PWM controller on ametek lamb?

[sameal]

Can i put a pwm controller on an ametek lamb motor without damaging it?

Im a total noob on. This one.

Side note, does the ametek need to be cooled?

[sameal]

Im building a box i plan to dampen the noise with on the ametek, i could get some fans in there and have a control panel up by the lathe if a pwm could be used.

Thatd be sweeeeeeeeet

[Soulbear]

Hi Sameal,
Are you thinking of one using of these Ametek Lamb AC Vacuum Motors?

Ametek Lamb Vacuum Motor.jpg

If this is so, then what you'd be looking for is a Thyristor or Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR) "Chopper" Controller like this :-

AC Motor Speed Control.JPG

This controller uses novel bi-directional high-power SCR. It can be very convenient adjust the current up to 25A, and solve the over current problem of the heating wire resistance is too small in the case of cooling causing good.
The output voltage is adjusted anywhere between 50V-220V for use with electrical appliances. It can use to such as electric stove, water heater tune thermal lighting dimmer, small motor speed, electric iron thermostat, and achieve dimming, thermostats, pressure regulator effect.

These are available for purchase quite readiliy, for as low as $3 ish, on the ubiquitous Bay, and will control the speed of the "Universal" type motors used on the Vacuum Cleaner Motor shown above.
Regards Soulbear

[Soulbear]

Hi Sameal
A little Post Script,
I read on another Forum about the useage of these SCR Controllers and the upshot was you have to take the 2KW rating of them with a "Pinch of Salt" You may possibly find Ytube videos showing these things in use. They were said to be good for controlling loads "Up To" 1KW without any problems, and up to 1.5KW at a push. But they were said to get VERY HOT when pushed hard. Just remember these Caveats, especially the "Heating Risks" when mounting the Controller. Make sure the Controller is not going to melt or set fire to anything eh? Remember too, you will be passing "Mains" Voltages through them, so be aware of the "Electrocution" risks also.
Regards Soulbear

[sameal]

Thats the exact motor!

Would i need a setup like this if that motor was responsible for the vac platter and chip removal?

[Soulbear]

Hi Sameal,
That Set-up (The SCR Controller and Motor) should work fine together and be OK. As for it's suitability for Removing the Swarf, well now, that's perhaps for other Lathe Trolls who may be willing and able to share their own experiences with you, and give their own assessment of it's suitability for that particular Task. I'm pretty sure I've read elsewhere on the Forum, of other Lathe Trolls using something similar to the Set-Up you're proposing. I think though, the Speed Adjustment may have been made using a Variac (Pricey!) instead of an SCR Controller. Here's a link to a short video of someone demonstrating the SCR Controller from ebay, but for this demontration it's simply used for dimming an incandescent lamp, and not controlling the speed of a motor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNeG2pOlbaw
Hope This Helps
Regards Soulbear

[sameal]

I do have these guys laying around:

[grooveguy]

Those power rheostats you showed in the snapshot might work, but they will definitely dissipate heat, and the value might not be right for the job. Get an off-the-shelf light dimmer from Home Depot, the cheapest one you can find, and it will work just fine.

I've got pretty much the same Lamb vacuum on my lathe, and am running it using a 24V/1A filament transformer, connected so that the 24V is subtracted from the 120V mains voltage. That puts about 90V across the motor, which is just fine for sucking the chip into the jar. I mounted the motor on springs inside a plywood box lined with carpet. You can hardly hear it running, and the vibration is so small that the motor actually sits in the same console as the lathe. Here's a snapshot:

Cabinet Bottom.jpg

[sameal]

Awesome! Thats exactly the kind of setup im going for.

Looks like ill be getting a light dimmer soon.

[sameal]

Does the chip jar size effect the vacuum suction?

I have a pickle jar about the size of the one pictured above. Im wondering if id need something smaller or if i'd need to fill it half way with water to cut the volume of tbe jar

[Soulbear]

Hi Sameal,
The size of the jar should have no detrimental affect on the Vacuum of your set-up. Given that these types of Vacuum move Hundreds of Cubic Feet (or Litres if your'e from that part of the world that doesn't use these "Civillised Measures") per Minute (If not Hundreds, then certainly many Tens of Cu.Ft/Min) Given that, with a larger volume, it will only be a matter of possibly having to run the Motor a few more seconds to reach Max Vacuum. Soulbear

[sameal]

Perfect.

I didn't wanna have to buy another containment jar.

[Gridlock]

Somebody mentioned RHEOSTAT. i have a huge rheostat with these enourmous pots on it. Theyre fxxx huge. I really wanna implement them but i just...i dunno. Anyone got a tough idea or musing about that?