phase inverters ? setting up my shop

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45ACPKING

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So I know we have a tonne of machinist experience here so I have a question I'm hoping someone here can assist.

I aquired a Beaver milling machine, from a buddy who used to own a busy high end tool n die shop. She's big, manual, 2 foot x 4 foot bed LOL
Problem being my shop is not wired for 3 phase and even though I have 2 power sources/hydro meters , they will not let me have 3phase into my shop. Some dumb zoning issue :(

So I've heard about these single to 3phase inverters and would like to know if anyone here has any experience with this.
I don't have all the data but it's a 2 1/2 horse 3phase motor.
Any ideas.... I just wanna play with it like yesterday LOL
 
What my dad did to run his big old lathe was to hook up one phase of a three phase motor to his 240 volt shop panel, and then hook his lathe motor to all three windings on the first motor. To start his lathe, he puts a rope around the shaft of the first motor to get it spinning, then turns on the single phase power to it. The spinning motor then basically generates the other two phases that are needed to run the lathe. If you need to turn the lathe backwards for any reason, just turn the first motor the other direction to start it. He has had this working in his shop for about 20 years now without any issues.
Kristian
 
hi

i'm in the middle of setting up a 3 phase in my shop

i'm using an anderson phase converter
h ttp://www.andersonconverters.com/

i'd set up a rotary converter ... and you should go with an idler motor bout twice the size of your work motor ( if you start up under any kinda load...... in my case its for a 45 ton hydraulic forging press )

so far i just got my 7.5hp motor for work, and bought the 15hp idler last year ... ( its been a side project of mine when i get spare time )


don't bother asking hydro about running a 3phase line ... you'll have an easier time sproutin a goddam moose horns outa your ears, than getting any movement from those aholes ... 3phase is for industrial parks and the chosen ones
 
I've used American rotary inverter
For about 7 years now, I have the 30
Horse one, power 3 cnc machines with it . I have 100amps going into my shop from the house, they have great customer service, call and talk to their technical guy and he will get you the right one for you needs
 
dimeN said:
hi

i'm in the middle of setting up a 3 phase in my shop

i'm using an anderson phase converter
h ttp://www.andersonconverters.com/

i'd set up a rotary converter ... and you should go with an idler motor bout twice the size of your work motor ( if you start up under any kinda load...... in my case its for a 45 ton hydraulic forging press )

so far i just got my 7.5hp motor for work, and bought the 15hp idler last year ... ( its been a side project of mine when i get spare time )


don't bother asking hydro about running a 3phase line ... you'll have an easier time sproutin a goddam moose horns outa your ears, than getting any movement from those aholes ... 3phase is for industrial parks and the chosen ones
Click to expand...

Forgot to mention that the first motor needs to be bigger than the motor on your machine, good point.
Kristian
 
hi triplepete... not likely !

3phase industrial surplus motor can be had for real cheap

so far my two motors and the anderson converter have been wayyyy cheeper than buying a new single phase

besides... single phase draws more amps... and you get less output ... you'll have to oversize that single phase

3phase motor also last longer
 
We've already hashed over the "use a bigger single phase motor" but I fear this will limit what materials I can mill. If I was just doing plastics and aluminum, we could jerry rig somethin.

I will check out the rotary converter mentioned here. Thanx for the comments/advice so far. :rockOn:
 
check the different motor companies out there . there are a lot of motors to chose from. will you be using it as a hobby machine? switch to a smaller motor that runs at the same speed and is 220 single phase. try marathon motors they have all the dimensions on line.
 
For 1 or 2 machines under 3HP, VFD is often the way to go.
Rotaries are ok enough for most people, gets the job done.
Personally I use Phase Perfects, the best option other than the real stuff from the power co, but pricey.
 
Hmmm. I'm attracted to the rotary converter as it's quite affordable I'm finding.

VFD is something I haven't heard of but will research that as well.

I just need it to run this mill, power requirements for my other equipment are adequate.
 
A few of my machines are three phase and I use a 3 phase motor with 220V hooked to 2 of the 3 legs then the 3 legs connected to the 3 on the machine.
Once the power is switched on I give it a quick spin with the bottom of my boot and it spins off , now the machine is ready to be powered up.

Should be easy enough to find a cheap 3 phase motor at a surplus store .
 
I have a Bridgeport mill in my shop using a single phase transformer to get from 230 volts to 600 volts then a VFD to convert to 3 phase. Cheaper than rotary phase converter and no "noise" from the rotary converter.
 
I'm running a 2hp VFD for my 3 phase shaper, works well and not expensive at all.
As an added bonus you can vary the output speed, real handy for a milling machine, less so
for my shaper.

If you check out the Hobby-Machinist forum they have a section dedicated to VFD's phase converters etc.
Some good info from guys who've done it before. http://www.hobby-machinist.com/forum.php

media.nl


I paid $145 before shipping last year ..... just checked the website I purchased from they're currently $167.

http://www.factorymation.com/Products/FM50_230V/FM50-202-C.html

:cheers:
 
Industrial Canada is 600V which is different from the USA. I have run several tools using a phase converter and a tranformer to get 600v3p from 220v single. I bought an American Rotary direct to get the best price. I suggest you talk to them about wh at you want to run and how much it takes to get it started. A mill is pretty simple but a lathe that has to turn gears etc will take double the rating. I have run tools on a pc and from the line in 3P and they have run exactly the same as far as I could tell.
 
Would not go vfd it can't run multi loads and doesn't like being disconnected from the motor underload therefore you have to rewire the control so the vfd is the control panel eg. Stop, start,reverse, jog. If you want use a static phase converter, derate the motor and go from there. If you want to run multi loads use a rotophase, input singlev240 out 3 240, add a 208y to 600y transformer and run anything you like with no derating.
 
something to note. make sure you are fast when power flickers. my parents had a phase converter for a cooling unit they were running. the power went out and came black on and exploded the capacitors in the converter. was not pretty.
 
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