# American Rotary Phase Converter



## 682bear (Feb 4, 2018)

Does anybody have any experience with American Rotary Phase Converters? 

I am looking into installing an RPC in my shop to power my lathe, mill, and surface grinder. I have been looking at their converters on e-bay and was wondering if they are as good as they claim.

Looking for feedback, positive and negative...

Thanks
-Bear


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## MikeInOr (Feb 4, 2018)

I built my 10hp balanced rotary phase converter about 20 years ago.  It still runs great, I use it most every weekend and has never had an issue.  Building a phase converter isn't rocket science.  Looking at the American Rotary Phase Converters website it looks like you will be paying for a lot of hype.  There just isn't that much to a rotary phase converter.  To me their claims look more like marketing hype than any real advantage.

Although I still use my RPC for my 7.5 hp RAS all my other machines have been changed over to VFD's.  I prefer the VFD's!  Wiring my shop for 3ph off my RPC is more expensive than buying individual VFD's.

Edit: Their website seemed a little pricey to me (I haven't priced out RPC's in a long time) but if they are competitively priced I would have no qualms using one.  Building a phase converter isn't for everyone.


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## N2XD (Feb 4, 2018)

I use one on my Surface grinder and I am very pleased.


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## rgray (Feb 4, 2018)

They are good. I see they are much cheaper now than when I got one. 10 years go I got a 3hp from them and it was
$650.00 it worked great. So quiet that you could forget to turn it off.
I moved and didn't take it with me and bought another brand thinking they would all be the same. The new one needed it's
own dog house or something as it was annoyingly loud.
I think but not sure that the AR converter was a lower rpm motor. More money but quieter.

I've put together 3 more converters since then always buying just the box with electronics like: I put the wrong link here...it is below.

Latest was a 30hp. Not a friendly motor to ship. I bought the converter box on ebay and found a motor within 100 miles of me that I could "run" and pick up.


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## rgray (Feb 4, 2018)

Wrong link in my reply previously.
more like this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Hp-phase...hash=item2c95dbc9d4:m:mQ-7iDhg8CJispUlMAibEVw


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## dennys502 (Feb 4, 2018)

I power the shop with an American Rotary AD10. I had to upgrade from an AD5 when I added the lathe. 
Now I have the lathe, mill, surface grinder and hammond wd-10 carbide grinder running on it.


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## woodchucker (Feb 4, 2018)

rgray said:


> They are good. I see they are much cheaper now than when I got one. 10 years go I got a 3hp from them and it was
> $650.00 it worked great. So quiet that you could forget to turn it off.
> I moved and didn't take it with me and bought another brand thinking they would all be the same. The new one needed it's
> own dog house or something as it was annoyingly loud.
> ...


I think you mean like this (you supplied a static, this is a rotary:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/7-5-Hp-pha...793882?hash=item2c973b19da:g:7ZYAAMXQUShQ9L-z

Oh geez, just read further you corrected it. Sorry


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## Ulma Doctor (Feb 4, 2018)

build you own like i did,
https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/rpc-simple-design-unbalanced.12712/


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## rgray (Feb 4, 2018)

woodchucker said:


> Oh geez, just read further you corrected it. Sorry



I just edited it....should have done that earlier.....just makin a mess of things.


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## 682bear (Feb 4, 2018)

Thanks for the replies... unfortunately, I know very little about electrical systems, so attempting to build an RPC would quickly get me way outside my comfort zone...

When it comes to electricity, I depend on the KISS principle... I have to Keep It Simple cuz I'm Stupid...

I just wanted to make sure that American RPC had a good reputation before ordering from them.

Thanks again...
-Bear


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## 4GSR (Feb 4, 2018)

American RPC are excellent for those that don't want to mess with DYI converters or like you just don't know about electrical circuitry to do your own.  I know a few that have them and refuse to have anything else.  A buddy of mine bought one a few months ago that he plans on wiring up for his truck shop for running a couple 20HP compressors.  It was a 50 HP RPC and it's a monster!


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