REPAIR: Chinese Spindle 0.8kW Fried Connector

Hello guys,

There are lots of people using this Chinese spindles for homemade routers and CNC's:

This instructable was made during a repair of an chinese 0.8kW spindle, the problem was a fried connector from one of the phases.

How it was detected:

-Spindle started to loose power

-Smell like fried electronic/plastic

-Sparks on motor connector

Necessary tools:

-Multimeter (Ebay example)

-Umbrak tools (Ebay example)

-Soldering iron (Ebay example)

-Steel file (Ebay example)

Necessary material:

-Soldering wire (Ebay example)

-3 pin conector female (Ebay example)

-3 pin connector male (Ebay example)

Step 1: Remove the Spindle Cap

To remove the spindle Cap is necessary to:

-Turn off your VFD, assure that the spindle is fully disconnected from the electricity

-Disconnect electric harness from the spindle

-Remove the 4 screws on top of the spindle.

-Remove the Cap gently, remember that the cables are still connected to that. You don't want to rip a cable from your spindle coils.

Step 2: Remove Connector From Spindle Cap

To remove the connector from spindle Cap is necessary to:

-Hold the connector from outside

-Unscrew the nut from the inside

-Cut the electric cables near to the connector

Step 3: Prepare the Spindle Cap for the New Connector

In my case I used an old ATC IEC C14 female connector (like this) , since I had to repair the spindle in the same day it broke. I recommend you to choose the connector based on max current and voltage allowed by the connector and space available to install it on the spindle Cap.

Check the Current on each wire(3 phases AC) for your spindle:

https://www.rapidtables.com/calc/electric/kW_to_Amp_Calculator.html

How to install the connector on the spindle Cap:

-Fix the Spindle Cap on a vice or other way possible

-Choose the Connector position based on available space, take in consideration power cables, water cooling connectors, space from cap to the spindle coils

-Mark the Spindle Cap with the target hole for the connector

-Open a hole with same geometry of your connector, tight as possible, with a steel file

Step 4: Fix the Connector to the Spindle Cap

***If your connector is tightened with a nut, you could skip this step.

To assure that you don't get particles or liquids inside of the Spindle in better to apply some insulation.

How to Insulate and fix your connector:

-Apply some high temperature silicone (or other fixation glue like Epoxy) around the connector and gently spread it with your finger.

-Apply, on the bottom side, Loctite to fix the connector to the Spindle Cap.

Step 5: Soldering the Connector to Spindle Coils

How to solder your connector:

-Strip the 3 Spindle coils wires that will connect to the new connector

-Cut 1 heat shrink sleeve to each wire, the size must be appropriated to you have space to soldering the wires without apply heat on the sleeve(otherwise you will not be able to put the sleeve on the right place after soldering)

-Insert the wires on the connector to prepare the soldering

-Use a soldering iron to apply heat to the soldering wire to solder the wire to the connector

Step 6: Close the Spindle With Spindle Cap

After all the connections are properly soldered it's time to insert the Cap back to the Spindle.

How to do it:

-If you have a water cooled Spindle, is better to apply some silicone between the Spindle and the Cap round the water circuit hole. Be careful to don't get the water circuit blocked with silicone!

-Insert the Cap gently on the Spindle, assure the water cooling holes are aligned

-Apply torque to the screws

-With a small wire try to remove the excess of silicone from the inside of water circuit

-Test if the water cooling system is not blocked with air or water passing thru it.

Step 7: Solder the New Connector for the Cable From the VFD

I just used a connector from an old cord, the best would be to use an appropriated new connector.

How to solder your connector:

-Strip the wires from VFD and spindle Connector

-Cut 1 heat shrink sleeve to each wire, the size must be appropriated to you have space to soldering the wires without apply heat on the sleeve(otherwise you will not be able to put the sleeve on the right place after soldering)

-Join the correspondent wire together

-Use a soldering iron to apply heat to the soldering wire to solder the wire to the connector