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william_b_noble
 
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Default Advice needed on VFD setup for cold Minnesota shop

you might want to look at the Delta VFD (not THAT Delta, this is Delta
Electronics) - I have one and it has a nice keypad that can be mounted
remotely from the control box, and the box is a NEMA enclosure.

that said, you can heat the VFD if needed with a small light bulb - wire a
15 watt bulb across the 220 AC input - when you turn on the master breaker
for the shop, the bulb will light up and start warming the VFD. By the time
you get your frozen breath swept up and put outside, it will be warm enough
to fire up. If you are extra cautious, you could glue a thermometer to it
(I'd measure the temp on the heatskink, I suppose)

On this VFD (the one I have anyway) the fan only runs when it needs to. On
the one built into my wood lathe, the fan runs all the time. I prefer the
"only runs when it needs to" approach.