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How To help with phase converter input wiring

H

HSC ///

Gold Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2012
Messages
4,737
just picked up this phase converter, I'm not certain where the 220 input wires would go.
I'm thinking red and black? simple as that or more to it?

lFzq9VX.jpg

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fdzbvdv.jpg
 
I believe that is correct. It would be on mine. L1 and L2 are the two input lines and L3 is the generated leg. L1 and L2 are 180 degrees out of phase from each other and 240 V to each other (your normal input power) and 120 V to ground. The generated leg is 90 out of phase to L1 and L2 and it 240V to them and about 210V to ground. (because of math)

The difference from your RPC and mine is I see no start circuit. Mine has start capacitors and run capacitors and a timed starter circuit, I don't see any of that here so I'm not sure how you start it.
 
HSC /// said:
I'm a bit slow this morning, pull cord? ;)
Click to expand...
You can’t start a 3 phase motor with only 2 phases, but it will run on only two once it is spinning up to speed. A lot of modern RPCs will have starting caps that drop out once the motor is up to speed, or even a single phase pony motor to start it spinning.
If you want a really basic option, a piece of rope wrapped around the shaft can do the same thing (at least on smaller RPCs). Pull the rope, spin the shaft, start the motor.

Contact!
 
knife to a gunfight said:
You can’t start a 3 phase motor with only 2 phases, but it will run on only two once it is spinning up to speed. A lot of modern RPCs will have starting caps that drop out once the motor is up to speed, or even a single phase pony motor to start it spinning.
If you want a really basic option, a piece of rope wrapped around the shaft can do the same thing (at least on smaller RPCs). Pull the rope, spin the shaft, start the motor.

Contact!
Click to expand...
thank you
so a push button mag starter like this would be useful?

https://www.phoenixphaseconverters....KYAzYKnRTymULPzELUCEXIuwXk1ghbrRoCYy0QAvD_BwE
 
It's a Baldor product.

Here's the real advantage over not having some import from china or india

Contact Baldor - you get all the info and help you can handle.
 
A single phase motor frequently makes use of a start capacitor to get it going in the correct direction. A three phase motor does not generally need this, three phase is self clocking.

Attempting to start a three phase motor on single phase doesn't work well. But once it's running, a three phase motor will "single phase" just fine and run at reduced HP output. I think this is the basis of static phase converters, they just start the motor and get it going.

Many RPC have basically a static phase converter circuit to start the three phase motor which then drops out and the motor can single phase on your main lines and generate the wild leg. If your RPC doesn't have some sort of a starter circuit you need some way to get it started turning. This could be a static converter, a pull cord or a pony motor.

I think there is a good chance that if you power that setup without first spinning the motor up a little you're likely to overload something. It doesn't need to be running full speed, just turning the right direction.
 
I would check with Baldor.

Looking at the connections in the photo, I think your converter would take single phase input on L1 and L3, but without a schematic I am not sure..
 
On a phase converter absolutely it does matter
 
The single phase input has to be balanced across the capacitors. Hook it up wrong and you blow caps like fireworks.

On a simple rotary converter with no capacitors, then you could hook the input to any two legs.
 
Yeah I wasn't thinking about which leg the caps are simulating a phase to.

Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
I would check with Baldor.

Looking at the connections in the photo, I think your converter would take single phase input on L1 and L3, but without a schematic I am not sure..
Click to expand...


It's not a Baldor product. Convert-A-Phase just used a Baldor motor. To me it looks like the caps are simulating L3 so you'd want to power L1 and L2.
 
I think that is probably true, however if you put power to one and two before the motor is spinning you're liable to have a problem
 
convert-a-phase appears to be out of business...
I believe it's L1 and L2 for the incoming as kuraki kuraki mentioned.
I'm going to try that push button mag starter I referenced earlier and see what happens.

I'm only into this for $150 at this point

The Baldor motor has no exposed shaft so the pull cord isn't really an option and frankly that's not really how I want to operate this thing. If anyone has any real practical solutions for a motor start up, I'm all ears :)

If all else fails I can purchase a new panel complete for $325 and wire it to the Baldor, Phoenix phase converters sells a panel kit.

regards

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Last edited:
Well... H HSC ///

I have a complete push button start panel kit NIB rated for 10hp I'm not going to use. I just put VFDs on everything instead. Wouldn't hurt anything to run it on a smaller motor, and then you could upsize in the future.
 
I took a second look and agree with kuraki. L1 and L2.

I think the slight delay in L3 will cause the pony motor to start when power is applied.

I would connect power to L1 and L2 and flip the switch. If it doesn't start, flip it off immediately.
 
I think the caps currently wired to the motor are simply running caps to balance the voltage on the generated leg. It's possible the motor MAY start, as Stacy suggests, but before you spend the money on the mag switch, I'd put 220V on L1/L2 for a second or two and see if it does. If it doesn't you'll need to add a starting capacitor circuit into the mix along with your switch. If that ends up being the case, you may just want to think about grabbing a 3hp VFD and calling it a day... Up to you though. :)
 
so I wired this thing up yesterday and plugged it in and it fired up right away with no problems,
Tested it with two 3 phase machines, everything works great.

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