Rotary Phase Converters

[Barnheater]

Has anybody had any experience with rotary phase converters? If so, any pro's & con's you can pass on? thanks.

 

[Cas]

I have a self exciting (no pony motor) rotary
phase converter. Use it on 5 hp lathe, bridgeport, welder, 10 hp air compressor. It
has been used several years every day without
a problem. Phases seem to be pretty well
balanced. The only thing I am going to do this
year is put idler moter outside in an insulated
box. The noise is finally aggravating me.

 

[Bruce S IL]

I used a home made one when I started my buisness 20 years ago. It ran a lathe, surface grinder, tool & cutter grinder, milling machine just fine. I used it for about a year then got 3PH wiring in my building. I sold my buisness 2 years ago and the person that bought it didn't have 3PH so he had to get a bigger one because I had more machines by then. The bigger one worked fine except for the wire EDM machine. It would knock the wire EDM machine out when he started another machine. So he took my old home made converter and uses it just for the wire EDM and it has been working fine for 2 years now. The wire EDM also runs throuth a transformer for a good clean poweer source.

 

[Heavy D]

I have used a 30hp rotary phase converter in my machine shop for the last 8 years with no problems so far. I run a cnc vertical mill(15hp), a bridgeport(2hp),surface grinder(1.5hp), a small lathe. I can use the two mills at the same time. If I had to do it all over again I might go with a digital (NOT a STATIC)converter only because of the annoying hum of motor running all day, sometimes 18hrs.

 

[Fixalinc]

Can use a VFD instead.
Variable Frequency Drive

 

[Butch(OH)]

One advantage of the rotory is it will run more than one machine, just size it for the largest motor and you can run everything else, even at the same time, you only need one of them. Advantage of VFD is you can vary the speed and you can get various output voltages from various inputs but you need one for every tool you run. Disadavantages of rotory is noise as indicated but I simply put mine in another room. Although I have never seen it posted anywhere I think the rotory fools my meter some how as I can run my 10HP engine lathe HARD along with my 3HP mill and I never see any notable increase in my electric bill. Another rotory advantage is if you are handy and so inclined you can build one for close to zero investment although VFDs have come down in price considerably.

 

[Bus Driver]

A rotary converter uses power whenever it is running, even if no loads powered by it are on. Over time, the cost is significant.