Phase converter question

Hello, all,

I think this is the first question I've put in this section, in the several years I've been moderately active on this board.

Over the years, I've done my best to give useful advice on a variety of questions relating to mending-up old junk........er......that is, rebuilding/restoring older American machinery.

Now we come to a question in which I'm the 'newbie', or possibly, 'idiot'.

I'm phobic about the power, after having nearly lost my life when the insulation on a drill motor failed, quite a few years ago, but have managed to learn just enough to be able to wire up motor starters, etc., up to about the 20hp, 230V 3ph range, well enough for correct, safe installation.

I hate to have to admit it, but I've just never really learned a lot of the theory involved in electrical work, and really haven't the motivation to become knowledgeable in the field, except as needed to adequately wire up old machine tools.

To the obvious question of 'why don't I just get someone to do this work?....... well, we have friends who are real EE's, and say they will 'get around' to doing up some wiring work for us.....but..... that 'get around to' seems to involve something resembling the theological concept of 'eternity'.

Oh, well, on to the real question.....

Our little shop here has the machines running on an improvised phase converter which an old electrician faked-up for us, slightly over twenty years ago, and that system is getting to be due for replacement.

He used an old heavy 7-1/2 hp 3ph motor, kept trying capacitors til he found ones which would spin up the motor, and used those, with a 'time delay relay' for the improvised system.

That system has worked adequately well to run common machine tool motors up to 7-1/2hp, on machines where the motor started under no-load, for all these years, but its beginning to intermittently malfunction.

Whilst that arrangement has been adequate, its location and noise level has been a petty nuisance all this time, so I'm thinking of replacing it with a current production 'ready-to-go' system, which I'll mount up in an outside shed alongside the building, so that we'll no longer have to listen to the converter run. It looks as tho I'll have to do this myself, with a strong, but unskilled, helper.

The crux of my question is this.....I'm unable to adequately decipher the advertising from the different makers of rotary converter systems. I noticed that someone had asked a similar question below, here, and the 'thread' got side-tracked' with recommendations for variable-frequency equipment.....so I'm asking, as did this other person.......what is the best quality of rotary phase converter amongst those advertised by the various makers ?

I'd rather pay a bit more for quality, and the 'peace of mind' involved in knowing that the converter, once correctly wired-up, will have a long reliable service life. (that means, once I go through the work of running the bl**dy conduit and running the bl**dy wires, I just don't want to have to have to tinker with it again, for several years time at least)

Now, according to their advertising, the 'American' make might seem a good choice.....but what difference might there be between advertising and reality?

That they offer a Baldor-based rotary sounds good a first hearing......but is Baldor still a best make?

Another maker of rotary converters advertise their unit to be cast iron frame, which is good......but they don't say where their motor components are built....does that infer that they probably use Chinese or other off-shore components?

In short, if I'm willing to pay the price.....within reason......for a best quality unit, which should I choose?.....and, yes, I mean 'name names', from real-world experience.

Yes, I know, I could just put new capacitors in the existing unit, and a new time-delay relay, put new bearings in the motor, and it would likely out-live me......but I just don't want to do that, if I can get a new off-the-shelf best quality, reliable, rotary converter. (that, and I'd promised our existing unit to a friend, once it was replaced)

From the advertised specs, that 'Phase Perfect' unit seems impressive......but I really don't think its cost-effective for our use.....and I really don't want to get into variable-frequency technology.

cheers

Carla

American Rotary certainly has an excellent reputation, although I've never used one.

Phase-A-Matic also uses a custom made Baldor in their units. I've had two & both were well made & heavily constructed. Quite a bit on info on their site: http://www.phase-a-matic.com/RotaryDescription.htm

Arco Electric also builds an excellent unit, & offers a choice of three models (Roto Phase I, II or III). My first one was the Heavy Duty RPII, my current on is the Standard Duty RPI with voltage regulation (bought that way because that's what the seller had) Their site also has lots of info, and their tech reps are excellent on the telephone: http://www.arco-electric.com/Products.cfm?ShowPage=RP

I own a Phase Master from Kay Industries (www.Kayind.com). It came recommended from the dealer of high end woodworking equipment. I bought the pre-wired and remote start options. All I had to do was run the power from the main panel to the unit and then wires from the unit to the machines. Very easy to hook up. The remote start options allows me to keep the rpc in another room to keep the noise in the shop down and still turn it on and off from the main shop. These units are not cheap but I was told they are the best. It is the only one I've ever used so I really don't know if it really is the best. The people are very easy to work with, I called them to make sure it would run all the 3 phase motors I have, easy to get in touch with.

convertors

20 years ago Washington State provided free data on three phase induction motor efficiency. At that time the least efficient motor series was Lincoln Electric at 79%. The most efficient- Toshiba New World at 95%. Chinese sourced motors had minimal market penetration then. It is no surprise that many phase convertor manufacturers used Lincoln motors, frequently missing output shaft, in convertor applications. It was cost driven. The convertor does two things; consumes kilowatts and creates a manufactured third phase. If the convertor is lower hp (10-15 hp or less) the penalty for a less efficient convertor motor is small since it is under no load. A more important consideration is up sizing convertor for cnc machine tool starting/running. Frequently 50% greater size than conventional tool in terms of total KW rated load. As motor size increases, quicker payback occurs by going to the more efficient manufacturers.
Free motor efficiency software.

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/industr...odID=5&CustID=35169&ProdName=MotorMaster+ 4.0

RPC on the cheap!

I can appreciate the "factory" RPC's. In my case I called WNY Supply which sell on E-bay as well as direct and ordered their assembled RPC Panel (they do have kits as well) for my 40hp Motor. If you have a source for a motor locally then a panel is the way to go. Comes with instructions etc. I will try and post pictures tomorrow when it arrives. If you buy from them, buy it on-line at their E-bay store as it calculates the exact shipping. If you call them or buy from their website then its a flat charge for shipping. Buying at E-bay saved me $80.00 in shipping and its coming by way of DHL.

Frank in Tennessee