Plasma cutter with phase converter

Can I run a plasma cutter on a phase converter? I have a 7.5hp and 20 hp phase converter. I just need to figure out what size the plasma cutter is. A neighbor has one for sale, need to know what is possible before buying one.

MetalArtistCandy said:

Can I run a plasma cutter on a phase converter? I have a 7.5hp and 20 hp phase converter. I just need to figure out what size the plasma cutter is. A neighbor has one for sale, need to know what is possible before buying one.

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I run a Thermal Dynamics 60i 3 phase on my 15hp rotary. Works perfect.(CNC table too.) That is cutting 1.5 inch in test mode.. If fact it pierces better then the single phase versions I have owned. Guy I sold a single phase machine to, gave me the 15 hp motor for my phase converter..

I recently converted my 85A plasma to single-phase using technique similar to what I've done with welders, and it blasted through 1" plate like butter, but I really haven't had an opportunity to put it to a good long-term, long-duty-cycle test...

And...

there's a zillion different types of plasma cutters... some are transformer based, some are switching-mode types... what YOU are considering, could be totally different from any other. If it's a switching-mode (inverter) unit, it darn well might be set up from factory to work on single OR three.

What kind of machine does your neighbor have? take a picture of the ID plates and look it up on the web, download a manual, get a schematic. We can tell you more from that. ;-)

Dave, in my quest to find an inexpensive plasma cutter I checked out the diagrams for a lot of three phase cutters. I actually found that some of the transformer based units used the capacitors on one phase to make their three phase unit run on single phase.

tjb836 said:

Dave, in my quest to find an inexpensive plasma cutter I checked out the diagrams for a lot of three phase cutters. I actually found that some of the transformer based units used the capacitors on one phase to make their three phase unit run on single phase.

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That is dead-on, sir... they simply phase-shifted the middle coil to make it circulate.