though. Well spotted - it is a Myford, but an ML10. Kind of outgrown it, but it's a sturdy little machine.

[@Designments]

I don't know anything about the single speed motors, I'm afraid. How many wires and how are they wired? I'd be very surprised if it's not wired star and will be able to swap to delta. In any case, it'll be a heck of a lot simpler than the Dahlander conversion!

[@aaronbuildsa]

@@Designments Oh and nice ML10 - my little ML7 looks dwarfed next to the Bridgeport now! Perhaps one day I'll upgrade to something beefier but at the same time the ML7 is so simple and easy to run :)

[@johncrisp6668]

do you have a link to diagrams you found and any more info if possible . i need to convert mine ,at the moment i reconfigured my VFD to fool it in thinking it was connected to 440v not 220 but only at half power ,not really very satisfactory