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Setup my 20hp RPC and 3ph panel.

Fabworks

Hot Rolled
Joined
Jul 25, 2013
Location
California, USA
Finally setup my RPC.

I found a old, never used 20hp idler motor at a local auction.
Bought a RPC control box from Jim Gorman at Phase-Craft. Jim does a great job packing his panels. They were filled with bubble wrap to keep things in place inside. He was very helpful via email and on the phone.

I also setup a 3ph panel to have separate circuits for everything.

With my 5hp lathe running the voltages were:

243v house
243v
241v

I am very pleased !! :)
RPC.JPG
 
Finally setup my RPC.

I found a old, never used 20hp idler motor at a local auction.
Bought a RPC control box from Jim Gorman at Phase-Craft. Jim does a great job packing his panels. They were filled with bubble wrap to keep things in place inside. He was very helpful via email and on the phone.

I also setup a 3ph panel to have separate circuits for everything.

With my 5hp lathe running the voltages were:

243v house
243v
241v

I am very pleased !! :)
View attachment 189189
Looks like a nice neat install :)

I have a 20 HP and a 10 HP converter panel from Jim... They are professionally made and very easy to use. just press a button and instant 3 phase! Couldn't be more pleased myself :)

I can't see any protection for the idler motor in your picture.. Is it hidden?

My instructions said to provide protection for the motor so I used a fused disconnect in the line going to the motor.

efinish.jpg

20141201_211637_resized.jpg
 
Looks like a nice neat install :)

I have a 20 HP and a 10 HP converter panel from Jim... They are professionally made and very easy to use. just press a button and instant 3 phase! Couldn't be more pleased myself :)

I can't see any protection for the idler motor in your picture.. Is it hidden?

My instructions said to provide protection for the motor so I used a fused disconnect in the line going to the motor.

View attachment 189215

View attachment 189216

Nice job on your installation.

I figured that since the breaker/disconnect for the circuit feeding the RPC panel / idler motor was right next to it, (that's the panel to the far right) I was covered.
Besides in Jim's instructions he used the word "should". :D

Yes, push button 3 phase is the bomb !! :cool:
 
Finally setup my RPC.

I found a old, never used 20hp idler motor at a local auction.
Bought a RPC control box from Jim Gorman at Phase-Craft. Jim does a great job packing his panels. They were filled with bubble wrap to keep things in place inside. He was very helpful via email and on the phone.

I also setup a 3ph panel to have separate circuits for everything.

With my 5hp lathe running the voltages were:

243v house
243v
241v

I am very pleased !! :)
View attachment 189189

DAMN! I hardly ever get the balance THAT close! I just dropped by to see what was new here. I like the way you covered the shaft. A lot of people aren't crazy about cutting it off.

I rarely stop in here, and I noticed a few people had tried to PM me... sorry if I didn't get back to you, but I hope you found me on eBay or found my number (714) 710-9094.

Gotta get back to work tonight... now that the elections are over, business has been off the hook! Nice installation.
 
Finally setup my RPC.

I found a old, never used 20hp idler motor at a local auction.
Bought a RPC control box from Jim Gorman at Phase-Craft. Jim does a great job packing his panels. They were filled with bubble wrap to keep things in place inside. He was very helpful via email and on the phone.

I also setup a 3ph panel to have separate circuits for everything.

With my 5hp lathe running the voltages were:

243v house
243v
241v

I am very pleased !! :)
View attachment 189189
i'd be interested to know what you're single phase idling amps are (with nothing else running) and the three-phase voltages are(with nothing else running)?
 
i'd be interested to know what you're single phase idling amps are (with nothing else running) and the three-phase voltages are(with nothing else running)?

If I remember correctly, the single phase idling current on a 20-HP motor is typically around 8-9 amps.

Your second question is something people should be aware of. Voltage balance is a moving target, depending on the physical and inductive load on the entire system (idler and driven motors) at any given time. The RPM of the motors has a significant effect on voltage balance, with slower motors requiring more run capacitance. Since the RPM of the idler motor is known, I build my panels with that in mind, eliminating one of the variables. To my knowledge, nobody else bothers to do this. Since the driven load may consist of different motors with different horsepower and RPMs, that remains a variable, but by knowing the idler motor characteristics and adjusting for them, balance will be closer than just building one panel to use with idler motors with different RPMs.

Idler motors over 10-HP are a little less predictable as far as the output balance. I've noticed more variation from one motor to the next, but the goal is to have the "sweet spot," where you reach the closest balance, to occur with a load of about half the horsepower of the idler motor. This puts the working range right in the middle, so that whether you're running a very small or a very large load, your balance is still within acceptable limits. I consider a balance of plus or minus 2% of the single phase voltage excellent, but not always attainable. 6% is about average, but most "dumb" machinery with no electronics will be quite happy within 10%.
 
I recently acquired a Fluke clamp amp meter so I was able to measure the amp draw for my RPC setup while idling..

I was please to find that it was only drawing 3 amps.:)

I'll just let run now, instead of turning off and on frequently.
 








 
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