Phase Converters

[Tractor Seabee]

There have recently been several threads on converting single phase to 3 ph Surplus Center has just advertised a 3-5 HP phase converter for $220. Link attached.

3 HP To 5 HP Phase Converter | Bargain Bin | www.surpluscenter.comase.

Ron

 

[Industrial Toys]

I did a bit of research into this and a friend finally helped me build one. I believe the ones with an idler motor are better.

 

[5030]

Not an idler motor really, a 220 / 1 motor with the T3 leg in the windings. What I use. A static converter uses capacitors to excite the T3 leg when you start the 3 phase motor. Once the 3 phase motor is spinning, it excites it's own T3 leg. 2 issues with static conversion, 1, the motor will not run at high efficiency and 2, static conversion won't work with frequency drive 3 phase motors. If speed regulation is an issue, only way is rotary conversion. We run a 10 horse Gerhardt Werner rotary and stack if necessary.

 

[Industrial Toys]

So that arrangement is really like an idler converter without the extra idler motor. If you are just running a three phase motor, I have taken a real liking to Freq Drives that allow single phase input and make three phase with a derating factor.

A friend with a single phase shop has a lathe and milling machine that I switched over to run 3 phase off AC tech drives. The mill was 600 volt too. He was saying just the other day, how he doesn't know how he survived without them.

 

[5030]

Not me. The machines we use in the shop require 100% of their rated output so rotary conversion is the only alternative for us. Might as well use static conversion over a freq drive, it's cheaper and just as inefficient. 2 of our machines are freq drive but the input requires a continual excited T3 leg.

All depends on what you expect the rated output to be and freq drives don't work well for a heavily loaded motor.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the freq drives are very efficient, You just need to buy a larger and more expensive one if you are supplying it with single phase power.

WARNING! Used one also sometimes go kaboom and I mean kaboom if you don't carefully reform the capacitors prior to use after some considerible time of non use.

 

[5030]

Depends on the intended end use.

 

[Big Barn]

There have recently been several threads on converting single phase to 3 ph Surplus Center has just advertised a 3-5 HP phase converter for $220. Link attached.

3 HP To 5 HP Phase Converter | Bargain Bin | www.surpluscenter.comase.

Ron

That same converter came with the Peddinghaus iron worker I bought. I have three phase in my shop but didn’t feel like running 30 feet of new wiring especially since I wasn’t certain of its ideal location.

Using the phase converter was a no brainer as I already had a 50 amp
welding plug nearby.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I have two 3ph machines in my shop, my lathe,

and a really HD drill press,

I power them both with this rotary phase converter,

Push the button to turn on the RPC, and use one or both machines as needed.

It works out perfectly!

SR

 

[Kernopelli]

Rotary is the best way to go but if you are able to get away with the reduced power that a static converter supplies, you can get one much cheaper than $220. I have bought 3 static converters for myself and my son's equipment from WNY supply for 1/3 of the Surplus Center price and they have worked great! Let me say now....I love Surplus Center and have bought from them several times but hey, if I can save $150, I'm going to do it. WNY's are like everyone else's units, they are super easy to wire and they offer great support if you need advice. Check them out Welcome to WNY Supply your online phase converter store