BTC clubhouse!#*$!

[hkfanatic]

i have all of the manuals, they came with the machine. let me know what pages you need and i can scan them for you.

it was a typo its 230 3 phase, any one have an idea on what kind of phase converter to get???

also here are some pics, i know alot of the sheilding is missing, i took it off for the move so it wouldent blow away down the road

[Cartesian-xyz]

I have been using DES-CO 10hp rotary phase converter on my BTC-1 with great success. They can be purchased on ebay for $545.00 www.deselectric.com The BTC has a 3hp spindle motor so you may be able to get by on a 5hp rotory converter, However that would be all you could feasibly run from it. I chose a 10hp with the intent of having a small amount of added 3ph capacity. Originally I purchased it with the electrical box attached to the motor...This was a mistake. The vibration caused trouble with the components. Des-CO sent me a NEW mount on wall unit at NO charge and I have not had any trouble since.
Heed Kevins advise on checking your incoming power and when wired in your output from your rotary phase converter BEFORE powering up the BTC-1
These machines run on the SMOKE theory... If you let it OUT they quite working!
Happy Milling, Stephen

[hkfanatic]

do i have to use a rotary phase converter??? what about any of the other styles?
the reason i ask is i have access to an electronic one for free.

[machintek]

Define "electronic." There are such converters called "static." They are worthless.
A good digital phase converter goes for a minimum of 5000 dollars. But they work very well. Good enough to run high end machines with fanuc controls.

George

[Cartesian-xyz]

I run my Conventional BP mill from an AC inverter. It takes the 220v 1ph and turns it into 220v 3ph.( aproximately $400 new) This works well on my 1hp motor. The inverter is rated for 3hp or 2.2 kw The power is very clean and I believe would work fine on the BTC-1, IF you could get one with a 7hp or more rating. I have been looking but have yet to find an AC inverter with the 7hp+ rating that will convert 1ph to 3ph. (At least in the under $1000 range) I have been told that the phase converter should be rated at twice the hp of the largest motor it will run. I have seen this rule ignored with no significant trouble. However I prefer to error on the higher end when it comes to electrical power. Perhaps someone else here on the forum can add credence to this Rule of double hp for phase converters.

Stephen

[hkfanatic]

i tried to correct my post to "Static" after i posted it i must not have hit the save button. in any case i meant static.

looks like im going to have to buy a rotary. im most likely going to get the
DES-CO 10hp reccomended earlier in the thread the price is right.

thanks guys for the input

[302XRAM]

Why did Oleg and the BTC part company?

[hkfanatic]

he never had anybody to help set it up, the way he put it was, he had sombody working for him that was going to set it up and operate it but i guess him and that other person parted company so the mill just sat in his work shop for a year then i bought it. i guess he decided to contract out for the parts he was going to make.

out of curiosity whats your relationship to him????

[302XRAM]

Sold him the Btc.

[hkfanatic]

oh cool i got your old machine

anything i need to know about it



UPDATE: i just picked up a anderson (andersonconverters.com) 7.5 hp phase converter hopefully should have the machine running this weekend!!!

[Cartesian-xyz]

I looked at the Anderson converters and did'nt buy theirs because of the OPEN motor. The TEFC (Totally Inclosed Fan Cooled) will not cause you grief done the road. You can purchase the 10Hp Desco on ebay for 545.00 + shipping. Im not trying to sell Desco I just believe it is a better product for a few hundred dollors.
Stephen

[hkfanatic]

i know the downsides to the open motor but you cant beat 500$ delivered, the desco 10hp was 695$ shipped. i'll probably have to come up with some sort of filter system for the anderson

[chipmakes]

Interesting conveter information. I'm building a 15hp rotary to power the BTC and other small three phase equipment in the shop. What size compressor (cfm) do you guys use or recommend?

[Cartesian-xyz]

chipmakes,

I have a 2 cyl, single stage, 5hp on a 80 gal. tank. It is plenty for the BTC-1 even when constantly changing tools. I think I have it set to 125 psi with a 25 psi. differential. I have my BTC-1 set at the recommended 70psi.
Stephen

[hkfanatic]

finallly got the machine powered up and all is well.......except!

i have a few Questions for all of you guys

when i jog the machine to the LIMIT of every axis it sets the limit overide lamp off and i have to reverse direction and hit both the jog and the overide button at the same time to get it to move then its fine?it only does it right at the extremes of every axis. is this normal ??? any of you guys run into this??

the cable i have for the machine connects to the local port on the machine and has a lpt-1 connector on the other side, from what i understand it needs to have a COM end on it for me to communicate with the machine. can i use an adapter or would i have to splice a COM connector end onto the cable. if so does anyone have the pin diagram so i splice to the right wires.

thanks!

