Rotary Phase Converters, Good Deal?

[ian maybury]

Hi guys. Further to my band saw and single to 3 phase conversion threads i've just noticed that Phoenix Phase Converters (a) supply a rotary converter panels without the motor, and (b) are offering what seem to be very good looking deals at present: conhttp://www.phoenixphaseconverters.com/product.php?id_product=23

The combination seems very attractive as (a) US prices are already much better than over here, and (b) they are selling on EBay UK and so presumably have a unit for our 220V/50Hz single phase supply, and (c) it means i can source a scrapper idler motor with a damaged output shaft locally to suit. Plus it avoids the cost of shipping a very heavy motor.

$189 plus shipping for what they call their 5HP 'extreme duty' panel seems like a very good deal unless there's a catch somewhere - i couldn't hope to build it DIY over here for that.....

ian

[fRED mCnEILL]

"$189 plus shipping for what they call their 5HP 'extreme duty' panel seems like a very good deal unless there's a catch somewhere - i couldn't hope to build it DIY over here for that..."
Its probably not a bad deal but I do dissagree with your statement that you couldn't built it for that.
I have a rfc that consists of a 7hp motor and the rest of the "stuff". The "stuff" consists of one 40amp breaker, one momentary switch , and 2 or three(can't remember the number off hand) capacitors, all enclosed in a metal cabinet. I estimate the cost of this "stuff" to be about $50. When I was trying to build my own static phase converter I bought the capacitors from a local surplus place and the cost was 2-3 dollars each. Never could get it working but that is because I didn't know what I was doing. But the actual parts were very cheap.
If you know what you are doing I don't think it would be too expensive.
Just a further comment.
After I bought my rpc (used) it quit working. I took it to a local electrical repair place. The old guy there said "hey, I built that unit". I responded by saying "boy, they sure are simple". He took great offence to my comment and responded with a huff saying" well, it took me years to figure it out". Turns out the breaker had quit working and it was a simple fix.

Good luck.

Fred Mc.

[Brian Runau]

Seems to me having someone wire a dedicated line and having that one time expensive VS buying something that has wear & tear and future replacement costs.........

[ian maybury]

Parts are unfortunately quite a lot more expensive over here Fred, i priced capacitors locally and they were coming in at more like $26 each. We don't have surplus stores and the like, and get ripped off for stuff like that - so the alternative is lots of digging in the UK.

For what it's worth i've gone off the possibility of this RPC since posting. Speaking to Phoenix it emerged that their unit does not (as is normal with units sold in the UK) include the transformer needed to give our 400V 3 phase power, and i was left doubting that it's optimised to suit our 50Hz frequency too.

ian