Converting my PC router to water-cooler spindle

[Burkhardt]

As for wiring...the shielded cable may help against interference but the proper way of getting rid of EMI would be a set of Line Reactors for input and output of the VFD. The VFD manufacturers typically recommend such reactors plus EMI filters in their manuals to protect the VFD, reduce electrical noise and losses but practically few people use them because they are not cheap (I believe about $100). I have the same Chinese water cooled spindle on a Hitachi VFD and must admit I have neither the line reactors nor shielded cable and machine is running just fine.

As for the cooling, I have a rather unconventional air-cooled solution. The cylindrical spindle body is mounted with a shroud as part of the dust collector system and no water cooling at all. I find the wet system with tubing, pump, reservoir, possible leakage and clogging rather unattractive. Not to mention the risk of having only a little o-ring between the water and 240V components. The high air speed and volume of my dust collector (although it is only 1hp) has anyway much more cooling capacity than the water trickle through the small hoses. The spindle temperature never exceeds 20 degrees F above room temperature, even running a bigger bit for long time. No problem in 3 years of use.

You can get stick-on film thermometers for the spindle from McMasterCarr (e.g. part# 59485K26)

[kurt_rose]

You can't wire the 110V pump to the same line as the 220V VFD, as there is no neutral line.

You do when you wire it with 12/3

[Joe Porter]

DSCF0001.jpgDSCF0004.jpgDSCF0005.jpgDSCF0006.jpgDSCF0003.jpgI measured the fitting with my calipers set to MM and it came out to 8mm outside and 6mm inside I got it from McMaster Carr and it fits perfectly. http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/121/141/=xlw88z it's the extra flexible semi clear. It has worked well for me and is high quality American made hose. I also paid a lot for the power cord to the spindle and bought a high quality inverter (Hitachi) and shopped for a high quality pump and hooked every thing up according to the Hitachi manual. Hope this is of some help....joe

[GeneMpls]

As for the cooling, I have a rather unconventional air-cooled solution. The cylindrical spindle body is mounted with a shroud as part of the dust collector system and no water cooling at all. I find the wet system with tubing, pump, reservoir, possible leakage and clogging rather unattractive. Not to mention the risk of having only a little o-ring between the water and 240V components. The high air speed and volume of my dust collector (although it is only 1hp) has anyway much more cooling capacity than the water trickle through the small hoses. The spindle temperature never exceeds 20 degrees F above room temperature, even running a bigger bit for long time. No problem in 3 years of use.
(e.g. part# 59485K26)

I would very much like to see pictures of your setup please. Thanks Gene

[Burkhardt]

I would very much like to see pictures of your setup please. Thanks Gene

Mind, this is not a ShopBot but a homebuilt machine. But I think the picture explains how it works. The clear plastic shroud leaves about an 1.5" wide channel around the spindle for the DC air to go through.
That shroud goes up and down with the z-plate and spindle and slides in the dust foot/skirt assembly, which is held on a constant z-level. Works pretty good for flat stock but I wish I had a stronger dust collector for indexer and 3-d-work. The horizontal Bamboo plate just holds a few LED strips for the lighting and magnets for the dust foot.

Anyway, this air cooling arrangement is ample with 1hp Dust Collector for the 2.2kW "water-cooled" spindle.

[dauntless]

I have the same Chinese water cooled spindle on a Hitachi VFD and must admit I have neither the line reactors nor shielded cable and machine is running just fine.

Very interesting post...thank you. I wanted the water-cooled version because none of us in the shop like the noise generated by the air-cooled Porter-Cable, and the positive comments I've read here and on other forums about how quiet the water-cooled versions are.

Also, I had wondered how important the shielded cabling is between the VFD and the spindle. Since I have plenty of 12-ga 4-conductor RoHS I think I'll see how well that works. If I start having issues I can always retrofit shielded cabling.

[jerry_stanek]

My air cooled spindle is just a little louder than a computer fan.

[GeneMpls]

Mind, this is not a ShopBot but a homebuilt machine. But I think the picture explains how it works. The clear plastic shroud leaves about an 1.5" wide channel around the spindle for the DC air to go through.
That shroud goes up and down with the z-plate and spindle and slides in the dust foot/skirt assembly, which is held on a constant z-level. Works pretty good for flat stock but I wish I had a stronger dust collector for indexer and 3-d-work. The horizontal Bamboo plate just holds a few LED strips for the lighting and magnets for the dust foot.

Anyway, this air cooling arrangement is ample with 1hp Dust Collector for the 2.2kW "water-cooled" spindle.

Very interesting- are there hose clamps holding the spindle? Thanks Gene

[Burkhardt]

Very interesting- are there hose clamps holding the spindle? Thanks Gene

The spindle is sitting in a shallow cradle that is machined into the 3/4" thick aluminum tramming plate and the hose clamps are heavy duty vibration-proof clamps from McMaster Carr. I think they are good for over 300 pound clamping force. That spindle is not going anywhere.

I could not use the common split clamp plates because of the air obstruction (the hose clamps are very shallow) and for sufficient rigidity such split clamps must be quite massive.