[chipmakes]

I should have known better....
I went through the start up proceedure in the manual, which includes removing all the circuit boards, but I didn't make a diagram of where all the "K" connectors go. After putting it back together it doesn't fire up.

Could someone please take post a few pictures or a diagram of where the connectors from each cable go and where the jumper cables go. Since it did run when I purchased it I want to be sure it is assembled right before I look further.

All ideas are welcome.

Does anyone have the programs or tapes mentioned in the maintenance manual?

Thanks,
Chip

[Cartesian-xyz]

hkfanatic,
It is normal for the machine to enter an "LIMIT" When ever a axis limit switch is active. The BTC-1 even after homing the machine has no "SOFTWARE LIMITS". The hardware limits keep it from overtraveling. As you have discovered when the RED "LIMIT" lit is active then you have to push it in and Jog off the limit.

As for the machine communications you need to use serial communication via a DB-25 or DB-9. Which ever you computer uses. The RRS board on the BTC-1 uses a rotary switch that selects the Baud rate. 0=110, 1=150, 2=300, 9=600, 4=1200, 5=1800, 3=2400, 6=4800 and 7=9600
There is only 4 pins used and they are Send, Recieve, Signal Ground and System Ground, At the BTC-1 you should have a AMP connector with pin 5 System ground, Pin 6 Recieve, Pin 7 Signal Ground and Pin 8 Transmit.

Connect DB-9 or DB-25 As follows:
Pin 1= AMP connector Pin 5
Pin 2= AMP connector Pin 6
Pin 3= AMP connector Pin 8
Pin 5= AMP connector Pin 7 (DB-9)
Pin 7= AMP connector Pin 7 (DB-25)
Your comunication software on the PC should be set to the appropriate Baud rate as selected on the BTC-1 RRS card with 8bit, No Parity, 1 stop bit. I use Hyperlink in Windows XP and it works just fine.

If you have any trouble let me know,
Stephen

[chipmakes]

A HUGE Thank you to Cartesean and HKfanatic for their assistance!! Between pictures and a phone call we determined that the boards were in the right place and all the cable connections were correct. That was a big relief! The thought then came to us that maybe a connector in the display enclosure had come loose. I didn't find anything obvious, but after reseating all the connectors and lots of prayers, it powered up correctly. Three cheers!!

In checking the axis motion, I discovered (the hard way) that the cam which operates the X deceleration switch is missing. I now know how to un-jam the ball screws!

The BTC Clubhouse really saved me!

Thanks again,
Chip

[hkfanatic]

im still haveing trouble getting the BTC-1 to communicate with my PC,

i reconfigured the cable the way its shown below i have configured hyper terminal as described by other memebers but i still cant get the machine to talk to the PC, after i boot up hyper terminal and press the edit button on the mill nothing happens.

i have rechecked all of my configurations and then double checked them, i am at a loss.


any one have any ideas????

BTW: my machine is not equipped with the tape reader, or the remote tape reader panel. where it go's is just a flat panel and abouve it is all of the toggle switches, could that have somthing to do with it???

[Cartesian-xyz]

hkfanatic,

I did some reviewing in the BTC-1 maintenance manual and I believe I see your problem. Your BTC-1 is wired for asyncronous communication using the 20ma loop optocouplers. They use pins 1,2,3,4,5 on K6 and K8. (K6 Local communication and K8 Remote communication).
You want to use EIA serial communication with voltage logic. (this is what you computer uses.) This is avialable at pins 5,6,7,8 as I discussed earlier.
You will need to trace your input and outputs on you existing plug at K6 and hook pins 5,6,7 and 8 up to your PC pins 1,2,3 and 5
If you have a Bridgeport maintenance manual you can find this information on page 4-47 thru 4-50. If you dont send me your email address and I will send you a PDF file of the entire maintenace manual.
Have fun!

Stephen