Matsuura on Low Power Supply

Looking at a 1996 Matsuura MC-800VF, VMC

The only problem is the transformer on the power pole is only 25kVa (single phase) and the machine is rated 37kVa in the book specs and 41kVa, 200-220V, 118A on the metal plate on the back of the machine. The transformer was installed 1.5 years ago with a subsidy, to upgrade would mean full cost which is out of budget.

The RPC manufactures recommend a 40hp RPC for this machine.

Is it possible to run a smaller RPC that would work with the 25kVa transformer? Can I just run the machine at a reduced rpm/rapids/feed etc and get away with it? Can the machine/control be damaged if it goes over the available power?

the reason I'm asking is I put some money down without checking the transformer, assuming it was sized for multiple residences, which it's not. Otherwise I would just go to a smaller machine. But this one is low hours, a good price, and has a large envelope, plus I would lose the money down.

I'm not cutting Inconel at max rapids/feed. Mostly aluminum low volume prototyping.

Chris Duncan said:

Can I just run the machine at a reduced rpm/rapids/feed etc and get away with it? Can the machine/control be damaged if it goes over the available power?

Click to expand...

I did that for a year or so .... don't know about the rpc but in one rental unit I had three phase but it was insufficient to run the machine at full power. The only thing that happened the once or twice I got too carried away was, it tripped the breaker.

Tripping the breaker is a pain, some sort of ammeter you could watch would be helpful, but nothing got hurt.

So this leads to another question. Cart before the horse scenario.

Working from the other direction, fitting the machine to the existing available power. With a 25kVa transformer and 200 amp residential service, what is the largest maximum RPC that you could run?