how to power English-built machine

[Rmany31]

I have seen ads for machine tools made in England that use 550 volts 3 phase,I had read about different ways to convert to USA requirements.I presently have 240v 1 ph 50 amp in my garage.I expected to change this anyway for any machine tool pretty much.What are the options available to do this and how much roughly do they cost? Thank you for your replies!

 

[Rbeckett]

Multi phase power run in from a pole is very expensive if you can even get the power co to do it. I would look at 3 phase 230 and a motor swap. Or you could opt for a phase converter like a fellow has for sale on site. But a phase converter capable of running a small shop is going to run a couple grand or mare easilly. Depending on how big the lathe is you might be able to successfully run a 220 single phase motor on it, but if it is a larger class machine I would look into the cost of 3 phase or getting a converter first. I got an estimate for 3 phase into my shop from the transformer on the pole on my property and they wanted 3000.00 to pull the wire in and drop it off the pole to a breaker box that would have to be wired by an electrician and be up to code. I'm still running single phase 220 due to that cost. As long as I am not trying to run a welder, plasma cutter and mill at the same time I do OK, but the meter looks like it is about to take off and fly into orbit too. I would definately get an est from an electrician and the local power compsny first.
Bob

 

[7HC]

I have seen ads for machine tools made in England that use 550 volts 3 phase,I had read about different ways to convert to USA requirements.I presently have 240v 1 ph 50 amp in my garage.I expected to change this anyway for any machine tool pretty much.What are the options available to do this and how much roughly do they cost? Thank you for your replies!

Don't forget that there's a frequency difference too. Here it's 60hz, in the UK it's 50hz.
I'd think it would be cheaper and easier to just replace the motor.


M

 

[JLeather]

I wouldn't worry too much about the phase difference. All that will do is make the motor run a bit faster. Same as putting a variable-frequency drive on a 60Hz 3-ph motor and dialing it up a bit. That little bit of extra speed should be well within the tolerance of the motor. If you're really concerned a VFD could give you 50Hz. 550v is what would worry me. The phase converters usually only change the phase of the power, you've got to start with the proper voltage. I don't know of any VFD's that work on 550v, and I would think it would be pretty costly to convert your 240 1ph to 3ph with a rotary converter and then step it up with a transformer. Probably much cheaper and easier to do a motor swap, as has been suggested.

If you expect to have several machines in your shop running 3ph the best idea is probably a large-ish (5+ hp) rotary phase converter and wire a 3ph leg to a few drops from that. If you're only going to have a machine or two running 3ph I'd use VFD's for each machine. I've got a VFD on my mill and another one on my lathe and they're cost effective, simple, and afford you the luxury of variable speed on older machines as well.