Should I Use A Rotary Or Static Phase Converter??

[MadReferee]

Pine,

Take a look at the link to one of the Practical Machinist forums below. This is a forum specifically to talk about transformers and phase converters. Most of the people there are pro's and you will get excellect advice and all your questions answered, if they haven't already done so.

Practical Machinist Phase Converters

 

[Louisiana_John]

I would go but a motor shop and buy an old motor. Maybe an odd ball or one with a messed shaft. Just get one a little bigger than you have on the machine. Wire up the 2 110 legs of the machine and the extra motor on separate circuits. Put the extra motor close to a switch or the breaker. Now wire the Y legs (3 phase) part of the extra motor and the machine together. To start the extra motor you will wrap a pull rope around the shaft then pull to get the motor spinning. Now while the motor is spinning cut on the power for the extra motor. The extra motor will start running on it on. It is now making the y leg power for the machine. You can now go start you machine like you have 3 phase.
There are many ways you can make this work. A small 11o motor with a tire and a foot petal to start the extra motor. You can ever wire capacitors to start the extra motor.
There it is you can know make your on rotary phase converter cheep. I can usually find free motors that will work.
I have a buddy that is running his whole machine shop like this. The more you have running the more power you have.
I was lucky I had the power company run me 3 phase to my shop. So send me your lath I will take it off your hands.
John

 

[3RRL]

Mike,
The link you have provides an option to use your own 3Ø motor. They can provide the junction box with all wiring and capacitors for automatic start....a little cheaper but you have to have your own 3Ø motor. Plus, most guys don't have a spare 7hp or 10hp 3Ø motor lying around.

Fortunately, I had a 3hp 3Ø motor lying around. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I gave it my step son along with a surface grinder and a Bridgeport mill and tooling to use in his garage. We got the wiring box kit and used our own motor for that. Both those machines fall under "easy start" and the 3hp starts and runs both of them easily.

 

[SPIKER]

Hi Mike (aka pineridge)

I would give akron bearing a call and see what they have, they can get stuff like this pretty cheap and have or usually have some larger 3 phase stuff on-hand. also while you can get just ANY ole 3 phase motor to make 3 phase as mentioned above there are some that are made to be used as phase converters with a better windings. BUT I think I would contack akron bearing and or Tri-Power MPT to get some prices on a Frequency Drive. get a 220 single phase to 240 3 phase and have the frew drive in a package about 12" square. then have varriable frequency and over voltage/amp protection in a small package at a price that is less than the converter! you then can run one set of 3 phase lines around the shop & run different machines one at a time though as they freq drive is usually rated at max morot HP .

one other place in mansfield is HOOVER instrement company. (sorry I have no phone #'s here to give ya) they have them at a good price too, I;ve used them before a lot.

other place is CPI in shelby oh. ( http://www.cpisurplus.com ) for motors feq drives ect fuses starters you name it. great people I get stuff there on a every so often basis. if they have something you need want let me know I could maybe meet you in wooster @ RK one day if needed.


makr M

 

[PineRidge]

Guys I'm really impressed here! All you guys came through with lots of good information. I'll make some calls 1st of the week and see what pans out. Thanks again all.

 

[Farwell]

My dad used static converters on his 17 inch lathe as well as on his large mill and never had any problem. From what you wrote in your post you do not plan on using the lathe all of the time so in most cases you won't need the full 5 horse power. If there is any power loss with the static converter in my opinion it will not be that noticeable.
If I was going to use a lathe constantly I would buy a rotary converter and as others in this thread wrote the rotary system is better in most cases.
Farwell

 

[PineRidge]

Well we got the lathe home yesterday. The guy I bought it from loaded it on the trailer using a tow-motor so there was no problem there. However once we got it to my place I wasn't able to get it off the trailer. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Turns out the weight is 3800 pounds which is more than the lift capacity of our TC40D. Borrowed my neighbors TN70D and the loader has enough guts to easily lift the lathe unfortunately even with the biggest box-blade loaded down with my weight bar on the back the rear wheels come up off the ground when making the lift. (big pucker factor) We are going to mount his BH today and give it another try. This South Bend is a monster, see picture.

 

[kennyd]

Mike,
What the he** are you going to make with that thing, airplane parts?
That is one big lathe my friend, you are a lucky man!

 

[Defective]

looks a little short for turning his own custom post hole augers from solid stock...

 

[PineRidge]

Kenny I have been watching eBay for months trying to find a nice Sears or Logan lathe. Those would have been much easier to move (less weight).

But then I ran into a seller that had acquired 4 of these identical South Bend lathes from a high school in the Cleveland area. He made a BIG mistake of listing 3 on the very same day, all starting at $0.99 and with no reserve. his auctions I figured what the heck they most likely were not abused, and had regular maintenance. The lathe is solid, all the controls function smoothly, and there is no slop or backlash in the mechanisms. The guy even threw in a 12" 3 jaw chuck, a 12" 4 jaw chuck, chuck wrench, left, right, and center tool-post holders, and a big faceplate. How could I say no to a deal like that?

A little clean up, maybe a bit of touch up here and there and it should look factory new again. Check out the South Bend web site to see what a 17" lathe is going for new and you'll know the true meaning of sticker shock. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

The good price got my testosterone to flowing and good reasoning flew out the window. Mass rules anyway when it comes to lathes. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Anyone need any magnesium wheel hubs made for a 747 Jet?

Follow me to eBay Kenny, now we're looking for a Bridgeport Mill. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif