What's new
What's new

3 Phase Options for DC Drive Systems

thermite

Diamond
I don't make chips. No need. BTDTGGTS ..paycheck stubs.. and the scars. Plenty of others make chips, NOW. Why wood-eye do it meself except when I needed to do?

I make tests. For fun. Because I can. And when I FEEL like it. ELSE NOT.

I only ever did the one 10EE with a single-phase SSD drive. Others who DO "make chips" took it up, thereafter. Worked for them, too.

Then. .what to do NEXT?

I bought the two Phase-Perfect (down to ONE, now) the 3-Phase "rotating power" capable MEP-803A Diesel good for 12 kVA sustained, 15 kVA peak.. and started rebuilding my one-idler 10 HP RPC into a "dial a power" four-idler 3 HP to 27 HP RPC as an adjustable-balance lab source.

Utility-mains grade 3-Phase I can intentionally degrade incrementally ...to ascertain just how demanding a 3-Phase DC drive actually IS. Or is NOT.

My target IS a 3-phase-only DC Drive...with GOOD Field Regulation.

Haven't decided which ONE yet. As with the SSD choice, it will need to be:

- proven capable

- still in current production

- affordable.

But.. life intrudes, too. The MOPAR T&C Touring needed replacement, enter the Range Rover soaking up time and money to put to rights. A long-overdue Reinke Shake 40 or 50-year roof needs new decking and installed.

Meanwhile, Ned will probably have his Sabina drive up and running off a basic RPC.

Lots of other folk can do this. Some have done it already- just haven't posted it on PM. Or they even DID do, but were overlooked in the "donie" amateur-hour savagery.

Don't wait on any ONE person.

I never had the privilege of serving in the field with this lot. Some who had retired were my driver/bodyguards as a Seniour Corporate Executive, though.

It was never their high-tech hardware, always their attitude that mattered:

"Who dares, wins!"


So I'm just as happy to cut bait as I am to fish.

More so, actually! It's the Canadians, after all who ANSWERED;

Osons

"WE Dare"

Lazy, Iyam.

:D
 
Last edited:
That's awesome, as once a church going man I appreciate the thread ! :D

I expect with everyone's personal stuff to attend to, that this might be a long running thread till things are worked out. But that's ok, I'm curious some ideas on it myself.

One question on Phase Perfect rpc's, I thought the fella making them retired ? Did someone else pick up what he was doing, or do we know the means of what he was doing with the control box ?
 
I'd be quite interested to hear feedback on how that goes. I've really just begun exploring DC drive set ups, and feel a million miles behind on the subject. Plus I've got other projects to get to first. But I've begun information gathering on the subject and will be looking for a set up on a 5hp 10ee, be it single or 3 phase.

Quite a bit of drive systems available on ebay, though condition or working will be the big gamble. But the price of some is pretty decent, even if a gamble. Allows some room to experiment I think.

How feasible would it be to use a higher hp drive on a lower hp motor ? Could it be controlled to not torch the lower hp motor ? And would AC electric consumption be that of the drive rating, or what the motor and drive output uses ?
 
Part of my curiosity on power consumption would help roughly answer 3 questions:

1. How much it might affect my electricity/light bill
2. How much load or amps am I putting on my shops electrical system
3. How much HP am I roughly using on a given machine, on any particular operation of that machine, be it light or heavy.

If anyone experimenting, or setting up systems has a multi-meter with an amp clamp, or another way to measure amps. . . Then we could measure amps on L1 & L2 supply to the DC drive, power on but unloaded, then measure at various states of load.

On an RPC, Measure amps on L1 and L2 feeding rpc, and the 3 outgoing legs. . . Again power on but unloaded, then loaded. . .


Kind of an off topic example: Earlier in the year I bought a rough 5hp air compressor, single phase 240v. I went through the compressor a bit. Also the electric side. The single phase 240V motor was pulling like 35 amps on L1 and L2, and I felt something was wrong. . .

In my shop I built a panel to monitor volts and amps. The top row of gauges is volts and amps into the shop. The 2nd row is volts/amps to rpc(amps on L2 is inop, needs replacement). The 3rd row comes on once rpc is fired up, and shows volts/amp of the 3 legs.

In this pic I have shops lights on L1 for about 2 amps, while shop A/C is on L2 for 7 amps. RPC is turned off:

133.jpg

In this pic the only change is I powered on rpc, The green amps gauge reading zero is broke, needs replacement, but would read 7-8 amps as well:

134.jpg

In my air compressor experiment I replaced the 5hp single phase motor with a 5hp 3 phase motor. I added the gray box for a contactor that is triggered by the compressors regular pressure switch.

136.jpg

Previously the compressor's single phase 5hp motor pulled 35 amps by itself. Now with rpc running, shop A/C on, I turn on air compressor and we can see all that combined I am under 30 amps to the shop itself. I gained on using a better motor, plus I'm saving on electric consumption. This pic shows air compressor running:

135.jpg

Anyway, part of my point is I'd like to try monitoring amps on the various systems as well, just to see if something is noticeably or significantly different.
 
Yer playin' wit' pretty meters to marginal effect if any effect at all.

Hey Bill, remember you told me "we ain't clones, and thanks for it", we might actually have some different thoughts. I'm thinking its something like that. :D

If I'm at any machine in my shop, and the motor bears down, or I have anything unusual at all. A simple turn of my head tells me immediatly if I lost a leg, the amps shot through the roof, erratic voltage etc.

I personally find that valuable. But that's me, non-clone me. :D

Doing quite a bit of troubleshooting on marine vessels, there is no utility meter, no telephone poles, or power lines out on the water. Primarily use 3 meters to troubleshoot, Hz, volts, and amps.
 








 
Back
Top