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Help Swapping 550V motor with 220V motor

Engineering123

Plastic
Joined
Jun 18, 2020
Hello,

I am helping a friend swap from a 3phase 550V motor on a machine from Canada to a 3 phase 220v motor.

Motor is on order and we were going to go through and swap out the other necessary components in the box.

My initial guess is that we will have to swap to starter, fuses, and possible overloads. I have not yet seen the print.

Was wondering if there are any other things to be on the lookout for before the swap.

Anyone else have any experience with a project like this?
 
Wire gauge is a good point thank you!

I am hoping this bad boy is all 12ga. I haven't seen it yet but if it is I think 12ga should be enough.
 
This should be moved to the electrical section.

I think it might be better to just buy a 220 to 575 xformer and feed the machine what it wants.
 
for some reason, 550V was also popular in the US, in the textile industry & areas where that industry was prevalent.
My Diehl lumber jointer came out of one in the south.

It's far easier to just get a cheap used transformer from one of the surplus places.
Here's a summary from my install in '08 Machine has 3 large 550v motors.
I have a similar set up in the machine shop, with 440v

"I settled on a 15kVA, 120/208 - 480 transformer. High tap is 504. So an actual 230V input would yield 557V out on high tap. 240v input should net 581V output. etc"

Here's the posts. Sorry the picture links are broken.

https://www.practicalmachinist.com/...-diehl-lumber-jointer-153454/?highlight=Diehl

smt
 
Hopefully then starters are big enough to take double the amps? The control transformer will have to be rewired or replaced. heaters need to be switched out or adjusted up if the starters can handle the amps.
Bill D
 
I have a german shaper with a 10hp. 2 speed 440v motor. Bought a used transformer for not much $$, works great. Gotta be easier and cheaper than swapping out motors.

BTW, I went to a Bethlehem Steel auction in Buffalo, NY many years ago. All the machines in their huge pattern shop were 550v. I'm pretty sure they had their own power plant, the site was like a little city of it's own, I guess 550 saved them big time on copper.
 








 
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